Bus bomber’s rants over Syria

German police arrest Iraqi ‘with Islamist links’ after 3 explosions hit football coach

‘Hit by fragments of broken glass’

GERMAN police have arrested a 25-year- old man with ‘Islamist links’ over a suspected terror attack on a top football team’s bus.

Borussia Dortmund’s coach was targeted with three homemade pipe bombs hidden in bushes as the team made their way to a match on Tuesday evening.

Police were investigating a possible Islamic extremist motive after three letters found close to the scene appeared to blame the attack on Germany’s involvement in the conflict in Syria.

The notes also threatened to target other ‘disbelieving actors, singers, athletes and all prominent figures in Germany’ and referenced the Berlin Christmas market attack which left 12 dead, local media reported.

The blasts smashed windows of the coach, and one player – Spaniard Marc Bartra, 26 – suffered cuts and a broken wrist after he was hit by glass and required an operation. A policeman on a motorcycle escorting the team to the European match in the Champions League against French side AS Monaco suffered damage to his ears from the noise. Local media said the suspect was an Iraqi living in Wuppertal – 30 miles south of Dortmund.

A second suspect was identified as a 28- year- old German from Froendenburg, near Unna, on the outskirts of Dortmund.

It was claimed that both men were known to police and intelligence services and had links with Islamic State. One of the two was also seen close to the scene shortly before the attack, Bild newspaper reported.

Frauke Koehler, a spokesman for federal prosecutors, said two suspects from the ‘Islamist spectrum’ were the focus of their investigation. Both of their apartments were searched and one detained, she said.

Miss Koehler said three letters containing the same text found near the scene called for the withdrawal of German tornado fighter jets from Syria and the closure of the United States’ Ramstein air base in Germany.

According to German media, the notes started with the words: ‘In the Name of Allah, Most Gra- cious, Most Merciful.’ Miss Koelher also said there were now ‘significant doubts’ about another letter, published online by Leftwing extremists groups, which also claimed responsibility for the attack.

The blasts went off at about 7.15pm, just minutes after Dortmund’s team bus left the fourstar L’Arrivee Hotel and Spa for their quarter-final, first-leg tie.

Experts said they could have been detonated with a phone or an electric garage door opener.

Goalkeeper Roman Burki said the bus had turned on to the main road, at the end of the hotel’s long drive, when there was a loud noise and the players dropped to the floor, unsure if there would be more blasts.

He said: ‘I was sitting in the back row next to Marc Bartra, who was hit by fragments of the broken glass. After the bang, we all ducked in the bus and those who could threw themselves to the ground.

‘We did not know what had happened. The police were quick on the scene, and we were safe. We’re all shocked – nobody thought of a football match in this moment.’

Emergency services were called and the players were escorted under armed guard. The 80,000capacity Westfalenstadion was evacuated and the match post- poned for 24 hours. Fans had been warned to expect long queues and backpacks were banned. But large numbers turned out, and when the team took to the pitch, they were greeted by a rousing ovation from both home and away fans.

Afterwards, Dortmund fans offered Monaco fans a bed for the night in the city in a show of solidarity advertising on Twitter with the hashtag #bedsforawayfans. The game went ahead with extra security last night.

The injured player had said he would be watching the match on television in hospital.

Bartra, who is expected to be out of action for several weeks, posted a photograph online fol- lowing his operation in which he had a bandage around much of his right arm, and a smaller one on his left wrist.

He wrote: ‘All my strength to my teammates, supporters and fans and to Borussia Dortmund for tonight’s match!’

He thanked ‘everybody for all your support and your messages’.

Uefa said earlier it would review security arrangements for all of last night’s European matches.

A police spokesman said on Wednesday: ‘Two suspects are currently the subject of investigations. One person has been arrested. We are treating this incident as a terrorist attack. An Islamic background is possible.’