Bus bombing tactics under scrutiny after man arrested
IT IS too soon to say whether letters recovered following the Borussia Dortmund bus attack indicate a new terror tactic, amid claims the incident is linked to Islamic extremism, an expert said.
Three explosions took place as a bus carrying the Dortmund football squad travelled to the Signal Iduna Park stadium for Tuesday evening’s Champions League quarter-final first-leg tie with Monaco. The match was abandoned and went ahead last night.
Defender Marc Bartra was injured in the attack, which left him needing surgery on a broken bone in his wrist.
A suspected Islamic extremist was arrested, and German media reported two letters were found which police are examining in the hope they will provide a motive.
But they have warned the letters may be an attempt to mislead the investigation.
Scott Atran, co-founder of the Centre for the Resolution of Intractable Conflict at Oxford University, said it is “too early to tell” when asked if he thought leaving a letter near the scene was a sign of a new tactic by Islamist
extremists. Professor Atran said they hit “soft targets” that cannot be defended in any consistent way “without a tremendous, unaffordable, outlay of resources”.
Borussia Dortmund’s head coach Thomas Tuchel has also criticised UEFA’s decision to make his side play their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Monaco last night.
The Bundesliga outfit took to the field less than 24 hours after the three explosions went off near their team bus.
Dortmund lost 3-2 in a breathless rearranged encounter. Tuchel claims his side were told they had to play by a text message from UEFA.