The German Federal Prosecutor’s Office has arrested a 28-year old man in relation to last week’s attack.
A 28-year old man of dual Russian and German nationality has been arrested in relation to the attack on the Borussia Dortmund team bus last week.
Three explosions occurred while the Dortmund team bus was en route to the Westfalenstadion ahead of a Champions League quarter-final first leg clash against Monaco last Tuesday, April 11, causing significant damage to the bus and injuring defender Marc Bartra in the process.
Amid much controversy, the game took place a day later and following an investigation since, a man suspected of having planted a bomb near the Borussia Dortmund team bus has been arrested.
A statement released by the German Federal Prosecutor’s office said that the 28-year old man is accused of attempted murder, inflicting serious bodily harm and causing an explosion.
The statement also revealed the suspect’s plans to benefit financially from the attack, purchasing shares or so-called ‘put options’ that he hoped to sell at a pre-determined price.
The profit derived by the shares would have depended on the amount of the share price loss, with the suspect intending that the attack would trigger a massive decline in Borussia Dortmund shares, particularly in the event of injury or death to the Borussia Dortmund players.
“A significant drop in the price would have been expected if, as a result of the attack, players had been seriously injured or even killed,” the statement read.
The statement also revealed that the suspect was staying at the same hotel as the Borussia Dortmund team on the night before the attack and that in March, before the dates and venues for the quarter-finals were announced, he had booked two separate stays in Hotel L’Arrivée in Dortmund (9-13 April and 16-20 April).
Elsewhere in the statement, the German Federal Prosecutor’s office said that while three texts claiming radical Islamist motives for the attack were found near the scene, “there are considerable doubts about a radical Islamist origin”.
With regard to a far-right email claiming responsibility for the attack, which mentioned Adolf Hitler and was sent to a Berlin newspaper, meanwhile, the statement said it included “contradictions and inconsistencies” and that “there is currently no indication that it comes from the perpetrator”.
The German Federal Prosecutor’s office is due to provide an update on the investigation at 11.30am on Friday morning.
