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CRIME

Suspect accused of bomb attack on Dortmund football team bus faces trial in December

A German-Russian man, accused of carrying out a bomb attack on Borussia Dortmund's team bus, will go on trial on December 21st, a German court said on Friday.

Suspect accused of bomb attack on Dortmund football team bus faces trial in December
The Dortmund bus after the attack. Photo: DPA.

Sergej W., 28, has been charged with 28 counts of attempted murder, setting off explosions and causing serious physical injury in the assault on April 11th.

Prosecutors say he was hoping to profit from a drop in the football team's share price as a result of the attack.

The trial is expected to last until the end of March.

The suspect faces life in prison, although in Germany, parole is usually granted after 15 years.

Three explosive devices hidden in a hedge went off next to the team bus, just as it left the squad's hotel heading for a Champions League quarter-final match at home against Monaco.

The blasts shattered bus windows and Spanish international Marc Bartra, 26, broke his wrist, while a motorcycle police officer suffered inner ear damage from the blast.

Ten days after the bomb attack, the German-Russian was arrested, with prosecutors saying he was hoping to make huge amounts of money on the stock market in the wake of the attack.

The suspect had taken out options on thousands of Borussia's listed shares in advance and allegedly planned to sell them at a pre-determined level after the attack when he bet that share prices would plunge.

Investigators also suspect that the man may have been planning other attacks.

According to the indictment, quoted Monday by Spiegel Online, he searched the internet to learn more about cable car companies and their share prices.

CRIME

German Die Linke politician attacked in Thuringia

A politician from Germany's socialist Die Linke party was insulted and attacked in a supermarket in Eisenberg, Thuringia on Friday.

German Die Linke politician attacked in Thuringia

At the supermarket checkout, a man insulted the party’s state election candidate Steffen Much without reason and grabbed him by his T-shirt, the party’s regional association said on Saturday.

Much was unharmed, according to party sources, and filed a police report against the attacker, who he knew.

“I am glad that Steffen Much was not physically harmed,” said the co-chairman of the Left Party’s regional association, Christian Schaft.

“Insults and attacks like these are intended to intimidate everyone who is committed to an open and democratic society.”

There have been several attacks on politicians across the country recently.

READ ALSO: German far-right AfD candidate attacked with knife in Mannheim

The Thuringia state elections take place on 1 September.

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