In process of bombing of bus of Football Bundesliga Borussia Dortmund, defender of suspected assassin of prosecutor accused of bias. Chief prosecutor Carsten Dombert had determined early on results and did not seek relieving circumstances for accused Sergei W., said Carl W. Heydenreich on process kick-off before Dortmund district Court.

Heydenreich also criticized fact that results of investigation had reached public. He spoke of an "unprecedented media prejudging campaign". Chief prosecutor Dombert, in turn, accused Heydenreich of making "unscrupulous mood". He would have liked to have determined relieving circumstances, but this did not give it "plain and simple". "I don't feel biased," said chief prosecutor.

The process had begun on Thursday about eight months after attack. Sergei W. Was supposed to have detonated three explosives on April 11, 2017, when 27-man bus had just left Dortmund team hotel. During explosion, metal splinters had penetrated bus, BVB defense player Marc Bartra and a police officer were injured.

Defendant scored 6,000 euros profit

Ten days after assassination, Sergei W. was arrested in Baden-Württemberg. According to previous information from authorities, German Russian declared that he had only made a vacation in Dortmund. The defendant's motive was greed in opinion of investigators. He should have bet on a falling price of BVB share before attack. "The defendant acted to enrich himself," said chief prosecutor Carsten Dombert at trial of indictment.

Sergei W. was to buy warrants in week before bombing for more than 26,000 euros, with which he speculated on stock exchange on a falling price of BVB share. If BVB share price declined to one euro, charge would have been around half a million euros. In fact, 28-year-old has achieved an increase of just under 6,000 euros on stock exchange.

The prosecution refore accuses him of 28-fold attempted murder, which was made out of greed, insidiously and with common dangerous means. He is also burdened with causing an explosive explosion and dangerous bodily injury.

Bus should not be hit by defender

The defendant himself did not comment on accusations. His lawyer disclosed wher he would give information on second day of negotiations on 8 January. "Wher and how he will comment on matter will first be heard by court," said Heydenreich at end of first day of negotiations.

In his view, re could be no mention of a targeted assassination. "It is obvious that bus should not be hit at all," he said. After all, only two of hundreds of metal pins were penetrated into vehicle. "And bus is not a small car." However, defender explicitly did not want to express that his client had detonated bombs.

Wher players and coaches from Borussia Dortmund are loaded in process as witnesses remained open at first. BVB-lawyer Alfons Becker, however, assumes that at least some pros will testify. Becker made claims for damages in proceedings and requested at least 15,000 euros of pain for injured player Bartra. The attack was a "staggering moment" for affected players, said lawyer. That was "gone to substance".

District Court Dortmund-suspected BVB bomber in court according to public prosecutor Sergei W. Has committed attack on BVB bus on April 11. He is accused of attempted murder, causing an explosive explosion and dangerous bodily harm. © Photo: INA Fassbender/DPA Date Of Update: 22 December 2017, 12:02