Dortmund's Bartra faces month out after bus bomb attack

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An Iraqi national arrested over the bomb attack on the Borussia Dortmund team bus is a suspected member of the Islamic State group, according to German prosecutors.

In this February 14, 2017 fie photo, Dortmund's Marc Bartra reacts during the Champions League round of 16, first leg, soccer match between Benfica and Borussia Dortmund in Lisbon.

Prosecutors revealed on Wednesday that three similar letters claiming responsibility were found near the site of the attack which indicated an Islamic extremist background.

"An Islamist background appears to be possible", she said, noting that the letter demanded that Germany withdraw its deployment of Tornado reconnaissance missions in an worldwide coalition fighting the ISIL group, and close the United States airbase in the western German town of Ramstein.

The daily Bild newspaper said police had placed Abdul Beset A. under surveillance for several months and believed, based on tapped telephone conversations, that he might be hiding explosives in his flat.

"If you are not in the bus you can not imagine how it is exactly", he said, adding that he understood the views of both sides and it had been hard to find another date.

An investigation is underway after the explosions rocked the Dortmund bus as it drove to their home stadium for a Champions League match against Monaco, injuring defender Marc Bartra and causing the game to be postponed for 24 hours. Despite the circumstances, the Dortmund and Monaco fans gave a very positive impression; I'm very happy with the supporters of both sides.

Timeline of Aaron Hernandez's legal problems
Hernandez was also suspended at least once for marijuana, an issue that would follow him as he entered the draft his junior year. But his father, the man who kept the 16-year-old anchored, died in 2006 from complications after a routine hernia surgery.

Germany has been on high alert since a series of jihadist attacks a year ago, including a Christmas market truck rampage in Berlin.

"The accused was arrested (on Wednesday) in connection with the attack on the Borussia Dortmund team coach". Bartra was operated on for a broken bone in his right wrist and shrapnel in his arm, a team spokesman said. The game was not too important but when they played they tried to be at their best. [Melissa and Gala] are my everything, the reason I fight to overcome obstacles, and this has been the worst of my life, an experience that I would not wish on anyone in the world.

"But UEFA exerts pressure and the politicians ask Borussia Dortmund to defy the terrorists". Marc Bartra, a central defender for the team, was injured during the explosion.

Monaco won the rearranged game 3-2 on Wednesday evening.

"Of course we have to keep it going, but we still want to be competitive".

However, German Minister of the Interior Thomas De Maiziere agreed with Spahn in that the match needed to go on and that by not playing would be allowing the attackers to win.

"We would have wanted to have more time to digest all of this".

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