Bombardier BVB Sergei W. pursues judgment in the process of murder without emotion

Sergej W. is serving a 14-year prison sentence. The Dortmund court describes the bombing perpetrated against Borussia Dortmund players as an attempt at badbadination. The avowed murderer takes the verdict almost apathetically.

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Fourteen years of imprisonment for attempted murder: when Sergei W. hears the verdict of the jury of Dortmund, his face reveals no emotion.

The man was shooting three self-made cluster bombs next to the Borussia Dortmund team bus, getting rich by betting on a fall in the BVB title.

Even at the end of the eleven-month process, he seemed calm, withdrawn, almost apathetic.

Hand-laid metal pins stole up to 250 meters

On April 11, 2017, the team bus with 18 players, nine supervisors and a driver had started at the hotel teams Dortmund. He did not go far.

Shortly after the departure, three exploded bombs hidden in a hedge exploded just off the bus. Dangerous hand-filled metal pins flew uncontrollably through the air and landed 250 meters from the scene.

Spanish central defender Marc Bartra, who was still active for BVB at that time, had an open fracture of his forearm on the bus.

Supposed claims letters in the hedge should guide suspicions about Islamist terrorist groups.

The verdict lasted an hour

On Tuesday, Judge Peter Windgätter took the time to justify the decision of his council. He again recalled the memories of the attack.

Tens of thousands of fans were eagerly awaiting the Champions League home game against AS Monaco in the sold-out Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund this Tuesday night. But no one should see football tonight.

Instead, fear and horror reigned as the news of the badbadination attempt made its entrance.

W. says, "I did not want to kill or hurt anyone"

The man was born in Russia 29 years ago. Today, Sergei W. from Rottenburg am Neckar has only German nationality.

When he speaks, his hard accent betrays his origins. Many the defendant did not say in the process. One sentence though, again and again: "I deliberately designed and aligned the bombs to exclude significant damage."

W. said in court: "I did not want to kill or hurt anyone, but create a horror scenario."

Judge Peter Windgätter said: "We consider that the statement of the accused is refuted on many, if not all, points."

A greedy badbadination

The Dortmund jury court is convinced that Sergei W., at the moment he pressed the detonator at a distance and detonated the bombs, at least accepted the fact that people could be injured in the act.

Its purpose was to cause "a significant loss of BVB's share price". Indeed, he had already bought loan orders that promised him a six-figure profit for this case.

At what point the attack took the club, the players and the goalkeepers and darkened their lives, the judges were able to see it directly during the numerous hearings of witnesses. "It was an incredible experience for us," said the president in the verdict.

Borussia Mönchengladbach's defender Matthias Ginter had even burst into tears. The goalkeeper of the time, Roman Weidenfeller, said: "This attack has changed my life."

The Defense gives its opinion on the revision

Although he even asked the accused for attempted murder, even in perpetuity, the lawyer Carsten Dombert showed that the judges' judgment "was not dissatisfied".

Similarly, later defenseman Carl Heydenreich expressed. The defense had requested less than ten years of imprisonment because his client claimed to have acted without killing.

That the defense after the judgment of 14 years, which is not yet final, asks for a review of the Federal Court remains open. Heydenreich: "We will discuss it in the coming days." (Ank / dpa)