14 years of imprisonment for murderers

The bus of the team after the assassination. (Photo: Kai Pfaffenbach / Reuters)

Sergei W., who had committed an explosive attack on the BVB bus on the evening of April 11, 2017, was sentenced to fourteen years. The judges of the Dortmund District Court admitted that they attempted murder in 28 cases – so many people were sitting on the bus – but did not make the prosecutor's request for life imprisonment. W. had concealed three explosive devices each with 60 metal needles in a roadside hedge near the hotel's hotel in Dortmund. When the team rose at 7 pm on the way to the Champions League match against AS Monaco at the Dortmund stadium, W. lit the three bombs from his hotel room. Two were on the ground, the third about one meter high.

Stop as an investment

The court concluded that it was proved that W. wanted to make money with this attack. Shortly before the attack, he had bought so-called put options at the hotel room and was betting on the falling prices of BVB stock. W. acted out of greed. W.'s counsel, meanwhile, claimed that the 29-year-old, after separating from his partner, wanted to end his life and leave something to his parents, while soliciting his attention and his gratitude. The reviewers described the offender as inhibited, but aspiring to domination and control, to the narcissistic personality.

W. himself said very little in the process. The thin man with medium-length hair seemed little involved until his absence. Last week, he concluded in a whisper that he wished to apologize to everyone. He had admitted the offense in January, but had pointed out that as an electrical engineer, he had designed the explosives so as not to hurt anyone. On the contrary, he wanted to spread fear and terror and earn money. So he poured the metal pins into a thick layer of resin. "The idea was that the bolts would consume enough kinetic energy to penetrate the mass that they would no longer be dangerous," W. says in his statement.

Explosives were uncontrollable

But this presentation has been dissected by various experts. For example, a physicist from a Fraunhofer institute as well as a specialist from the Federal Office of Criminal Police stated in court that no one could control explosive devices such as those used. It was only lucky that there were no deaths and "only" two wounded. One of the players in the bus, Marc Bartra, was injured in the forearm by bursts. But Bratra was lucky in the misfortune: a few inches from his head, another projectile had penetrated into his seat. In addition, a police officer who was driving a motorcycle on a bus was injured. He is unfit for service until today. Both offered to W. pain and suffering

Several BVB players reported to the court the mental health issues that triggered the attack. One of them had been afraid of death on the bus. Many reported sleep disturbances and nightmares that sometimes lasted for months. Substitute goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller testified that the incident had changed his life. "If a plate falls somewhere in the room today, I will flinch," said BVB captain Marcel Schmelzer. The coach of the time, Thomas Tuchel, is convinced that his contract was also terminated because of the attack and the ensuing disputes between him and the director general of the BVB, Hans-Joachim Watzke.

Immediately after the attack, the UEFA and club leaders had forced the players to catch up on the failed match a day later.