The man who carried out a bomb attack on the Borussia Dortmund football team's bus in 2017 has been jailed for 14 years.
The defendant, who has been identified only as Sergej W. in line with German privacy rules, was convicted on 28 accounts of attempted murder by the Dortmund state court on Tuesday.
He was also ordered to pay 15,000 euros (£13,300) to defender Marc Bartra, who got injured in the attack, having needed an operation to remove debris from his hand.
A police officer was also injured when three explosions rocked the team's bus as it left a hotel in the western German city to travel for their Champions League home game against AS Monaco on April 11 last year.
Tuesday's verdict ended an 11-month trial that featured testimony from players and then-coach Thomas Tuchel.
Prosecutors alleged that W. took out a loan to place a bet that Borussia Dortmund's shares would drop in value, then bombed the bus and tried to disguise the attack as Islamic terrorism.
Dortmund is the only German club whose shares are listed on the stock exchange.
The blasts shattered a window of the bus and hit Bartra with shrapnel, leaving the team without the Spanish defender for around a month.
The verdict fell short of prosecutors' call for a life sentence.
Defence lawyers had argued that W. should be convicted only of setting off an explosion and given a much lower sentence.
In January, the defendant testified that he carried out the attack but did not intend to kill or hurt anyone.
The 29-year-old, a German citizen who came to the country from Russia at 13, told the court that he was trying to fake an attack and designed the explosives in such a way "that no harm to people could be expected".
The suspect was arrested 10 days after the attack.
deebashbhandari
411
By looking at his body and personality he looks like hero or hacker but he is bomber..😨😨 He should be jailed for lifetime. He nearly destroyed dorrmund golden generation..😣😣
fortunate0001
318
14 years?, that is damn too short a time for a criminal like him.
Rafe
284
He bombed the bus and tried to disguise the attack as Islamic terrorism. -this single line tells the story of Innocent Muslims who are seen as terrorists by whites & by some asians also. Reality says they are the real terrorists. 14 years in prison is not enough , this guy deserves Death penalty.
Wamaipu
265
Germany's court is so soft
lovekid
247
why would someone want to do something like that 😑😑😩
Iamtom_davidonIG
216
Give him life in prison !! who does that Because of a bet???
Depbeisuz
212
give him jail for life
Nesaiknruy_Legend
198
Good, keep criminals away from the beautiful game and society in general. Disgusting act, thank God he was stopped...
Funoprtu
143
Oh thanks god he don’t look like Arab or Muslim otherwise bla bla bla
Sepekpz
142
He was supposed to be given a life sentence to set example to other pipo who could also think of attempting the same offence in future.
Divyansh26
133
Well football is a game which spreads love be a person from any religion ...rich or poor or anything it unites everything and make us forget our problems in this world .....but there are some people who are destroying this beautiful game of football ....... They shall be punished harshly as attacking players is an act of a coward.Players work so hard for us so that we can enjoy their football......but these type of attacks should be abolished and harsh punishment should be given to the wrong doer..........
Moscdlmtu
128
Sometimes I don't understand with these so called court judgements .I don't know what it means by fake bomb. what if the life of someone was taken away, would it be the fake bomb? The bomber had an intention to cause death and he deserve a life imprisonment, and could put an alarm to others of such horrible minds. I don't agree with the 14 year jail sentence.
arnobgoswami
90
Only 14 years of jail. He should be given death penalty. Because he tried to kill the Golden Generation of Dortmund.
Topbdlnrtz
73
Such a person is an enemy to society. Instead of hiding their names, they should be branded. My thoughts exactly.
Divyansh26
14
He bombed the bus and tried to disguise the attack as Islamic terrorism. -this single line tells the story of Innocent Muslims who are seen as terrorists by whites & by some asians also. Reality says they are the real terrorists. 14 years in prison is not enough , this guy deserves Death penalty.
well written I can understand the pain like being a Muslim it's tough for u bro...I'm a hindu I can understand........how u Muslim feel just by some people we should not judge the whole community .....I have many friends as Muslim and we share good relationship........ your comment is Gr8 deserves an applause..... PEACE✌✌✌✌✌✌....