Three explosions went off near Borussia Dortmund's team bus as it set off for the Champions League quarterfinal match against AS Monaco on Tuesday, authorities said. According to local media reports, the case has been handed over to federal prosecutors, which usually means an incident is considered terrorism or a similarly serious crime.

Further reports indicated that a note found near the explosives began "in the name of Allah, the merciful," and that investigators were looking into possible Islamist connections.

German news agency dpa reported seeing the letter, whichi addressed German Chancellor Angela Merkel directly. "You obviously aren't bothered about your dirty little subjects," the note allegedly read. "Your Tornados continue to fly over the ground of the Caliphate to murder Muslims."

A government spokesman said Merkel was "appalled by the attack," and had offered her solidarity with Borussia Dortmund.

"The letter's authenticity is being verified," prosecutor Sandra Lücke told journalists.

- Dortmund bus attacked - as it happened

- Inside the stadium as the attack took place

Dortmund bus explosion: What we know Triple blast Three explosions occured near Borussia Dortmund's team bus on the way to their stadium for a Champions League match against AS Monaco. Police have said that the explosives were placed on the street, in a location where the bus would have been forced to slow down. Some media reports have said that the bombs were made from homemade materials.

Dortmund bus explosion: What we know Mysterious letter Prosecutors have said that a note was found near the bombs claiming responsibility for the attack. This led police to confirm that the incident was indeed a "premeditated attack." Later, German media reported that federal prosecutors had taken over the case. This usually indicates suspicion of terrorism or a similarly serious crime.

Dortmund bus explosion: What we know Multiple injuries Dortmund defender Marc Bartra was injured by flying glass and taken to the hospital. A police officer who was nearby on his motorcycle was also hurt. The bus was badly damaged.

Dortmund bus explosion: What we know Fans receive praise Fans were told to wait inside the stadium until the situation was cleared. The game was then postponed, and will be played Wednesday instead with heightened security. Police praised fans for their calm response.

Dortmund bus explosion: What we know Pulling together The rearranged fixture will be a "huge challenge," according to CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke, who added that the players were professional enough to do the job. "The whole team is in a state of shock, you can't get pictures like that out of your head," he said. "I hope the team will be in a position to be able to compete tomorrow on the pitch. In a crisis situation like this, Borussia pulls together."

Dortmund bus explosion: What we know Heightened security Both teams will receive extra personal security for Wednesday's game, as there is some speculation the attack was carried out to hurt Dortmund's chances. Prosecutors have said they are seeking suspects on attempted murder charges.

Dortmund bus explosion: What we know What we don't know Although police said they found a note by the explosives, they have not made public its contents, so a motive remains unclear. However, German media claimed that it said "in the name of Allah, the merciful." Authorities have said they do not yet have a suspect in the case, nor are they completely certain that the Dortmund team was the intended target. Author: Elizabeth Schumacher



Police spokesman Gunnar Wortmann confirmed there were "three explosions near the [Borussia Dortmund] team bus as they left the hotel to go to the stadium." Dortmund police said on their Twitter account said they "assume that this was an attack with serious explosives."

At a press conference, police said they did not want to jump to conclusions by saying the three explosions were a terror attack. "We are assuming that they were a targeted attack against the Dortmund team," said Dortmund city's police chief Gregor Lange. An explosive-like item was found at the team's hotel after the blasts but it did not ignite.



The police were quick to praise the calm reaction of fans, which "helped us and the club enormously." While still in the stadium, Monaco fans chanted "Dortmund! Dortmund!" in support of their Champions League rival. The German club commended the support on their social media account and helped to direct the Monaco fans toward overnight accommodation.

Under the hashtag #bedsforawayfans, hundreds of French supporters found accomodation for the night with locals. DW's Kate Brady in Dortmund met one fan who put up six Monaco fans.

Marc Bartra injuries

The club said defender Marc Bartra injured his arm and his hand and was taken straight to hospital. BVB chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke said Bartra's injuries were not "life-threatening." Borussia Dortmund's representative at a press conference on Tuesday night confirmed that Bartra was undergoing surgery on his injured wrist and lower arm.

Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Bürki, who was sitting near Bartra on the team bus, chronicled the incident in an interview with Swiss newspaper "Blick," calling it "a proper explosion."

"We departed the hotel at 19:15 (1715 UTC). The bus turned onto the main street when there was a huge bang - a proper explosion," Bürki said in the interview. "I sat in the last row next to Marc Bartra, who was hit by splinters of broken glass from the back window."

Defender Marc Bartra sustained hand and arm injuries

The match was rescheduled to Wednesday.

"The team is totally shocked, that's clear. It's our task now to digest this somehow because it's only 24 hours before we have to play. That's our job," Watzke was quoted as saying.

Watch video 00:58 Explosions hit Borussia Dortmund bus ahead of Champions League game

dv/es/rt (AP, AFP, Reuters)