A judge on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for an Iraqi formerly suspected of involvement in a series of explosions near Borussia Dortmund football team's bus, saying he is instead suspected of being a member of the so-called "Islamic State" (IS) militant group operating in Iraq.

German federal prosecutors earlier announced they were unable to find any evidence linking the Islamist suspect to the triple blast that shook Germany on Tuesday evening.

"The investigations have so far resulted in no proof that the suspect had taken part in the attack," the authorities said in statement, adding that he was a member of a "foreign terrorist organization," and that an arrest warrant was being sought on that ground. He allegedly led a unit of 10 commandos who carried out kidnappings and executions.

Read: Humanity prevails as football fans stand together in Dortmund

The suspect, identified only as Abdul Beset A. due to German privacy laws, was set to appear in court later on Thursday. The judge must then decide whether or not to issue the warrant. Without it, prosecutors cannot hold him for longer than 24 hours.

The 26-year-old reportedly left Iraq and traveled to Turkey in March 2015 before continuing on to Germany, where he maintained his contacts with jihadists. He was apprehended in the city of Wuppertal, some 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Dortmund.

Islamist claim of responsibility for the attack

On Tuesday evening, the bus carrying the Dortmund team to a Champions League match with AS Monaco was targeted by three explosions left on the road near the vehicle's path. Spanish defender Marc Bartra was injured by flying shards of glass and required surgery, but no one was killed in the attack.

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



Authorities discovered two letters claiming responsibility for the attack. One, which was attributed to the far-left movement Antifa, was likely a fake, a spokeswoman for Germany's federal prosecutor said. The other, which said the attack was carried out "in the name of Allah, the merciful," and blamed Chancellor Angela Merkel for "murdering Muslims," in Syria, was being investigated by authorities.

A second suspect was also detained on Wednesday, but police later released him due to lack of evidence.

Dortmund went on to lose the rescheduled game to Monaco on Wednesday night, prompting anger from coach Thomas Tuchel who blasted Champions League organizer UEFA for not giving the team "a bit of time to deal with it" [the attempt on their lives.] He said they had been treated "as if a beer can was thrown at the bus."

ls, es/kms (AP, dpa)