No evidence to link detained suspect to Dortmund blasts: GermanyApril 13, 2017 - 13:45 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - German federal prosecutors said Thursday, April 13 that they had no evidence that the sole suspect in custody for the bomb attack against the Borussia Dortmund football team bus was linked to the crime, AFP reports. However they said that they were seeking an arrest warrant to keep the 26-year-old Iraqi national, identified only as Abdul Beset A. in detention over allegedly having been a "member of the Islamic State group" in Iraq. Abdul Beset A. was detained in connection with the three explosions that rocked the Borussia Dortmund bus late Tuesday, injuring a player and a police officer. Federal prosecutors have called it a "terrorist" attack and said they are focusing on suspects in the "Islamist spectrum". But in a statement Thursday they acknowledged: "The investigation has not found evidence that the suspect took part in the attack." They said, however, that they now believe Abdul Beset A. joined the Islamic State group in Iraq in late 2014 and was the commander of a unit of around 10 fighters. "The goal of the unit was to prepare kidnappings, abductions, extortion and killings," the prosecutors said. He crossed the border into Turkey in March 2015 and continued on in early 2016 to Germany "where the suspect maintained contact with IS members," they added. Abdul Beset A. will appear Thursday before a judge who will decide on prosecutors' application for the arrest warrant. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Ucom Celebrates Telecommunication Day May 17 commemorates the founding of the International Telecommunication Union on May 17, 1865. Armenian, Azerbaijani heads of parliament meet in Switzerland President of the Armenian parliament Alen Simonyan met with the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova. Border residents overnight on highway to protest Armenia’s Residents of Kirants continue to express outrage over the government’s decision to cede land to Azerbaijan. Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. |