The Bonn Bomb

January 14th 2013 - On December 10^th 2012, a blue bag containing an explosive device was left and later found at a rail track inside the main train station in the west German city of Bonn. Most of you will have heard about that. A month has passed since then and there have so far been no arrests. In fact, there has been little progress at all in the investigation. Now, even though this may technically be non-news, it still is significant. 

Some of you have asked me about details, so here is a little update, based on what I have heard from my sources or read in reliable news reports. 

1.- The device itself was most likely meant to explode. You must bear in mind that it was destroyed after it was found, so reverse eningeering has taken a while. But it looks like a) it was meant to explode and that b) it was even triggered (by a timing device), but did not explode because the detonator in place was not te right one. (Note: Other media are reporting that there was no detonator at all.)

2.- There does exist footage of a man believed to be carrying said blue bag inside a McDonald's a the station. It is short and not very good. He could not be identified. He looks more European than Non-European. Not much more can be said.

3.- The witnesses who found the bag said it was placed there by a black man. When shown pictures of Islamists of Somali origin they first believed they had identified the man. But reports say they weren't so sure anymore the second time. Fact is: nobody has been identified. Investigators believe that black man may have been part of the crime. But it is not excluded that he found the bag and left it.

4.- Several Media have reported over the weekend that a hair had been found inside the bag, belonging to a white European man. Others added that this hair cannot be used for DNA testing. (I suppose because it was exposed to large amounts of water.)

5.- The Attorney General is investigating the case, treating it as a terrorist incident. His statement suggests a Jihadist background but this has neither been proven nor supported by claims of responsibility or anything of that sort so far. 

6.- Investigators I have spoken to still think a Jihadist attempt is most likely, but they also say they do not rule out any other background. In fact investogators are currently looking at right wing exremists, left wing extresmists and organized crime as well. Some investigators have told me they don't even rule out that this was made to look like a Jihadist attempt.

7.- A known Bonn islamist of Somali origin who was briefly held after the find was let go. Some investigators still believe he may have knowledge of the plot, but he has said or done nothing that would help make that case.

OK, that's all there is as far as I am aware. As you can see, it leaves a lot of room for debate or conspiracy theory. There will surely be an update. One day. 

Y.