Sixteen people were injured early yesterday when a bomb exploded outside a bar in Merseburg in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Two of the victims, a 23-year-old woman and a 28 year-old man, lost both their legs in the blast.
"This was malicious because the young people had no chance to protect themselves. They were taken completely by surprise," said the state's Interior Minister, Mr Manfred Puchel.
There was no indication that the bar was targeted by right-wing extremists, but Mr Siegfried Koch, a police spokesman, said the bomb was undoubtedly the work of a professional.
"I've spoken with the explosives experts and they said that this was not a bomb that any layman could have put together. This was done by professionals," Mr Koch said.
About 20 people were celebrating in Desperado, a popular night spot for young people from all over the region, when the bomb exploded at 1.30 a.m. The bomb was planted in a concrete flower pot a few feet away from the bar and the explosion left a deep crater in the footpath outside.
The bomb exploded just 150 metres from a large disco, which had more than 500 guests at the time of the attack.
Police said the injuries might have been even more severe if a petrol station 100 metres away had been hit.
Saxony-Anhalt, which is one of Germany's poorest states, has seen more than 650 attacks by rightwing extremists during the past year.
However, police do not believe that the attack on Desperado, which was frequented neither by foreigners nor right-wing Germans, was politically motivated.
"A number of lines of inquiry are being pursued and I hope there are leads there and that the perpetrators will be given a just punishment," Mr Puchel said.
The bar's owner was among the injured who were taken by helicopter to nearby hospitals and police would not rule out the possibility that the attack was part of a dispute over the payment of protection money. Two other premises in the state have been attacked in recent months.
"If this was a dispute between groups or individuals, the terrible thing about it is that innocent people were hit. In its brutality, it is the worst case I have experienced during my five years in office," Mr Puchel said.
Two unexploded war-time bombs found under a rail track used by high-speed trains in Gottingen, were made safe overnight on Saturday. Seven thousand residents had to leave their homes temporarily during the disposal of the two allied bombs dropped over Germany during the second World War.
