Soccer-Police probe attempted manslaughter after Dortmund game

DORTMUND, Nov 5 (Reuters) - German police have launched an investigation for attempted manslaughter after Galatasaray fans threw firecrackers and smoke bombs onto the pitch and into the Borussia Dortmund spectators during the Turks' 4-1 loss on Tuesday. Edzard Freyhoff, Dortmund police chief, told reporters trouble started in the city centre before the Champions League game when a group of about 800 Galatasaray fans lit bangers and smoke bombs before marching towards the stadium. "Once the game started they continued lighting them. We identified some and arrested them on the spot," Freyhoff said. The Group D game was interrupted twice for a few minutes while the Turkish team's players went to the supporters in an effort to make them stop. "Among other investigations were (those) launched into attempted manslaughter, disturbing the peace, breaking laws regulating explosives and laws on assembly," Dortmund police had said earlier in a statement. Police checked some 700 fans at the end of the game inside the stadium, photographing them as well as their identity cards or passports so the information could help police identify more troublemakers, Freyhoff said. Two police officers sustained minor injuries. "I told them (the fans) that if they continued like that the referee would stop the game," said Galatasaray's Hamit Altintop, who was born in nearby Gelsenkirchen. The Turkish club could face sanctions as well as a fine fom European soccer's governing body UEFA. (Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ken Ferris)