Robbers raid Berlin hotel poker tournament

Armed robbers have stormed a luxury hotel in central Berlin where a poker tournament was taking place, German police say.

One report said the gang – armed with assault rifles and hand grenades – made off with the tournament jackpot of 800,000 euros ($1.1m; £726,000).

Several people were injured in the ensuing panic, although none of them seriously.

About 1,000 poker players are taking part in the five-day tournament.

“Several masked, armed individuals entered the Grand Hyatt Hotel and fled with a haul of money,” police spokeswoman Heidi Vogt said.

She declined to say how much had been taken but Berlin’s Tageszeitung newspaper reported on its website that the gang had taken 800,000 euros.

‘Panic’

Participant Tobias Reinkemeier said there was panic when the robbers broke in.

There was panic at the Grand Hyatt Hotel when the gang burst in

“They screamed ‘armed robbery’,” he said.

“We didn’t know what was going on. Then there was panic and everyone jumped underneath tables before they tried to escape through the emergency exit.”

The attack happened at about 1430 local time (1330GMT).

Four robbers entered from Potsdamer Platz while two others kept watch, Tageszeitung reported.

Images of the chaotic scenes were broadcast by the private n-tv television station.

Officials said most of the injuries were caused by panic.

The tournament – organised by the European Poker Tour (EPT) – resumed about four hours after the attack, German media reported.

ICC aims to avert Trophy boycott

ICC says safety will not be compromised at the Champions Trophy

Cricket’s governing body the ICC is hoping to head off a possible boycott of next month’s Champions Trophy over security worries.

Delegations are visiting England, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand in an attempt to persuade them to take part in the tournament in Pakistan.

They have expressed serious safety concerns about the event.

Rawalpindi has already been removed as one of the venues after its security arrangements could not be verified.

Matches will now take place only in Lahore and Karachi.

ICC president David Morgan said: “Our desire is to ensure that every stakeholder is content with arrangements and is comfortable with the ICC Champions Trophy taking place in Pakistan.”

The ICC is to receive feedback from the visits by 20 August.

“We are committed to a safe and secure event in Pakistan,” Morgan added.

“We believe these visits and the feedback we get from them will play a major role in us achieving those ends.”

The competition, the so-called mini World Cup, is set to be held between 11 and 28 September.

But Australia and New Zealand players have been advised by their players’ associations not to travel to Pakistan and the South African players’ body has criticized the ICC decision not to move the tournament out of Pakistan.