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Location of the fire in Mallorca: German vacationers under suspicion
Photo: Clara Margais / dpa
Four more of the 13 German vacationers who were accused of arson in Mallorca have apparently been released from custody on bail.
The young men left the prison in the capital Palma around 10 p.m. on Tuesday evening, as reported by the newspaper “Diario de Mallorca” and other regional media, citing judicial circles on the Spanish island.
The bail payments of EUR 12,000 each transferred from relatives in Germany had previously been received, it said.
One of the suspects was released unconditionally on Friday because he could prove that he was in the shower when the fire broke out.
The other eight suspects, for whom the judge refused bail, remain in custody until further notice.
It is still unclear how long the investigation will take and whether there will be charges and a trial.
The Germans were recently visited by two pastors and a representative of the German consulate, as reported by WDR.
According to media reports, the suspects are men between the ages of 24 and 29 who belong to a bowling club in Münster.
The lawyer for the Germans had previously announced on Tuesday that the families of the vacationers had pooled 500,000 euros for joint and several liability.
The suspects wanted to confirm their willingness to cooperate, wrote lawyer Raban Funk from Stolzenau in Lower Saxony in a communiqué.
The Spanish investigating magistrate had set the sum.
The Germans are accused of starting a fire near the Ballermann on May 20th.
They threw burning butts and alcohol from the balcony of their hotel room onto the thatched roof of the terrace of a restaurant below.
The roof caught fire and two pubs, an apartment and parts of the restaurant were damaged.
Two people suffered minor injuries.
The men deny starting the fire.
The lawyer said that an expert report on the origin of the fire commissioned by the Spanish investigative authority was not yet available.
However, this report will "reveal further, objectively exculpatory moments".
