German authorities have arrested a 48-year-old man, identified as Daniel V., on suspicion of carrying out a series of sabotage attacks on the country's electricity grid. The arrests followed a manhunt initiated after letters claiming responsibility for the attacks on electricity substations in three German states were received.
Daniel V. was detained near Weisweiler in western Germany and was found to be carrying explosive devices. A nearby tent, believed to be where he had stayed overnight, contained further explosive charges that bomb disposal experts were examining. Investigators continued to collect evidence at the scene to determine if additional launch devices had been deployed in the surrounding area.
The prosecutor's office is investigating a September 1 incident near the Jaenschwalde coal-fired power plant, where overhead lines at a substation were targeted, and several improvised explosive devices were discovered. Some of these devices failed to detonate. The investigation in Brandenburg state is examining charges of causing an explosion and disrupting public utilities, with the possibility of additional charges being considered.
Authorities reported similar incidents in North Rhine-Westphalia on September 1 and in Saxony on September 4. However, investigations in the three states have not yet been consolidated. German police had been searching for the suspect since receiving letters claiming responsibility for the attacks and citing opposition to fossil fuels as the motive.
The suspect has also claimed responsibility for an attack on a substation in Bergheim near Cologne, which reportedly disabled five power generation units after conductive material was launched onto high-voltage infrastructure. Another suspected sabotage attempt, claimed by the same individual, was discovered in Dormagen, where a passer-by found pipes fitted with cables and timers aimed at a substation. Police subsequently located two launch devices at that site.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt had previously suggested that the incidents were likely cases of 'climate extremism,' but at the time, it was unclear whether the individual acted alone or had accomplices or was acting on behalf of a third party.
The series of attacks had initially fueled fears that Russia might be deliberately targeting Germany through a hybrid campaign aimed at sabotaging its critical infrastructure. These concerns were amplified by a recent incident involving an explosive-laden drone at a strategic airport in Germany. NATO member Germany, a supporter of Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, has previously accused Moscow of engaging in hybrid attacks, including espionage and sabotage, allegations that Russia denies.
Germany has reported numerous suspicious drone sightings over military and industrial sites in recent months. The incident at Leipzig airport on August 4, where a drone carrying explosives was discovered near a Ukrainian cargo plane, heightened security concerns. Another drone, also containing traces of explosives, was reportedly found near the same airport weeks later. The Leipzig airport is a crucial hub for the transport of military goods for Germany and its NATO allies, and it also serves as a base for Ukraine's Antonov Airlines. Chancellor Friedrich Merz commented that Germany had increasingly found itself "in the crosshairs of hybrid attackers." Russian President Vladimir Putin, in response to the drone incident, accused Germany of fabricating evidence to implicate Moscow.