Germany hunts suspect after power grid sabotage spate
German authorities search for a man who claimed responsibility for power grid attacks, as officials weigh climate extremism and foreign sabotage.
German police are conducting a nationwide manhunt for a 48-year-old man who sent letters claiming responsibility for a series of sabotage attacks on the country's power grid this week. The search follows the discovery of what appeared to be explosives at his residence, officials confirmed on Friday.
At a joint press conference, North Rhine-Westphalia's interior minister Herbert Reul said the letters, addressed to authorities and media, cited opposition to fossil fuels as the motive. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the evidence as pointing toward "climate extremism."
The development comes amid heightened European concerns over critical infrastructure vulnerabilities, just days before a closely watched state election in which the far-right, Russia-friendly Alternative for Germany (AfD) leads in polls. Berlin this week also formally accused Russia of a drone attack on Leipzig/Halle airport in August, framing it as part of hybrid warfare against nations supporting Ukraine. Moscow has dismissed the allegation.
Reul acknowledged unresolved questions, including whether the suspect actually carried out any attacks or acted alone. Authorities have not ruled out foreign state sponsorship or involvement of left-wing extremists. Dobrindt warned that Germany faces simultaneous threats from sabotage, cyberattacks, covert operations, extremism, and state terrorism, adding that these factors could be interlinked.
The suspect claimed responsibility for an attack on a substation in Bergheim near Cologne on Tuesday, where conductive material apparently caused a short circuit, knocking five power generation units offline. Police later found launch devices nearby. A second incident was discovered Thursday evening in Dormagen, where a passer-by spotted pipe-based devices aimed at a substation. Reul said the letters named additional targets, including a substation in Weisweiler.
Separately, reports emerged of suspected explosives found on overhead lines at two substations in Saxony's Goerlitz district, prompting police operations. Another incident this week damaged lines at a critical high-voltage node in Brandenburg, though links to the claimed attacks remain unconfirmed. A spokesperson for Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the foiled attempts demonstrate that security measures are functioning.