12 explosive devices found at substations in Germany — police search for 48-year-old man
Twelve homemade explosive devices have been discovered at two electricity transmission substations near Bautzen and Görlitz in Germany. Police are investigating possible links to sabotage incidents earlier this week.
Explosive devices at German electricity transmission substations — 12 devices neutralised
According to Apollo, twelve homemade explosive devices were found in Germany on Friday at high-voltage lines near electricity transmission substations in Bautzen and Görlitz. The discovery was reported by a local resident. Experts neutralised the devices, and the surrounding power lines were temporarily switched off during the operation.
Police announced on Saturday that they are investigating a possible connection between these cases and similar incidents that occurred at the beginning of this week at several electricity transmission substations across Germany. Authorities believe the attacks were intended to disrupt electricity supply from coal-fired power stations and cause large-scale supply disruptions. Climate extremists are being considered as possible organisers.
A 48-year-old man from Gefelsberga has claimed responsibility for the previous sabotage in two letters, stating that he wanted to draw attention to electricity generation from fossil fuels, which he himself describes as a crime. German police are searching for him and have conducted a search of a property in Gefelsberga.
On Friday, the newspaper Bild reported that a heavily armed police special unit in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia checked a lorry in the Hambach forest that was linked to the suspect. However, they were unable to detain him.
Hambach is a symbolic location for Germany's climate activist movement — protests against plans to clear forest areas for expansion of the Hambach coal mine have taken place there for years.
Source: Apollo