Manhunt for electricity saboteur Daniel V. (48): Police search across Europe
Following a series of attacks on electrical substations in Brandenburg, North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony, police are searching across Europe for the 48-year-old Daniel V.
European manhunt for alleged power supply saboteur
The Potsdam police have released photographs of 48-year-old Daniel V. and are searching for him across Europe. According to BILD, the man is suspected of being behind a series of attacks on electrical substations in Brandenburg, North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony.
On Friday, officers from the SEK special forces team searched his residential house in Gevelsberg (North Rhine-Westphalia) and a suspicious lorry in the area of Hambach Forest — at both locations without success. The suspect remained unfound.
Confession letter with full name and address
Daniel V. is said to have sent a confession letter in which he gave his full name and residential address. North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Minister Herbert Reul (74, CDU) stated: "As it stands, we assess the letters as authentic. The author states his motive as the fight against fossil fuels." Reul described the disclosure of the full name as "very unusual, relatively rare" and emphasised that it was being examined whether he acted alone.
Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (56, CSU) also commented: "Based on current information, one must assume climate extremism here."
Series of attacks from Brandenburg to Saxony
The first attack targeted the electrical substation in Turnow-Preilack (Brandenburg): on Tuesday, homemade rockets and copper wires caused short circuits, following which several units of the local brown coal power station had to be shut down.
On Wednesday, an attack followed on an electrical substation at a brown coal power station near Bergheim in North Rhine-Westphalia, and on Thursday another in Dormagen. Earlier in the week, explosive and incendiary devices were found in Saxony — near Görlitz and Bautzen — which are also attributed to Daniel V.
Search operation in Hambach Forest through the night
The last known lead pointed to the suspect's lorry, which officers secured at Hambach Forest — a brown coal mining area between Aachen and Cologne. Following the discovery of the empty vehicle, a large police unit searched the area, and mantrailer dogs were also deployed. The search continued through the night. According to police, it is unclear whether Daniel V. had planned further attacks in this area; in his confession letter, he stated fighting against fossil fuels as an explicit objective.
On Saturday, the manhunt continued in full swing, but so far without result, Cologne police told BILD on request.
Information sought
The police have set up an information telephone line on 0331–505950, which is available around the clock. Witnesses are sought who recognise the man shown in the published photographs or who can provide information about his whereabouts.
Source: BILD