Sabotage at substations: suspect Daniel V. on the run, special forces storm vehicle in North Rhine-Westphalia
Special forces stormed the getaway vehicle of Daniel V. in Niederzier – the 48-year-old has been on the run on foot since then. Federal Interior Minister Dobrindt speaks of "climate extremism".
Manhunt for alleged saboteur in North Rhine-Westphalia in full swing
Police in North Rhine-Westphalia continue to search intensively for Daniel V., the 48-year-old man from Gevelsberg in the Ennepe-Ruhr district, who is believed to be responsible for a series of sabotage acts at electrical substations. According to WELT, officers from a special operations unit stormed the vehicle of the suspect on Friday evening, which had been parked in woodland near Niederzier in Düren district. Since then, V. is believed to be on the run on foot, according to North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU).
Investigators are now evaluating footage from wildlife cameras to determine whether the wanted person appears in them, reports the WDR. In Bergheim, a total of nine firing devices were found, two in Dormagen and one in Weisweiler.
Daniel V. had released a confession letter regarding the attacks on electrical substations, which WELT has also obtained. In it, he justifies his actions with criticism of energy generation from fossil fuels. Police consider the letter – including the name and address – to be authentic. However, Reul urged caution: "If someone puts their name under it, that does not necessarily make them responsible." It is being examined whether V. acted alone.
During a search of his flat on Friday, investigators discovered what Reul described as "objects suspected of containing explosives", which are currently being examined. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) described the case as "climate extremism" by an alleged lone actor during a joint appearance with Reul before journalists. However, Dobrindt emphasised that a final assessment of the motive was not yet possible.
In the confession letter, further possible targets for attacks are named, including a power plant in Weisweiler near Aachen, where police are also investigating. The police directorate in Görlitz, Saxony, also confirmed an operation north of Bautzen: according to the Bild newspaper, two explosive devices were discovered near substations there. The affected region borders the Lausitzer brown coal mining area in Brandenburg.
The starting point of the current investigation wave was an incident on Tuesday morning in Brandenburg when unknown individuals attempted to trigger a widespread power outage by attacking a substation near Jänschwalde power station. On Thursday evening, another sabotage attempt followed near the substation in Dormagen in North Rhine-Westphalia, where police found firing devices near power lines belonging to the utility RWE.
Source: WELT