Power-grid saboteur Daniel V. planned over 150 attacks – Federal Prosecutor's Office assumes investigation
The arrested 48-year-old Daniel V. from Gevelsberg allegedly planned more than 150 sabotage acts against power grids in Germany and abroad, according to investigators.
Federal Prosecutor's Office assumes investigation into alleged power-grid saboteur
As www1.wdr.de reports, the alleged power-grid saboteur Daniel V. apparently planned more than 150 attacks on electrical infrastructure – both domestic and abroad. The Federal Prosecutor's Office has assumed the investigation due to the exceptional significance of the case.
NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) reported on 10 September 2026 in the Interior Committee of the NRW state parliament about new findings. According to these, investigators discovered more than 40 installations in North Rhine-Westphalia alone that were designed to launch conductive material at transmission lines of transformer stations. The aim was to cause a short circuit and subsequent power outage.
In the secured lorry of the suspect, police found a notebook with handwritten notes on over 150 sabotage targets. All named locations were subsequently searched. Furthermore, Daniel V. named seven locations after his arrest where he had set up storage facilities.
"We have not only apprehended the alleged perpetrator of the attacks, but in doing so have possibly prevented further attacks," said Reul.
Federal Prosecutor's Office responsible on suspicion of sabotage against the constitution
A spokeswoman for the Federal Prosecutor's Office stated that the authority was assuming the investigation due to the exceptional significance of the case. This concerned, among other things, suspicion of sabotage against the constitution. The Federal Prosecutor's Office is responsible for crimes against internal security when – in the case of individuals – the act is capable of impairing the existence or security of the state and the case is of particular significance.
Since responsibility has been transferred to the Federal Prosecutor's Office, Daniel V. must be brought before an investigating judge again – this time at the Federal Court of Justice (BGH). A date was initially not known. The Aachen District Court had previously issued an arrest warrant; the man is in pre-trial detention.
Arrest of the 48-year-old from Gevelsberg
The 48-year-old Daniel V. from Gevelsberg in the southern Ruhr valley was arrested on Tuesday. He is alleged to have attempted to sabotage power lines near coal-fired power plants at several locations in North Rhine-Westphalia, Brandenburg and Saxony. In a statement of responsibility, he cited climate protection and fighting fossil fuels as his motive.
Over 1,700 police officers were involved in the investigation in NRW. Immediately after the initial sabotage acts, police established a special operational structure and cooperated with other federal states. The NRW State Criminal Police Office and the "Joint Centre for Defence Against Hybrid Threats" were also involved.
Reul: "Puts lives at risk"
Interior Minister Reul raised questions about possible accomplices in light of the large number of launch devices discovered – or whether Daniel V. could have been hired by foreign powers. There was currently no evidence for the latter, but these questions would continue to be investigated, according to Reul.
The minister emphasised the severity of the potential consequences: "Anyone who acts this way does not only want to hit power lines – that person wants to hit our country." In doing so, the risk was accepted that the power supply would fail for people at home, as well as in hospitals, care homes, nursing stations, railway facilities and at airports. "Someone who does this puts lives at risk!" said Reul.
Call for better protection of critical infrastructure
Reul advocated for better protection of critical infrastructure. Operators needed more rights, but also more obligations – regulated uniformly at federal level. The CRITIS umbrella law that came into force in March now needed to be made concrete. The minister also suggested that transparency and data protection should be reconsidered in this context.
Source: Google News LU DE