Manhunt for suspected climate terrorist after electrical attacks in Germany

After attempted acts of sabotage against the power supply in several places in Germany, the search for the suspect is underway. The police and public prosecutor's office in Brandenburg and North Rhine-Westphalia have now published a joint search call with two photos of the suspect in connection with the incidents and asked the public for information.

The sender acknowledged the crimes in two letters that were received by several media outlets and signed with the 48-year-old's name. He took responsibility for attempted attacks on the power grid around the Jänschwalde and Schwarze Pumpe power plants in Brandenburg, and he also claimed responsibility for attacks on the power supply at Gohr, Bergheim-Rheidt, Dormagen and Weisweiler, all in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Dobrindt speaks of “climate terrorism”

“The knowledge that is revealed in these letters is clear perpetrator knowledge,” said Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt. Regarding the motive, the CSU politician said it was most likely “climate terrorism” by a lone perpetrator. A letter of responsibility states: "Generating electricity from fossil fuels is a crime."

What is striking is that the affected locations are close to areas where brown coal is still being mined. According to the industry association Debriv, there is active opencast mining in Germany in North Rhine-Westphalia, in the south of Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt as well as in the east and west of Saxony.

Truck discovered, suspect not found

On Friday, officers found explosives in the suspect's apartment in Gevelsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia. Later in the afternoon, a special operations team stormed a truck in a forest in Niederzier, around 100 kilometers away, that had apparently been converted into a mobile home. But the person they were looking for was not found.

It has not yet been confirmed that the suspect is actually responsible for one or more of the attempted attacks. In addition to a possible left-wing extremist motive, according to North Rhine-Westphalia's Interior Minister Herbert Reul, "sabotage controlled by a foreign state" cannot be ruled out.