Police release bodycam footage of power sabotage suspect arrest

Police in Cologne have released bodycam footage showing the arrest of suspected power saboteur Daniel V.

The footage, recorded by an officer's bodycam, shows Daniel V. lying face down on the ground as armed officers approach him with their weapons drawn. They then handcuff him and escort him to a patrol car.

The video also shows a tent where Daniel V. is believed to have been sleeping.

Meanwhile, further details about the investigation are emerging. North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) told the state parliament's internal affairs committee that investigators have identified additional possible crime scenes. These are reportedly located not only in North Rhine-Westphalia but also in other German states and neighbouring countries.

According to Reul, investigators in North Rhine-Westphalia alone have so far discovered more than 40 devices capable of firing conductive material at power lines near substations. Investigators believe the devices may have been intended to cause short circuits and trigger power outages.

Investigators reportedly gained further leads from a vehicle seized from the suspect. According to Reul, officers found a notebook containing handwritten notes about more than 150 potential sabotage targets. The locations were subsequently checked. Following his arrest, Daniel V. is also said to have identified seven sites where he had allegedly established depots.

“We have not only caught the suspected perpetrator of the attacks, but may thereby have prevented a whole series of further attacks,” Reul said.

Police arrested the 48-year-old, who had been the subject of a days-long search, on Tuesday. According to the dpa news agency, he was apprehended near the Weisweiler power station outside Aachen. The newspaper Welt reported that the arrest took place during a traffic stop.

What is known so far

The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office has taken over the investigation, citing the case’s particular significance. According to a spokeswoman, investigators are examining, among other allegations, whether the suspect targeted the constitutional order through acts of sabotage.

Given the large number of devices discovered, investigators are also looking into whether Daniel V. could have carried out the alleged acts alone. Reul told the committee that authorities were also considering the possibility that the suspect may have been acting on behalf of a foreign power. However, the minister stressed that there is currently no evidence to support this theory.

“The investigation is continuing at full speed,” Reul said.

The minister also provided further details about documents found in the seized vehicle. According to the information provided by Reul, the notebook contains references to more than 160 known or potential additional sabotage targets. The locations listed in the notebook have since been checked by investigators.

An “extraordinary” case

In recent days, investigators have been dealing with several suspected acts of sabotage targeting power infrastructure in North Rhine-Westphalia and Brandenburg. Among other methods, improvised rockets were reportedly used to fire conductive material at high-voltage power lines. The incidents did not result in any major power outages.

In several letters claiming responsibility, an unknown author said they were behind incidents at various power plant sites in both states. However, Saxony’s Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) urged caution against drawing premature conclusions, describing both the alleged method of attack and the confession letter as unusual.