In Germany, a suspect in attacks on the power grid was found with a list of more than 160 targets

In Germany, in the motorhome of a 48-year-old man suspected of a series of sabotage attacks against energy infrastructure, investigators found a notebook with entries about more than 160 selected and potential targets for attacks. Investigators believe that after the suspect's arrest new sabotage could have been prevented.

This is reported by Handelsblatt citing the Interior Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Herbert Reul.

Reul spoke about the find on September 10 at a meeting of the Committee on Internal Affairs of the state parliament. According to him, the notebook contained handwritten notes about more than 160 objects that had already been or could later become targets of sabotage.

The suspect also told the investigating judge about seven additional locations that he allegedly used to store equipment and materials. Police have already checked some of these locations and found additional evidence at three of them.

Investigators believe the goal may have been a large-scale blackout

The man is suspected of attacks and attempted sabotage against power lines and energy facilities in North Rhine-Westphalia, Brandenburg, and Saxony.

According to investigators, homemade launching devices and rockets were used for the attacks. With their help, the suspect allegedly threw thin wire over high-voltage lines to cause short circuits. In at least two cases this led to short circuits and shutdown of individual units of nearby power plants.

In North Rhine-Westphalia alone, police found more than 40 such launching devices. Additional devices were found in Brandenburg and Saxony, and during a search at the suspect's registered address in Gevelsberg, substances that could be used to make explosive devices were seized.

According to Reul, the alleged saboteur intended to deliberately disrupt the stability of the power grid and ultimately cause a blackout. However, no power outages for the population occurred as a result of his actions.

In one of the letters in which the author claimed responsibility for the attacks, the stated motive was opposition to the production of electricity from fossil fuels. German authorities previously characterized the incidents as climate extremism.

The suspect was arrested after a large-scale operation

The 48-year-old man was arrested on September 8 near the Weisweiler power plant not far from Aachen. He was hiding in a well-camouflaged tent that had previously not even been detected by a police helicopter. Additional means for carrying out explosions were found with him during the arrest. 

More than 1,700 police officers were involved in the search and investigation. In the end, the suspect was tracked down by two traffic police officers who noticed trampled grass leading from the road about 200 meters into the bushes.

Two arrest warrants have been issued for the man. Germany's Federal Prosecutor's Office is considering taking over the investigation. At the moment, according to the Interior Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, there is no evidence of accomplices or foreign direction of the suspect's actions. 

Based on materials from: Handelsblatt, WDR