Attack on power infrastructure: Police hunt suspected electricity saboteur across Europe

German police are searching across Europe for Daniel V., a 48-year-old suspect accused of attacking power plants or substations. Special forces raided his home in Gevelsberg on Friday afternoon and later searched a truck converted into a caravan near the Hambach Forest. He was not found at either location.

Investigators were apparently led to him by two letters claiming responsibility that he sent in recent days. The first was reported by the newspaper taz on Thursday, and both letters were obtained by Der Spiegel.

In the handwritten letters, the suspect allegedly described firing wires toward power lines using “small cannons and New Year’s Eve rockets.” He also reportedly explained the technical design of his devices, including the wire diameters and propellants used. The apparent aim was to cause short circuits by shooting the wires onto high-voltage lines.

The devices, investigators found, were apparently used to launch homemade flying objects resembling New Year’s rockets. The operator of a substation alerted police, who then found around two dozen additional launch devices in the surrounding area.

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small cannons and New Year’s Eve rockets