Police searched Daniel V.'s apartment in Gevelsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia state, discovering materials and equipment suspected to be explosives. This followed the suspect sending a letter claiming responsibility for a series of substation attacks this week, intended to cut power supply from coal-fired power plants. The letter detailed the attack plans.

German police next to a truck suspected to belong to Daniel V., in Hambach forest on 4/9. *Photo: AFP*.

Heavily armed elite police forces on 4/9 raided a truck suspected to belong to Daniel V. in Hambach forest, North Rhine-Westphalia state, but the suspect escaped.

The Hambach forest holds significant symbolic importance for the German climate movement, where activists have for many years fought against plans to clear the forest to expand the Hambach opencast coal mine.

"The suspect stated his motive was to fight against fossil fuels," said Herbert Reul, head of North Rhine-Westphalia state's interior ministry.

He emphasized, however, "Attacking critical infrastructure is a crime. There is no excuse for this crime; no ideology can be considered a justification."

The method of attack in all incidents was similar: Saboteurs used firework-like devices to launch metal wires onto high-voltage lines at substations, causing short circuits and forcing nearby coal-fired power plants to disconnect from the grid.

Steam rises from cooling towers at the Jänschwalde power plant in Turnow-Preilack, Germany, on 2/9. *Photo: AP*.

Although no widespread power outages occurred, some generating units had to be temporarily disconnected from the grid. The first attack happened on the morning of 1/9 at a substation in the eastern state of Brandenburg, damaging lines and causing short-term supply disruptions. A similar attack followed on the same day in North Rhine-Westphalia state.

In his letter claiming responsibility, Daniel V. stated he was planning further acts of sabotage. Police also seized additional homemade firework-launching devices at other locations.

"We must recognize this as an act of climate extremism," stated Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt.

Germany has recently seen several power grid attacks carried out by far-left groups. The most serious was an arson attack on high-voltage lines in Berlin in January, for which the far-left group "Vulkangruppe" (Volcano) claimed responsibility, leaving tens of thousands of households and businesses without power for nearly one week during the cold winter.

By Hong Hanh, *AFP*, *Bild*.