German police have detained a 48-year-old man suspected of carrying out a series of sabotage attacks on the country's electricity grid, prosecutors said on Tuesday (September 8).

The suspect, identified as Daniel V. in line with German privacy rules, was detained near the Weisweiler power plant, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Cologne, after a manhunt that began when authorities received letters claiming responsibility for attacks on electricity substations in three German states.

Police said the suspect was carrying additional explosive devices when he was arrested and did not resist. Officers also found a nearby tent that contained further explosive charges.

Investigators remained at the scene on Tuesday collecting evidence and checking whether other launch devices had been set up in the surrounding area.

German police had been searching for the suspect since they obtained letters sent to au

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German police detain suspect after sabotage attacks on power grid

VIDEO SHOWS: POLICE SEARCH FOR EVIDENCE AT PYLON NEAR SUBSTATION IN WEISWEILER, CLOSE TO WHERE MAN, SUSPECTED OF A SERIES OF SABOTAGE ATTACKS ON GERMANY'S ELECTRICITY GRID, HAS BEEN DETAINED / BLURRED PHOTOGRAPH OF SUSPECT RELEASED BY POLICE DURING SEARCH

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: SEE 9452-GERMANY-SECURITY/BRANDENBURG UPDATE AND 9676-GERMANY-SECURITY/BERGHEIM SABOTAGE MINISTER FOR MORE

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: WEISWEILER, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 8, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF POLICE INVESTIGATORS SEARCHING FOR EVIDENCE NEAR PYLON

2. VARIOUS OF POLICE VAN PARKED IN FRONT OF SUBSTATION

UNKNOWN LOCATION (ARCHIVE) (POLIZEIPRAESIDIUM BRANDENBURG HANDOUT - Access all)

3. STILL OF BLURRED IMAGE OF 48-YEAR-OLD MAN, SUSPECTED OF CARRYING OUT SERIES OF SABOTAGE ATTACKS ON GERMANY'S ELECTRICITY GRID

POTSDAM, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 8, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

4. BRANDENBURG POLICE SPOKESPERSON BEATE KARDELS SPEAKING TO REPORTER

5. (SOUNDBITE) (German) BRANDENBURG POLICE SPOKESPERSON BEATE KARDELS, SAYING:

"We have already received information this morning from North Rhine-Westphalia that our colleagues there were able to arrest the suspect. The suspect is believed to be responsible for acts of sabotage in Brandenburg, here in Jaenschwalde, in North Rhine-Westphalia, and also in Saxony. Our colleagues have informed us that the suspect was arrested near the substation in Weisweiler, without resistance."

6. POLICE BADGE ON UNIFORM

7. (SOUNDBITE) (German) BRANDENBURG POLICE SPOKESPERSON BEATE KARDELS, SAYING:

"However, he was found to be in possession of further explosives at the time of his arrest, and a tent is said to have been pitched nearby, where additional explosives were stored."

8. POLICE LOGO ON COLLAR

9. (SOUNDBITE) (German) BRANDENBURG POLICE SPOKESPERSON BEATE KARDELS, SAYING:

"Provided the letters claiming responsibility are accurate and can be attributed to the suspect, we assume that this is someone committed to climate protection, and consequently, this so-called ‘climate terrorism’ naturally becomes a key focus of the investigation to some extent. However, I cannot provide you with any further details about the suspect at present."

10. KARDEL'S EYES

11. (SOUNDBITE) (German) BRANDENBURG POLICE SPOKESPERSON BEATE KARDELS, SAYING:

"At the moment, we are working on the assumption that the suspect acted alone. However, until the investigation is complete, we cannot, of course, rule out the possibility that there are other groups or individuals who may have supported him. So far, however, we have no evidence to suggest this."

12. POLICE SIGN

13. (SOUNDBITE) (German) BRANDENBURG POLICE SPOKESPERSON BEATE KARDELS, SAYING:

"As far as we are aware, the Interior Ministry is considering, for example, installing video surveillance as a protective measure to ensure an adequate level of defence, as well as putting defensive measures in place, such as drone defence. These are all considerations that have not yet been finalised in the draft bill, but this is the direction things could take."

WEISWEILER, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 8, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

14. VARIOUS OF POLICE IN FRONT OF SUBSTATION

15. VARIOUS OF POLICE VAN BLOCKING ROAD

16. POLICE OFFICERS STANDING ON ROAD

17. VARIOUS OF POWER STATION