German authorities said Friday they believe a 48-year-old militant climate activist is behind a wave of sabotage attacks on the power grid and are searching for him.
“We must assume that this is a case of climate extremism,” Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said.
The suspect is thought to have sent letters confessing to the attacks on power lines, and officials said suspected explosive materials were found during searches of his home in Gevelsberg.
Germany was rattled this week by several attacks and attempted attacks on electricity substations in North Rhine-Westphalia and Brandenburg.
The attacks involved firework-like devices used to launch wires across overhead high-voltage lines in an apparent attempt to cause short-circuits and cut power from nearby coal-fired plants.
No major power cuts were caused, although some power-generating units were taken off the grid temporarily.
North Rhine-Westphalia’s Interior Minister Herbert Reul said letters confessing to some of the acts were sent to security officials and the media.
The letters, which contained precise details about the attack plans, were presumed authentic, and the author cited the fight against fossil fuels as his motive, Reul added.