German authorities have discovered new improvised explosives near the power plant in Weisweiler, 25 kilometres from the Belgian border.
The explosives were discovered on Monday evening, after emergency services were sent out to investigate loud bangs and flashes of light near the high-voltage lines of the plant. Several homemade devices were discovered attached to the high-voltage lines.
According to German newspaper Bild, police arrested a suspect on Tuesday. They report that Daniel V., a climate activist wanted for multiple attempted sabotages, was stopped during a traffic check near the power plant on Tuesday morning. V. has claimed responsibility for a string of attempted arsons and sabotages on power lines, plants and railways in the German regions North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony and Brandenburg. Police opened a countrywide manhunt for the 48-year-old last week.
A letter was found at the scene claiming responsibility for the attempted attack. The handwritten letter credited V. for the attack. Police initially suspected that a potential accomplice or copycat was behind the explosives.
Police deployed bomb disposal units, riot police and a thermal imaging drone to search for the perpetrator in the region around the power plant. No damage has been reported so far.
