Police in Cologne have released bodycam footage showing the arrest of suspected power saboteur Daniel V. The footage, recorded by an officer's bodycam, shows Daniel V. lying face down on the ground as armed officers approach him with their weapons drawn. They then handcuff him and escort him to a patrol car.
The video also shows a tent where Daniel V. is believed to have been sleeping. Meanwhile, further details about the investigation are emerging. North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) told the state parliament's internal affairs committee that investigators have identified additional possible crime scenes.
These are reportedly located not only in North Rhine-Westphalia but also in other German states and neighbouring countries. According to Reul, investigators in North Rhine-Westphalia alone have so far discovered more than 40 devices capable of firing conductive material at power lines near substations. Investigators believe the devices may have been intended to cause short circuits and trigger power outages.
Investigators reportedly gained further leads from a vehicle seized from the suspect. According to Reul, officers found a notebook containing handwritten notes about more than 150 potential sabotage targets. The locations were subsequently checked.
Following his arrest, Daniel V. is also said to have identified seven sites where he had allegedly established depots. Police arrested the 48-year-old, who had been the subject of a days-long search, on Tuesday. According to the dpa news agency, he was apprehended near the Weisweiler power station outside Aachen.
The newspaper Welt reported that the arrest took place during a traffic stop. The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office has taken over the investigation, citing the case’s particular significance. According to a spokeswoman, investigators are examining, among other allegations, whether the suspect targeted the constitutional order through acts of sabotage.
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