Germany: 12 explosives found near power substations

Authorities in Germany said 12 improvised explosive devices were found near high-voltage lines close to two electricity substations, as police investigated a possible link with similar incidents earlier this week.

Regional authorities said the devices were discovered Friday near the Baerwalde substation near Bautzen and the Graustein substation near Goerlitz after a citizen's report.

Bomb disposal units disabled the devices, and the surrounding electricity lines were briefly taken offline during the operation, police said.

Germany has been rattled by attacks on electricity substations this week that were apparently aimed at cutting power from coal-fired power stations and causing widespread blackouts.

Authorities said those attacks were likely a case of “climate extremism” after a 48-year-old man, named in German media as Daniel V., sent letters claiming responsibility and suspected explosives were found during searches of his apartment.

Police said they were investigating a possible link between the latest devices and the other incidents at electricity substations.

Bild reported Friday that a heavily armed elite police team had stormed a truck in Hambach Forest in North Rhine-Westphalia suspected of belonging to the activist, but had failed to apprehend him.

Germany has faced a series of attacks on the power grid in recent times, with far-left activists claiming responsibility in some cases. The most serious took place in Berlin in January, causing an electricity outage that left tens of thousands of homes and thousands of businesses without power for nearly a week in the middle of winter.