Court Appearance in Karlsruhe
A suspect detained in Switzerland regarding accusations of planning arson and explosive attacks on Germany's freight transport system has been presented to an investigating judge at the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe.
On Tuesday, Germany's Federal Public Prosecutor's Office announced that the judge ordered the man held in custody on suspicion of conducting espionage activities for Russia.
Alleged Plot Details
Authorities state that the accused, along with two accomplices, allegedly conspired to execute arson and bomb attacks targeting freight transport within Germany. These actions were reportedly undertaken on behalf of individuals believed to be acting under Russian commission.
The Ukrainian nationals involved were to "work together from Germany to send packages containing explosive or incendiary devices to recipients in Ukraine, which would ignite during transport."
One accomplice is reported to have mailed two test parcels from Cologne in late March. Investigators indicate the directive for this action came from the man now facing the court.
Arrest and Transfer
The primary suspect was apprehended in the Swiss canton of Thurgau during mid-May and was subsequently extradited to Germany on Tuesday.
The two accomplices, also arrested in May, were brought before the investigating judge months earlier and remain in custody.
Broader Security Concerns
German intelligence services have issued multiple warnings in recent months about potential sabotage and espionage operations connected to Russia.
In a related 2024 incident, an air freight package containing an incendiary device ignited at a Leipzig logistics center just before being loaded onto an aircraft, causing a freight container to catch fire while still on the ground.
