Turkish citizens Muslum T. and Yumit E., aged 34 and 38 respectively, were detained in Germany on the basis of a European arrest warrant issued by Poland. The two are suspected by Polish authorities of having committed arson at a Starlink station south of Warsaw. Starlink belongs to the “Space X“ concern of the technology billionaire Elon Musk. The system provides the Ukrainian armed forces with internet access and is vital for Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression, German public broadcaster ARD recalls.
The suspects are believed to be members of the "Daltons"
According to the coordinator of the Polish intelligence services, Tomasz Simoniak, "there is no doubt that Russian intelligence services are behind this sabotage". Polish investigators want the two men extradited to Poland.
According to investigations by German media, the traces lead to organized Turkish-Kurdish crime: the two suspects were members of the "Daltons" group. A third man arrested in Berlin, believed to have been the group's driver, was released as his involvement in the crime was not proven.
The Turkish "Gen-Z mafia"
The "Daltons" are believed to be part of the so-called "Gen Z mafia" (Gen-Z) in Turkey. These groups are inspired by famous comic book series and also include "Casper" and "The Smurfs". According to the German Criminal Police Office, these groups are involved in threats, extortion and illegal arms trafficking.
However, investigators are having difficulty determining who exactly belongs to the "Daltons" criminal group, because the actors there often change - local branches are created, and there are apparently also imitators who use the name of the notorious "Dalton Brothers".
Close ties with Russia
A man named Berat Can Gökdemir, known by the pseudonym "Can Dalton", is considered the leader of the "Daltons" group. He is believed to be in Russia. In March this year, the program "Contrasts" on the German public television ARD presented new evidence of the group's ties to Russia - videos were shown in which Russian servicemen apparently congratulated Gökdemir on his birthday. On social media, members of the group expressed their admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin and decorated their posts or profiles with Russian flags.
Starlink satellite internet is extremely important for Ukraine's defensePhoto: Christoph Soeder/dpa/picture alliance
Germany and other European NATO countries accuse Russia of waging a hybrid war against them because of their support for Ukraine – and hold the Kremlin responsible for a number of acts of sabotage. Most recently, the German government blamed Russia for the attempted bombing of Leipzig/Halle airport with drones loaded with explosives. According to Western security services, Russia has focused mainly on recruiting “low-level agents“ – unskilled contractors recruited through intermediaries who carry out sabotage for a fee.
A change in strategy?
The attack on the Starlink satellite station in Poland may be an indication of a change in strategy, although it is not yet entirely certain whether the Russian secret services are behind it. Sinan Selen, deputy head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Germany's domestic intelligence agency - ed. note), stressed that Russian intelligence services use "the entire range of attack tools and perpetrators, increasingly resorting to organized crime structures".
The security services call this phenomenon "Crime as a service": in this case, organized crime groups are hired as paid "service providers". In the case of the “Daltons“ this could also be an expression of special closeness to Russia, ARD also points out.
Source: www.dw.com