German police have arrested two Belarusian citizens suspected of planning sabotage attacks on behalf of Russia in southern Germany. The two men are 39 and 50 years old and have been in pretrial detention since early October, the magazine “Spiegel“ reported, citing sources in the German security services. The information was reported by Reuters.
According to the publication, the suspects planned arson attacks near a railway line and an electric power line. At this time, there is no publicly confirmed information about sabotage of the mentioned sites, nor about the damage caused.
Link to the arson in Brasov
Romanian authorities are also investigating the two for alleged involvement in arson in an industrial area in the city of Brasov on the night of September 14. The target was a defense sector enterprise producing grenade launchers and ammunition.
Romanian prosecutors have requested the extradition of the two, who were detained in Germany. They have also made the same request for a Ukrainian citizen, who is detained in Poland and is a suspect in the same investigation. The allegations are part of ongoing criminal proceedings and do not constitute proven guilt.
According to data cited by current publications on the case, Romanian authorities consider the three as alleged participants in a network related to actions against industrial and defense sites. Polish authorities have detained the Ukrainian citizen under a European arrest warrant issued by Romania.
German authorities have not commented
A spokesman for the Munich Prosecutor General's Office declined to comment on the case. The names of the two Belarusian citizens, the specific locations of their detention or details of the evidence against them have not been officially announced.
Russia has repeatedly denied accusations by Germany and other European countries that it is organizing or carrying out sabotage on European territory. So far, there has been no court decision that would establish the guilt of the detainees or definitively confirm the alleged connection with the Russian authorities.
The next procedures in the case are related to the consideration of extradition requests from Germany and Poland to Romania. Until the competent courts rule, the two Belarusians and the Ukrainian citizen are considered suspects.
Sources: bta.bg, news.bg