Romania is holding a suspected 'low-level agent' accused of preparing attacks, following the discovery of handguns and ammunition in a forest near Berlin, Germany's interior minister said Friday. The suspect, believed to be one of two Ukrainian men arrested in October for plotting a parcel bomb attack on behalf of Russia, was detained after intelligence services found the weapons. German authorities assume the weapons were linked to an attack plan but have not disclosed details about potential targets.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated that involvement of a 'foreign power' could not be ruled out in the weapons case, adding that federal prosecutors were investigating. The weapons, discovered after a tipoff, were rendered inoperable, and the site was monitored to see if anyone would collect them, but no one did. Subsequent investigations involving countries in Europe and elsewhere led to the arrest of the suspect in Romania, who is being investigated by German prosecutors for allegedly preparing attacks and suspected espionage.
The two Ukrainians arrested in October had come to Bucharest from Poland and handed over two parcels containing homemade devices to an international courier company with the intention of destroying a building by setting it on fire. However, the devices were defused, and the Romanian Intelligence Service said it had 'foiled a new sabotage operation orchestrated by the Russian Federation on Romanian territory'. The two men were linked to 'an extensive network of saboteurs targeting European countries, controlled by the Russian secret services', according to the Romanian spy service.
German authorities have accused Russia of recruiting 'low-level' or 'disposable' agents, often people who are paid small sums of money and have little training, to carry out sabotage, espionage and attacks. While German officials did not disclose the suspect's nationality, a Romanian police source, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed it was one of the two young Ukrainians arrested in October.
The weapons discovery is the latest in a series of security incidents in Germany. An explosive-laden drone was found this month at Leipzig airport, a key logistics hub for weapons sent to Ukraine, and police deployed a bomb-disposal robot to remove the detonator. Germany's domestic intelligence agency has warned for some time that Russia could carry out attacks on defence industry executives, opposition figures in exile, and supporters of Ukraine. Alleged assassination plots are said to have targeted Armin Papperger, CEO of defence giant Rheinmetall, as well as Stefan Thumann, head of drone maker Donaustahl.
