Germany’s prosecutor general revealed on Tuesday that the country is investigating a series of fires triggered by incendiary devices concealed inside packages at a warehouse in Leipzig earlier this year. In August, authorities had already alerted businesses about the circulation of dangerous parcels after multiple incidents in which packages sent by individuals from various European nations caught fire while in transit.
The German authorities’ August letter to businesses explains that the fire-starting parcels contained electronic consumer goods and liquid-filled containers, suggesting that someone had deliberately engineered their ignition to damage the logistics network.
Thomas Haldenwang, the head of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, told a parliamentary committee on Monday that an air freight package that ignited nearly caused a plane crash, narrowly avoiding a major disaster.
During the same session, Haldenwang also noted a sharp rise in Russian espionage and sabotage efforts within Germany. However, the prosecutor general’s office refused to speculate on any direct connection to Russia, stating that the investigation into the “attempted aggravated arson” is ongoing and further details could not be provided at this time.
DHL, the shipping company that manages the Leipzig warehouse, has since implemented enhanced security measures across its European operations in response to the investigation. The company stressed its strict compliance with international transport security laws and protocols to protect its infrastructure, staff, and customers’ shipments.
Also in August, The National Pulse reported on Germany issuing a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) against an individual identified as Volodymyr S. European intelligence agencies believe the Ukrainian national—and a veteran of the Ukrainian military—is implicated in the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines, which was initially blamed on Russia.
