German police report about sabotage on railway line between Bremen and Hamburg

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - Unknown people have carried out an arson attack on the railway line between the northern cities of Hamburg and Bremen, but no one was injured, Bremen police said Monday.

Early Monday morning, the perpetrators deliberately set fire to the cables in a cable shaft on the tracks on the railway embankment near Bremen using an incendiary device, it added.

The fire department managed to extinguish the flames. According to police, the amount of damage cannot yet be quantified. The criminal police began the investigation and traces and evidence were collected.

Authorities are investigating whether the sabotage act was politically motivated.

Due to the damage, regional and long-distance railway traffic was severely disrupted throughout the day, according to media reports.

Germany has been the scene of sabotage attacks on its railway infrastructure over the past years, causing widespread disruptions to train traffic.

There are growing fears about assaults on Germany's critical infrastructure as a result of Berlin’s support for Ukraine in its war with Russia.

On Friday, Germany’s domestic secret service warned of an increase in alleged Russian sabotage activities in Europe.

The extent of Russian acts of sabotage in Europe depends on the development of the situation in the Ukraine war and on the development of the conflict between Russia and the West, it added.

The German intelligence agency’s security advisory for the economy said: "The cases observed across Europe since 2023 as well as increased indications of possible activities in Germany are currently leading to an adjusted assessment: There is an increased risk in relation to sabotage activities or corresponding preparatory actions in Germany."