Berlin blackout sparks terror probe after extremists claim responsibility

German authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation following a fire at a substation in Berlin’s Lichterfelde district, with suspicions pointing toward the involvement of a left-wing extremist group. Security officials indicated that the attack may have been intended as a terrorist act, Bild reports.

Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner stressed that the incident “goes beyond ordinary vandalism or sabotage” and could be classified as terrorism. City officials confirmed that the left-wing radical group Vulkan has claimed responsibility for the attack through an anonymous statement.

The investigation is proceeding at both state and federal levels. The Berlin Office for the Protection of the Constitution is reviewing materials and open-source intelligence related to left-wing radical circles to build evidence, while coordinating closely with the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA).

Mayor Wegner underscored the urgency of strict punishment, emphasizing that the attack on critical infrastructure placed lives at risk, particularly those of vulnerable groups such as elderly residents and young children who may depend on life-support equipment like ventilators.

Should the suspects be found guilty, they could face charges of forming a terrorist organization and committing aggravated arson, offenses that carry severe penalties due to the potential threat to human life, including patients in hospitals and residents of care facilities affected by the blackout.

By Vafa Guliyeva