Rail network cables cut, traffic stalled in Germany; termed ‘malicious, targeted’ sabotage

The purposeful cutting of two critical rail network cables on Saturday morning in northern Germany resulted in a nearly three-hour suspension of all train operations. Authorities referred to the incident as an act of sabotage without identifying the perpetrator.

Interior minister Nancy Faeser stated that the event is being investigated by the federal police and that there is no indication as to why it occurred.

The interruption had an impact on international train travel to Denmark and the Netherlands as well as rail services via the states of Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein and the city-states of Bremen and Hamburg.

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It raised red flags when NATO and the EU emphasised the need to safeguard key infrastructure last month in response to what they described as acts of sabotage on the Nord Stream gas pipelines.

"It is clear that this was a targeted and malicious action," transport minister Volker Wissing told a news conference.

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According to a security insider, there are a number of potential explanations, from targeted attacks to cable theft, which happens often.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz's federal coalition partner, the Greens, led by Omid Nouripour, warned anybody attacking the nation's vital infrastructure that they would face a "decisive response."

"We will not be intimidated," he wrote on Twitter.

(with inputs from agencies)