Potential involvement of a far-left ideology in the incident
In an unprecedented incident, a left-wing extremist group known as "Kommando Angry Birds" claimed responsibility for an arson attack on the Duisburg-Düsseldorf railway line. The attack, which occurred on Thursday, resulted in the destruction of cables controlling switches and signals near Düsseldorf.
The group, which is known to the authorities as a left-wing extremist entity, has carried out sabotage several times in the Düsseldorf area in recent years. A claim of responsibility for the attack was published on the left-wing platform "Indymedia," although its authenticity is still being verified.
The arson attack caused disruptions in both local and long-distance traffic, affecting ICE lines to Berlin and Frankfurt am Main, as well as connections to North Germany, South Germany, and the Netherlands. The Duisburg-Düsseldorf line, one of the busiest railway connections in Germany, has been closed since Thursday due to the attack.
Construction work on a parallel freight line in Duisburg-Wedau was temporarily halted to handle some of the traffic on that route. However, the number of passengers affected by the significant disruptions over the two days remains unclear.
NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul expressed his concerns, stating that the attack showed the vulnerability of critical infrastructure. NRW Transport Minister Oliver Krischer decried "enormous damage" and vowed a thorough investigation. Legally, the placement of the firebombs is considered a crime with two crime scenes.
If this turns out to be a left-wing extremist attack on Deutsche Bahn facilities, it would not be the first time. Previous attacks have occurred repeatedly over the decades. However, documented targeted attacks specifically on railway lines by left-wing extremists are not prominently recorded in recent summaries of their activities, which tend to focus on other forms of property and institutional violence.
The railway company had set up a bus shuttle service and rerouted long-distance traffic via Dortmund and Wuppertal to mitigate the disruptions. The German Railway expects repairs to be completed by midnight, followed by test runs, allowing trains to resume their regular schedule by early Saturday morning.
This incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing threat posed by extremist groups to critical infrastructure. As the investigation continues, authorities are working diligently to ensure the safety and security of the railway network and the public.
In North Rhine-Westphalia, politics and general-news circles are abuzz with discussion about the arson attack on the Duisburg-Düsseldorf railway line, perpetrated by the left-wing extremist group Kommando Angry Birds. This incident, marked by crime-and-justice implications, has caused immense disruptions in both local and long-distance traffic, particularly affecting connections to North Germany, South Germany, and the Netherlands.
