‘Sabotage’ almost caused German plane crash after package caught fire, spy chief claims

A suspected sabotage almost caused a flight in Germany earlier this year when a package destined for the cargo hold caught fire before being loaded.

One of the country’s spy chiefs warned of an increase in “aggressive behavior” from Kremlin-sponsored agents.

German intelligence chief Thomas Haldenwang said disaster was narrowly averted after the package was set on fire on the ground at a DHL logistics center in Leipzig instead of on board the plane in the air as intended .

It remains unclear who the package was sent to or who was behind the attack, despite security services assuming Russia was involved in the near-crash.

Mr Haldenwang told a Bundestag committee that if the package had ignited after the flight took off, the plane would have crashed.

The suspicious package exploded at a DHL logistics center in Leipzig before it could be loaded onto a plane

The Kremlin’s aggression “endangers people’s lives” and affects “all areas of our free society,” he said.

The suspicious package is believed to have been shipped from one of the Baltic states before it exploded at the logistics center and set an entire cargo container on fire.

It came amid growing concerns over packages allegedly tampered with alleged incendiary devices.

A DHL spokesperson said in September: ‘In response to ongoing investigations by authorities in several countries, DHL Express has taken measures in all European countries to protect its network, its employees and facilities, as well as its customers’ shipments.

“We are aware of two recent incidents impacting shipments across our network.”

Foreign Intelligence Chief Bruno Kahl said Putin was likely to “further test the West’s red lines” amid rising tensions between Russia and NATO over the despot’s invasion of Ukraine.

He said there is now a “previously unknown level” of willingness to undertake sabotage attempts from the Kremlin.

It is unclear whether the targeted aircraft was a cargo or passenger aircraft.

Martina Rosenberg, the head of the military counterintelligence agency, said Moscow was trying to use acts of sabotage to “create a sense of instability.” FT reported.

She added that the Kremlin was keen on information about German arms supplies, with the country being one of the largest arms suppliers to Ukraine.

Germany has also trained Ukrainian soldiers in Western military equipment.

It comes after MI5 chief Ken McCullum last week warned of hostile state actors, saying Moscow was trying to “cause chaos” as plots in Iran are being formed at an “unprecedented rate”.

Bruno Kahl, the president of Germany’s foreign intelligence service, warned that Putin wants to ‘test the West’s red lines’ with covert attacks

A warehouse in London belonging to a company with ties to Ukraine caught fire in March in a suspected deliberate attack.

Meanwhile, in Germany, a military base was targeted in August in a suspected attempt to contaminate drinking water.

US intelligence also uncovered a plot to assassinate Armin Papperger, the CEO of weapons manufacturer Rheinmetall, which has supplied vehicles and ammunition to Ukraine.

And Russia was accused by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk of being behind a fire at a shopping center in Warsaw.