BERLIN, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Germany is offering a reward of 1 million euros (about 1.2 million U.S. dollars) for information leading to the arrest of suspects linked to an arson attack that caused a days-long power outage in Berlin, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on Tuesday.
Dobrindt vowed to "strike back", saying the unusually high reward underscored the seriousness of the incident.
Berlin's interior senator, Iris Spranger, told the Berlin state parliament's interior committee on Monday that the federal government was behind the offer, describing the amount as "unique".
Federal police said tips can be submitted by phone or online until Feb. 24.
About 45,000 households and more than 2,200 businesses lost power on Jan. 3 after cables leading to a power station were set ablaze, triggering Berlin's longest post-war outage.
A group calling itself Vulkangruppe (Volcano Group) posted a statement online on Jan. 4 claiming responsibility, saying it had "successfully sabotaged" infrastructure linked to a gas power station in Lichterfelde.
Berlin's governing mayor, Kai Wegner, described the incident as "a terrorist act." Germany's Federal Prosecutor's Office is investigating the case on suspicion of terrorism. The authority said it suspects offenses including membership in a terrorist organization, unconstitutional sabotage, arson, and disruption of public services. ■
