German Cybersecurity Chief Investigated over Russia Ties

In this file photo taken on October 20, 2020 in Berlin, Arne Schoenbohm, President of the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) presents the Report on the State of IT Security in Germany. (AFP)
In this file photo taken on October 20, 2020 in Berlin, Arne Schoenbohm, President of the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) presents the Report on the State of IT Security in Germany. (AFP)
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German Cybersecurity Chief Investigated over Russia Ties

In this file photo taken on October 20, 2020 in Berlin, Arne Schoenbohm, President of the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) presents the Report on the State of IT Security in Germany. (AFP)
In this file photo taken on October 20, 2020 in Berlin, Arne Schoenbohm, President of the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) presents the Report on the State of IT Security in Germany. (AFP)

The head of Germany's national cybersecurity agency is under scrutiny over reports of ties to Russian intelligence, officials said Monday

Arne Schoenbohm, who heads the BSI agency, co-founded a cybersecurity group a decade ago that brings together experts from public institutions and the private sector. German media reported that one of its members is a company founded by a former Russian intelligence agent.

“The Interior Ministry takes the matters reported over the weekend seriously and is investigating them comprehensively,” the ministry said in a statement.

There is growing concern in Germany that the country's critical infrastructure might be targeted by Russia because of Berlin's support for Ukraine. On Saturday, an apparent act of sabotage forced German rail company Deutsche Bahn to halt passenger and cargo trains across the northwest of the country for nearly three hours.

After the nearly three-hour suspension, Deutsche Bahn said the problem — a “failure of the digital train radio system” — had been resolved but that some disruptions could still be expected. It later said the outage was caused by sabotage.

Transport Minister Volker Wissing said cables that are “essential for handling railway traffic safely” were deliberately severed at two separate locations. He said Germany’s federal police were investigating the incident.



Florida Man Shot Israeli Visitors Thinking They Were Palestinians, Police Say

 Relatives and supporters of Israelis held hostage by Hamas in Gaza mark 500 days of their captivity by spreading a massive Israeli flag depicting an hourglass in the Mediterranean Sea, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. Hebrew of the flag reads "Without the abductees, Israel runs out". (AP)
Relatives and supporters of Israelis held hostage by Hamas in Gaza mark 500 days of their captivity by spreading a massive Israeli flag depicting an hourglass in the Mediterranean Sea, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. Hebrew of the flag reads "Without the abductees, Israel runs out". (AP)
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Florida Man Shot Israeli Visitors Thinking They Were Palestinians, Police Say

 Relatives and supporters of Israelis held hostage by Hamas in Gaza mark 500 days of their captivity by spreading a massive Israeli flag depicting an hourglass in the Mediterranean Sea, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. Hebrew of the flag reads "Without the abductees, Israel runs out". (AP)
Relatives and supporters of Israelis held hostage by Hamas in Gaza mark 500 days of their captivity by spreading a massive Israeli flag depicting an hourglass in the Mediterranean Sea, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. Hebrew of the flag reads "Without the abductees, Israel runs out". (AP)

A Florida man was arrested and charged with two counts of attempted murder after shooting at a vehicle with two men who he thought were Palestinians but turned out to be Israeli visitors, local authorities and media reports said.

The website of Miami-Dade County Corrections says the suspect, 27-year-old Mordechai Brafman, was charged with two counts of attempted murder and booked on Sunday for the shooting on Saturday.

A police official confirmed earlier reports from local media that Brafman said in an interview with police that while he was driving his truck in Miami Beach, he saw two people he thought were Palestinian. He stopped, shot at and killed them.

However, the victims survived. One was shot in the shoulder and the other had a wounded forearm. They turned out to be Israeli visitors and not Palestinians, police said.

A representative or lawyer for Brafman could not be immediately identified by Reuters.

Human rights advocates say there has been a rise in anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian and antisemitic hate in the United States since the start of US ally Israel's war in Gaza following an Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Palestinian group Hamas.