The police in Rhineland-Palatinate warned in advance of the buyer of the so-called cyber bunker in Traben-Trarbach. Already eight days before the announced date of sale have informed the Federal Agency for Real Estate Tasks (Bima), "that the potential buyer of the property could use the location for a data center, among other things, for committing and supporting crime on the Internet," said the Land Office of Criminal Investigation Rhineland -Plink on MIRROR request with. The Authority confirmed a report from the SWR.
There were no concrete grounds for initiating criminal proceedings at that time. Nevertheless, the LKA had "caused due to the insights gained from home and abroad," to inform the Bima.
The state-owned Bima manages and sells numerous properties of the state. In 2012, the bunker in Traben-Trarbach was tendered for sale, in which for years the Office for Geo-Information of the Bundeswehr was housed, a kind of weather service of the troops.
Statements do not match so far
One and a half weeks ago, hundreds of police, including various special forces, stormed the grounds. It is being investigated against 13 suspects, seven were arrested. They are said to have operated in the bunker for years a data center, were processed through the numerous criminal activities. Since then, the question remains as to how the alleged criminals could even reach the military-secured terrain - just sold by the German state.
At the end of last week, the Bima had informed SPIEGEL that it had "voted with the Land Office of Criminal Investigation in Rhineland-Palatinate as the competent security authority, but at that time there were no findings that would justify the exclusion of the later buyer from the sale."
On the other hand, the LKA declared that it had acted at the instigation of the community of Traben-Trarbach. The local government informed the LKA on 13 June 2013 about the planned sale. The police department then reviewed the data submitted and on 17 June 2013 sent a warning to the Bima.
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Illegal Data Center: This is what the "Cyberbunker" looks likeFor sale it came apparently a few days later anyway. According to Bima, the purchase contract was notarised on June 26, 2013, one day after the planned date of sale. The Bima has not commented on SPIEGEL-request to the new findings.
Buyer of the bunker plant was a Dutch foundation under the leadership of the Dutchman Herman -Johan X, today the main suspect of the investigators. X. was no stranger in 2013, he had already operated a data center in a bunker in his home country at the beginning of the 1990s. Numerous information about his activities was openly accessible on the internet.
Even with local politicians, with whom the SPIEGEL could speak, there was already 2013 doubt. In a presentation, X. remained strangely vague about details, such as what should be stored on the servers. In the absence of an alternative, one has nevertheless made way for the sale and adapted the land use plan.
However, the sale to X. was not without alternative. As the Bima announced, there were two bidders for the site, in the meantime, the other interested party is also known to the SPIEGEL. The institute said, however, that they had opted for the "more economical" offer. That should mean: for the higher purchase price.
So at least it is in the sales prospectus of the Bima for the plant that exists the SPIEGEL. There it is said that the sale takes place "in principle against the best purchase offer". And further: "In case of active demand, the highest bid decides, provided the creditworthiness is proven."
