ByJennifer Lipman, Jennifer Lipman
An Israeli woman managed to free herself from the clutches of a German captor after he trapped her in a room rigged with explosives.
The woman, who is 26, has not been named but reportedly was acquainted with her captor. Despite being handcuffed in the tiny room – an adapted telephone box - she escaped after a few hours when her captor Thomas Fischer failed to lock the door.
Mr Fischer was arrested at his home in Hamburg, where he had constructed the chamber. Police described the scene as "one massive torture chamber" with tools and weapons scattered around including home-made bombs, scalpels and syringes. He had also set up recording equipment to film the room, and soundproofed it.
Prosecutor Wilhelm Möllers said it was clear he had intended to keep her confined "for some time".