Police identified the attacker as a “convert” to Islam born in 1999 in Mladenovac, a town about 50 kilometres south of Belgrade.
He had “settled in Novi Pazar”, a historical and political center of the Bosnian Muslim minority in Serbia, authorities revealed.
Cet “terrorist act directed against the Serbian state” East “linked to several people long suspected of having connections with the Wahhabi movement”an ultraconservative branch of Islam that dominates Saudi Arabia, Interior Minister Ivica Dacic told reporters.
Arrests
Arrests have been made “as a preventive measure” and the alert level has been raised in the Serbian capital, he said.
A Belgrade resident who had already had a run-in with the law two years ago for having managed several websites calling for “jihad” was arrested because “we suspect that he directly participated in the logistical support and organization of this terrorist act”according to Mr. Dacic.
“We are looking for several other people”for his part declared President Aleksandar Vucic to the press.
The attacker and his accomplices were being hunted by authorities before Saturday’s murder but there was not enough evidence to arrest them, he insisted.
Around 11:00 (09:00 GMT), a “unknown (…) shot a member of the security forces, who was providing security for the Israeli embassy, with a crossbow and hit him in the neck”said the Minister of the Interior.
The police officer, aged 34, “used a weapon in self-defense” against the author of this act, who is “died of his injuries”Dacic continued in a statement, adding that special prosecutors had been assigned to the investigation.
The injured man, who underwent surgery in a hospital, was inside his guard cabin at the time of the incident.
Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic condemned this “heinous terrorist act”.
“This is an act of madness that cannot be attributed to any religion or nation. It is the crime of an individual.”he said, quoted by the Beta news agency.
Numerous convictions
The head of government promised that his country would be able to respond firmly to the terrorist threat and affirmed that his compatriots could “to feel safe”.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has denounced “an attempted terrorist attack” near its embassy in Belgrade, which is now “closed” and which “no employees were injured”.
And the Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs, Israel Katz, thanked the Serbian authorities for their “strong support and cooperation”. “Terrorism cannot be tolerated!”he exclaimed.
Israeli Ambassador to Serbia Yahel Vilan had earlier expressed his gratitude to the police officer. “who courageously prevented the attack” of diplomatic representation. “I am convinced that the investigation (…) will identify all those responsible and will contribute to preserving Serbia as a safe country”.
“Such crimes are contrary to all religious teachings, especially the teachings of Islam. Today’s crime is the work of a senseless individual.”reacted Senad Halitovic, the highest Muslim dignitary in Serbia.
This Balkan state continued to sell weapons to Israel after the start of the war in the Gaza Strip following the Hamas assault on southern Israel on October 7.
