| Attack on the Israeli embassy in Belgrade | |
|---|---|
| Part of theIslamic terrorism in Europe | |
 Show interactive map of Belgrade  Belgrade Belgrade (Belgrade) | |
| Location | Belgrade, Serbia |
| Date | 29 June 2024 Around 11:00 AM (UTC +1) |
| Target | Israeli embassy |
Attack type | Crossbow attack |
| Deaths | 1 (the perpetrator) |
| Injured | 1gendarme |
| Perpetrators | Miloš Žujović, Islamic State (claimed responsibility) |
| Motive | Undetermined |
Anattack on the Israeli embassy in Belgrade, the capital ofSerbia, took place on 29 June 2024. It was carried out by Miloš Žujović, a supporter of theIslamic State. Žujović, a convert toIslam, wounded a Serbiangendarme with acrossbow who returned fire and killed him.
The Israeli embassy in Belgrade is located in the wealthyDedinje neighborhood. According to interior ministerIvica Dačić, the attacker had approached a small building near the embassy around 11:00, asking about a museum. The attacker had then opened the door to the small building and fired a crossbow, wounding the Serbiangendarme who was guarding the embassy in the neck. The officer returned fire and killed the assailant.[1][2][3]
The perpetrator was identified asMiloš Žujović (Serbian Cyrillic:Милош Жујовић; born 1999), also known by his Islamic nameSalahudin, a local ofMladenovac who had converted toIslam and joined theWahhabi movement. After converting to Islam, Žujović moved to the Muslim-majority city ofNovi Pazar with his wife who is fromPlav, Montenegro. Interior ministerIvica Dačić branded the incident as a terrorist attack,[4] declaring a red threat level from terrorism.[5] The same day, an alleged co-perpetrator and a known radical Islamist Igor Despotović was arrested in Belgrade.[6] As reported, Despotović had a long and continuous communication with Žujović and was already previously convicted for inciting terrorist attacks.[7]
Prior to the attack, Žujović recorded a video message for his wife, mentioning "Israelis killing Muslims", alluding to theGaza war.[8]
Following the attack, Serbian presidentAleksandar Vučić visited the wounded gendarme Miloš Jevremović in the hospital and condemned the attack. Vučić stated the authorities are searching for more co-perpetrators.[9]
The police operation continued in the following days, with the arrest of Kemal Begović from Novi Pazar, and Haris Šund, a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina, suspected of having connections with Islamic extremists. It was reported that among other things,Islamic State symbols and a video message pledging allegiance to that organization belonging to the arrested have been found.[10]
On July 4, 2024, the Islamic State-controlled newspaperal-Naba published its 450th issue where they took credit for the attack on the Israeli embassy, featuring an image of Miloš Žujovićpledging allegiance to the Islamic State, titling the release “They are us and we are them”.[11]
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