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Teens in Serbia and Bosnia Held Over School Bomb Threats
Several teenagers have been apprehended in connection to bomb threats issued to educational institutions within Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Cameron Jordan
- 2023-12-22
- Updated [[ARTICLE TIME]]
In a recent announcement by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Serbian police have detained two teenagers, ages 14 and 15, from Belgrade. They are suspected of initiating bomb threat messages towards schools they were attending via a gaming platform, placing a vast number of children at risk. These threats were not isolated incidents; the two are believed to have been interacting in a specially made group on the gaming platform with others implicated in sending more than 80 electronic bomb threat messages across schools and other institutions in Serbia and the neighboring region. They also reportedly shared tips within the group about how to maintain online anonymity.
Collaboration Across Borders
Additionally, authorities disclosed the cooperation between the Serbian police and the Tuzla Canton police in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which led to the identification of another minor. This minor is accused of similarly leveraging the gaming platform to issue threats concerning explosive devices at his own educational institution. The joint action underscores an ongoing regional effort to address such cybersecurity threats and crimes among minors.
Legal Action and Continuing Investigations
Legal repercussions have followed these discoveries. A criminal complaint has been filed against the minors under suspicion, citing reasonable grounds related to the incitement of panic and disorder. Notably, the parents of these minors may face legal challenges of their own; criminal complaints are being prepared against them for alleged neglect and abuse of a minor. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in conjunction with the Special Public Prosecutor's Office for High-Tech Crime at the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade, continue their broader investigation to bring other related parties to justice.
The incidents in question have sparked concern over the misuse of online platforms by younger demographics and the imperative need for effective cybersecurity measures. Authorities advocate for a more conscient weapon against such misuse, emphasizing the critical nature of inter-agency collaboration in combating tech-assisted crimes.
