Terrorist attack in Belgrade: juvenile attacks gendarmerie guard at Israeli embassy, attacker killed
A gendarmerie member shot dead a juvenile attacker who assaulted the guard outside the Israeli embassy in Belgrade; authorities raised the terrorism alert to red.
A terrorist attack was carried out in Belgrade just after midnight when a minor assaulted a gendarmerie officer who was guarding the Israeli embassy; the attacker was shot dead by the officer, Deputy Prime Minister and Acting Interior Minister Ivica Dačić said.
Dačić said the incident occurred "15 minutes after midnight" and that the attacker — a juvenile suspected to be from Šabac — shouted 'Allahu Akbar' and lunged at the gendarmerie member with two knives. The officer shot and killed the assailant and suffered a minor cut to his face in the confrontation.
Investigation opened and threat level raised to red
"The investigation is underway and all details will be known during the night. Given that the terrorist attack took place on our territory, as the interior minister responsible for it I have raised the terrorist threat level to the highest possible level, namely to red," Dačić said, announcing increased police checks and a greater presence at sensitive locations and infrastructure.
Dačić also told reporters that, "Although the identity of the attacker has not yet been established, our service had been monitoring him and it is known that he was a supporter of the Islamic State. On his Instagram profile, he displayed a black flag and the symbol of the Islamic State."
Dačić and Police Director General Dragan Vasiljević visited the wounded gendarmerie member in hospital. According to the minister, the officer is in stable condition and is expected to be discharged home during the day.
Photo: press material from the event
