In the past few days, the citizens of Sarajevo have mostly been evacuated from places of mass gatherings due to anonymous reports of planted bombs. The reports, fortunately false, stirred up the public and further worried the citizens, who did not feel safe in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina even before these specific incidents.
Airport, two high schools, three shopping centers, Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Seven reports of explosive devices in three days. By the end of August, the police of the Sarajevo Canton recorded 58 anonymous reports of planted bombs. All fake, but still destructive. In addition to the psychological consequences for the citizens, they also leave great economic consequences for the state.
“A 21-year-old man who sent several false reports for a restaurant in the area of Ilidža was deprived of his liberty. A criminal report was submitted for one juvenile because he sent false information about the school in Hadžići. A 31-year-old man was arrested who falsely reported 5 times that an explosive device had been placed in the facility of the Ilidža Health Center. It is not the same to inspect a building that has 5 or more floors, several levels of underground garages or some other building that does not have such an area, but if we were to put it in a framework, we would certainly be talking about tens of thousands of marks”, says Mersiha Novalić, spokeswoman for the MoI CS.
Calls, messages or e-mails with false information are extremely difficult to trace, considering the development of technology and the possibility of manipulating device settings, but also the ease with which the perpetrator of the device can be physically disposed of. The motivation for tipping can be different. It is difficult to determine whether this is a coordinated attack before the upcoming local elections or just a joke.
“Given that it is a series of reports in the same city, it is certain that they have a certain common connection. There was clearly some co-ordinating joint action here. According to the place and method of execution, if we were to look at political goals, i.e. the upcoming elections – it would certainly be some other facility, not these facilities that were”, says Armin Kržalić, professor at the Faculty of Criminology, Criminology and Security of UNSA studies.
Even security expert Safet Mušić does not believe that the reports have anything to do with local elections: “It seems to me that they are possibly connected to some global events or some internal political issues or maybe even to business activities.”
Whether it’s a joke or not, every tip is approached with equal seriousness. They still constitute criminal acts.
“Imagine people who are sick when they receive information that there is a bomb in a facility, that person’s life can be endangered. I invite the citizens, because of some joke or I don’t know for what reason, not to do such things because they will be responsible for this”, is the message of Ramo Isak, Minister of Internal Affairs of FBiH.
At the end of 2022, a person who repeatedly falsely reported explosive devices in judicial institutions was sentenced to 15 months in prison. Penalties for false reports are pronounced by the court, in accordance with the Criminal Code of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while assessing all the circumstances of the case, Federalna writes.
