Suspect arrested for involvement in terrorist attack in Banjska

The Special Prosecution Office has announced that it has detained a person on suspicion of involvement in the terrorist attack of September 24, 2023 in Banjska, Zvečan.

While the Prosecution only gave the initials, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Sveçla, said that it was Stefan Radulović, who he said was wanted.

According to an official announcement from the Special Prosecution Office, the suspect was arrested by the Police at the border crossing in Merdar. He was detained for 48 hours, by decision of the prosecutor.

According to the announcement, the arrested person is suspected of committing the following criminal offenses: "committing a terrorist act" and "serious offenses against the constitutional order and security of the Republic of Kosovo."

"The Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo will undertake all necessary investigative actions in accordance with the legislation in force and the Criminal Procedure Code, while ensuring the integrity of ongoing investigations," the Special Prosecution said in a statement.

And Minister Sveçla said that "terrorists have no place in our country, nor will they be able to escape responsibility indefinitely."

"Today, another wanted terrorist suspect, Stefan Radulović, was arrested in connection with the terrorist attack in Banjska, Zvečan, with the aim of annexing the north. The time of tolerance is over. They will catch you wherever they come across. We continue without stopping for constitutionality and legality," he wrote on Facebook.

His arrest comes as the case against the other three detainees is still pending, with the court issuing a verdict. The Special Prosecution has requested life imprisonment for Blagoje Spasojevic, Vladimir Tolic and Dusan Maksimovic.

None of the three Serbs arrested during the attack in Banjska, who are on trial for terrorism, have pleaded not guilty. Two of them, Blagoje Spsojevic and Vladimir Tolic, have maintained their silence. The final word for the accused and their defense attorneys is scheduled for Monday, after which the verdict will be announced.

During the terrorist attack in Banska Bystrica, Sergeant Afrim Bunjaku was killed, while two other police officers were injured. During the action with which the police responded, they managed to kill three members of the group of more than 40 people who carried out the attack. Meanwhile, they managed to capture two of them, and later the third.

On September 24, 2023, a group of heavily armed Serbs attacked the police in the village of Banjska, Zvecan. According to the indictment of the Special Prosecution, their goal was to separate the north from Kosovo.

Another 42 people are accused of the terrorist attack in Banjska, but they are in Serbia. The terrorist group was led by Milan Radoićić, who at the time was the vice-chairman of the Serbian List and one of the associates of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.

This group carried out preparations for this attack and other terrorist activities in Kosovo in Serbia, including in Serbian army facilities.

Radulović's name does not appear on the list of defendants.