Serbia's Special Anti-Terrorist Unit makes arrests across country; Election-Day violence organisers detained

Earlier this morning, media outlets reported that several members of a criminal drug-trafficking group led by M.V. had been arrested in Novi Sad. According to the reports, M.V. had recruited individuals to operate under his command with the aim of inciting unrest in Belgrade on election night, October 25.

It was subsequently reported that an arrest had also been made in Vrnjačka Banja, where M.A. was detained on the same grounds of suspicion.

According to information obtained by the Tanjug news agency, both M.V. and M.A. hold Croatian passports and are therefore citizens of the Republic of Croatia. It is not yet known whether they also hold Serbian citizenship.

Media reports allege that M.V. had procured weapons and other equipment intended for acts of violence against political opponents and the police.

According to the reports, M.V. had planned to travel to Belgrade with around 80 people and allegedly instructed them to “set cars on fire, hunt down ‘ćaci’ protesters, steal their money, throw Molotov cocktails from scooters and cause serious unrest.”

He had also reportedly announced that he and his group would be equipped with what he described as “full combat gear,” including clubs, balaclavas, flares and knives. The group allegedly planned to use 15–20 cars and hide in safe houses and apartments until receiving instructions from those behind the “Student List,” at which point they would launch their operation.

“We’ll move in and clear everything out,” he reportedly said, according to media outlets.

Several other individuals were allegedly arrested alongside M.V., the reports added.

According to further reports, he spoke on several occasions about the possibility of bloodshed.

Far-right extremist arrested in Zemun

Police officers today arrested S.I., a resident of Zemun, on the orders of the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade, on suspicion of organising and training a number of individuals to incite violence on and after the elections scheduled for October 25.

According to reports, he is known to security services for his extremist views and is allegedly an activist with the far-right organisation “People’s Patrols” (Narodne patrole).

Media reports further allege that he was responsible for training so-called mobile teams made up of boxers prepared to engage in physical confrontations with political opponents and police officers on the streets of the capital, a source revealed.

As previously reported, arrests linked to alleged preparations for election-day violence were also carried out in Novi Sad and Vrnjačka Banja earlier this morning.