Image copyright Reuters Image caption Police guard the embassy after the incident

The man who attacked the US embassy in Montenegro on Wednesday was a Yugoslav army veteran, police say.

The assailant threw a grenade into the compound in the capital Podgorica at about midnight (23:00 GMT), before killing himself.

Authorities identified the attacker by his initials, DJ, but did not name him.

Police say the man had no previous criminal convictions, and they still have not found a motive. No-one else was injured in the attack.

The authorities are investigating whether more people were involved.

Who was the assailant?

The BBC's Guy Delauney in Belgrade says local media have identified DJ as a resident of Podgorica but originally a Serbian national, who served in the Yugoslav army in the 1990s.

The man's social media posts include a photo of a medal, a certificate of commendation signed by Yugoslavia's notorious former president, Slobodan Milosevic, and posts stating his opposition to Montenegro's accession to Nato membership last year.

Many Montenegrins resent the alliance bombing their country and Serbia in 1999 in a bid to end the killing of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo.

Montenegro became Nato's 29th member in June 2017.

The man's military past could explain why he had a grenade, which was identified as a Yugoslav-era weapon.

The US embassy said all staff were safe following the incident.

The embassy and surrounding streets remained closed on Thursday. But people working nearby say the police presence is small and the overall atmosphere in the city is calm.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Forensics teams scoured the land surrounding the embassy following the attack

Montenegro, home to about 630,000 people, became independent in 2006 - one of several new countries formed after the dissolution of the former Yugoslavia.

However, the country has faced recent instability. In 2016, anger over the attempts to join Nato, coupled with opposition claims of corruption against the then-prime minister, sparked mass protests ahead of a general election.

On the day of the election itself, the government arrested a group of men for allegedly plotting to murder former Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic and to launch a coup to prevent the Nato membership bid.

Montenegro has charged 14 men for the coup attempt. Two Russians among them remain at large.

Russia has denied any involvement in the incident. The country vocally opposed Montenegro's Nato membership.

The West and Russia are vying for influence in the Balkans, and earlier this month the EU released plans to extend membership to Balkan countries in the near future.</s>PODGORICA (Reuters) - A Yugoslav army veteran who manned anti-aircraft defences during the NATO bombing in 1999 tossed a hand grenade into the U.S. embassy compound in Podgorica, capital of Montenegro, around midnight and then blew himself up, police said on Thursday.

The embassy on its Facebook page said all its personnel were safe after the incident and there were no reports either of material damage.

The Montenegrin man, aged about 41 and born in Serbia, was identified by police only by the initials D.J., though media named him as Dalibor Jaukovic, a decorated Yugoslav army veteran.

“He was a real patriot during the NATO bombing. He served with the Yugoslav anti-aircraft defences,” Milutin Dragicevic, who described himself as a distant relative told Reuters.

In 1999 NATO planes bombed targets in Montenegro and Serbia which together formed rump-Yugoslavia at the time, to halt the killing and expulsion of ethnic Albanians in Serbia’s then southern province of Kosovo.

Montenegro, the smallest of all former Yugoslav republics, became the 29th country to join NATO last May.

At just before midnight, the man lobbed a hand grenade over the embassy compound fence and then blew himself up, assistant police chief, Enis Bakovic, told reporters.

Bakovic said an investigation was underway to determine whether he had acted alone or with others. “We are searching social media together with the FBI,” he said.

“There are no indications this was an act of terrorism,” prosecutor Lepa Medenica said.

Policemen with submachine guns and police vehicles patrolled streets near the embassy building on Thursday morning following the incident.

A neighbour who said her name was Branka told Reuters that Jaukovic “was an ordinary, normal man.”

“He was always polite to me,” she said.

Though the embassy said all staff were safe, it closed for issuing visas on Thursday and told U.S. citizens to stay away until further notice.

“The U.S. embassy in Podgorica advises U.S. citizens there is an active security situation at the U.S. embassy in Podgorica,” it said on its website.</s>Montenegrin media reported that a 42-year-old war veteran from the capital Podgorica carried out Wednesday’s grenade attack on the US embassy, although police have yet to confirm this.

Local media on Thursday named the alleged attacker as Dalibor Jaukovic from Podgorica, a war veteran who fought with Yugoslav Army forces in Kosovo in 1999, citing unnamed police sources and Jaukovic’s family.

BIRN could not independently verify the attacker’s identity and police are expected to give more details during the course of Thursday.

The attacker blew himself up with a second explosive device after throwing the grenade at the US embassy compound in Podgorica, police have said. His motives remain unknown.

Earlier on Thursday, police said they were “working intensively” to identify the attacker.

“The prosecutor is directing the police investigation and the [process of] identification,” the government said on Twitter.

The embassy was closed at the time of the attack and local media reported that no one else was hurt and that there was no significant damage to the compound.

Police closed access roads around the embassy, sealing off the area.

The embassy has warned US citizens to avoid the area.

“Following our internal review, Embassy Podgorica confirms all Mission personnel are safe and accounted for following the incident early this morning,” it said.</s>PODGORICA, Montenegro — Police in Montenegro say they are "working intensely" to identify an assailant who threw an explosive device into the U.S. embassy compound in the capital, Podgorica, before killing himself.

The police said in a statement on Thursday that the man threw a bomb into the embassy yard and then committed suicide by activating another one around midnight Wednesday.

Police say the blast created a crater but caused no other material damage to the embassy property.

The statement says police who received reports about an explosion found a lifeless male body in the area of the Moraca river that runs through Podgorica.

The U.S. State Department has said embassy officials are working with police to identify the assailant and internally to confirm all staff are safe.</s>An assailant threw an explosive device at the U.S. Embassy in Montenegro before blowing himself outside the compound in an attack in the middle of the night, the Balkan country's government says.

A U.S. official said nobody at the embassy was injured in the attack in the capital, Podgorica, which the government said occurred at 12:30 a.m. on February 22.

"An unknown person committed suicide with an explosive device," the government tweeted in English. "Immediately before, that person threw an explosive device from the intersection near the Sport Center into the U.S. embassy compound."

The device thrown at the embassy was "most likely" a hand grenade, the government said. It said police were investigating the incident and seeking to identify the attacker and determine his motives.

Police said they were "working intensely" to identify the assailant, the Montenegrin police directorate said in a statement. It said that embassy officials "found a lifeless body across the street from the embassy, close to the Moraca River bank" after citizens reported an explosion.

"This male person was, according to the activities undertaken so far, killed after detonating an explosive device and after he threw an explosive device...into the embassy compound," the statement said, adding that there was no damage other than a crater from the explosion.

Police officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information, told RFE/RL that the assailalnt had been identified as Dalibor Jaukovic, 43, who was born in neighboring Serbia but who was living in Podgorica.

Montenegro's main daily paper, Vijesti, also said the attacker was Jaukovic, and published a picture, apparently from his Facebook page, showing an award he won for his service in the Yugoslav Army in 1999, which was signed by late Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic. However, there was no immediate official confirmation of his military past or awards.

Eyewitnesses saw the assailant throw an object over the wall of the embassy compound, according to Steve Goldstein, the U.S. State Department's undersecretary for public diplomacy and public affairs.

Goldstein said the man who set off the blast was killed but that there were no injuries among staff at the embassy, which was closed for the night, The New York Times reported.

The embassy building was not damaged and diplomatic security officials who swept the grounds found no other explosives, Goldstein said.

The spot where the government said the attacker was standing when he threw the device is close to the embassy compound but not within throwing distance of the main embassy building.

Interior Minister Mevludin Nuhodzic said that the ministry and government "strongly condemn the attack on the U.S. Embassy," expressing regret and saying he authorities were committed to "securing the full safety and security" of embassy staff.

Earlier, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on Twitter that there was a "small explosion" near the U.S. Embassy compound at around midnight and the embassy was seeking to confirm the safety of all its staff.

Goldstein said the State Department did not know what the motive for the assault was or whether it was meant to be a suicide attack.

The man's body was taken for an autopsy, state prosecutor Tanja Colan Deretic said.

Residents in the area heard two explosions, local media reported.

The embassy canceled all services on February 22 and issued a security alert warning U.S. citizens to stay away until further notice.

"The U.S. Embassy in Podgorica advises U.S. citizens there is an active security situation at the U.S. Embassy in Podgorica," it said on its website. "Avoid the embassy until further notice."

It also advised Americans to avoid large gatherings in the capital and monitor local media for updates on the situation.

The European Union is following the "developments on the ground," Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini, told RFE/RL.

"Of course, violence is not something that we would condone, but we are waiting for the results of this investigation," Kocijancic said.

Montenegro, the smallest former Yugoslav republic, became the 29th country to join the NATO military alliance in May 2017, a step that was bitterly criticized by Russia and opposed by some Montenegrins who advocate closer ties with Moscow.

The attack came as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was in neighboring Serbia on a two-day visit to the country, which is juggling its close, warm ties with Moscow with an effort to join the European Union.

Russia and the United States have accused each other of stoking tension in the Balkans, a flashpont of animus between the two countries -- as well as some cooperation -- during the wars in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s and in their wake.

The incident in Podgorica came exactly 10 years after demonstrators attacked the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade and set part of it on fire amid large protests over Kosovo's strongly U.S.-supported declaration of independence from Serbia.

There was no immediate indication of any link.

Montenegro became an independent state after a majority of its citizens voted in May 2006 to split with Serbia instead of maintaining a union with its larger neighbor.

The Adriatic coastal country of 640,000 is also seeking to join the EU, which has indicated that both Serbia and Montenegro may gain entry by 2025 if they fulfill conditions.

Montenegro has traditionally warm ties with Russia, but its relations with Moscow were strained by its accession to the Western military alliance.

The government has accused several Serbian and Russian citizens of plotting a coup in 2016 parliamentary elections, claiming they planned to assassinate the prime minister and install a pro-Russian leadership to halt Montenegro's bid to join NATO.

The Kremlin has denied claims that "Russian state bodies" were involved in the alleged plot.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, AP, Reuters, AFP, dpa, Portalanalitika.me, and The New York Times</s>PODGORICA, Montenegro — Police in Montenegro said Thursday they are "working intensely" to identify an assailant who threw an explosive device into the U.S. embassy compound in the capital, Podgorica, before killing himself.

Police said in a statement that the man threw a bomb into the embassy yard and then committed suicide by activating another one around midnight Wednesday.

The blast created a crater but caused no other material damage to the embassy property, the statement said.

Police sealed off the area around the embassy after the explosion.

Officers came to the scene after receiving reports about an explosion and found a lifeless male body in the area of the Moraca river that runs through Podgorica, the statement said.

The U.S. State Department has said embassy officials are working with police to identify the assailant. The embassy in Podgorica said Thursday all staff are safe and accounted for after the incident.

Montenegro borders the Adriatic Sea in southeastern Europe. It joined NATO last year despite strong opposition from its traditional Slavic ally Russia.

Several people, including two Russian secret service operatives, are on trial in Podgorica on charges that they wanted to overthrow Montenegro's government in 2016 because of its pro-Western policies.

The U.S. established diplomatic ties with the tiny Balkan state in 2006 after it split from much larger Serbia.</s>An unknown man threw a grenade at the US embassy in Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, before blowing himself up with a second device, government officials have said.

The attack happened just before midnight on Wednesday, with people in the area hearing two explosions. No one else was hurt and there was no major damage.

“There was an incident,” a police official, who declined to give his name, told Reuters. He did not provide details.

A Reuters photographer in Podgorica said a police vehicle blocked the street where the embassy is located, adding that no damage was visible.

The embassy warned US citizens to stay away until further notice. “The US embassy in Podgorica advises US citizens there is an active security situation at the US embassy in Podgorica,” it said on its website. “Avoid the embassy until further notice.”

Montenegro, the smallest of all former Yugoslav republics, joined Nato in May last year, the 29th country to do so. The US established diplomatic ties with the tiny Balkan state in 2006 after it split from Serbia.

Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report</s>PODGORICA, Montenegro -- The man who hurled a bomb into the U.S. embassy compound in Podgorica, Montenegro's capital, and then killed himself, was an ex-soldier decorated by former Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic after NATO's bombing of Serbia and Montenegro in 1999, a police official said Thursday.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation, said the man was 43-year-old Dalibor Jaukovic, who was identified by a close relative.

Police said in a statement earlier that an assailant threw a bomb into the embassy yard and then committed suicide by activating another one around midnight Wednesday.

The blast created a crater but caused no other material damage to the embassy property, the statement said. The embassy said Thursday all staff were safe and accounted for after the incident.

Police sealed off the area around the embassy after the explosion. Officers came to the scene after receiving reports about an explosion and found a lifeless male body in the area of the Moraca river that runs through Podgorica, the statement said.

The suspected attacker, Jaukovic, was born in the central Serbian town of Kraljevo but lived in Podgorica.

Photos posted on his Facebook profile include a plaque honouring his contribution in the fight against NATO during the bombing. The plaque appears to be personally signed by Milosevic. In a May 2017 Facebook post, Jaukavic said "no to NATO."

Many in Montenegro remain opposed to the country's NATO membership because of the air war the alliance waged to stop the war in Kosovo when Montenegro was still part of Yugoslavia.

Montenegro borders the Adriatic Sea in southeastern Europe. It joined NATO last year despite strong opposition from Russia, its traditional Slavic ally. Several people, including two Russian secret service operatives, are on trial in Podgorica on charges that they wanted to overthrow Montenegro's government in 2016 because of its pro-Western policies.

The U.S. established diplomatic ties with the tiny Balkan state in 2006 after it split from much larger Serbia.

Associated Press writers Dusan Stojanovic and Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Serbia, and Josh Lederman in Washington contributed to this report.</s>UPDATE: 10:40 p.m. EST — Authorities said it was unclear if the embassy is still under attack or how many other people were injured.

A security alert was issued by the embassy based in Podgorica and people were warned to avoid the area, according to Express.co.uk.

The alert said: “The U.S. Embassy in Podgorica advises U.S. citizens there is an active security situation at the US Embassy in Podgorica. Avoid the Embassy until further notice.”

Further advice was also offered to U.S. citizens in Motenegro. The embassy statement said: “Avoid large gatherings and demonstrations, and follow the instructions of local authorities.”

The United States embassy in Podgorica, Montenegro, was under attack Wednesday night.

An unknown person walked towards the U.S. Embassy building with one bomb that blew up and then reportedly dropped a second suicide bomb, according to Analytical Report in Podgorica, which cited a source from the scene. One person was confirmed to be dead in the incident.

People in buildings in Bulevar's Revolution near the embassy were reportedly disturbed by two explosions in a twenty-second interval.







According to witnesses on the scene, the authorities quickly reported to the spot and blocked the area near the Bulevar’s Revolution from the National Security Agency building to the intersection near the embassy courtyard yard. They also blocked all access to the backyard of the embassy.

The area was quickly fenced and investigators have since been keeping an eye out.

The motive of the attack has not been determined yet. Also the place from where an unidentified person was activating the bombs has not been disclosed.

According to first information, an unidentified person was spotted on the bank across the street surrounding the embassy yard and was reportedly about fifteen feet away from the fence and auxiliary building located in the backyard of the embassy.</s>PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — Police in Montenegro said Thursday they are "working intensely" to identify an assailant who threw an explosive device into the U.S. embassy compound in the capital, Podgorica, before killing himself.

Police said in a statement that the man threw a bomb into the embassy yard and then committed suicide by activating another one around midnight Wednesday.

The blast created a crater but caused no other material damage to the embassy property, the statement said.

Police sealed off the area around the embassy after the explosion.

Officers came to the scene after receiving reports about an explosion and found a lifeless male body in the area of the Moraca river that runs through Podgorica, the statement said.

The U.S. State Department has said embassy officials are working with police to identify the assailant and internally to confirm all staff are safe.

Montenegro borders the Adriatic Sea in southeastern Europe. It joined NATO last year despite strong opposition from its traditional Slavic ally Russia.

Several people, including two Russian secret service operatives, are on trial in Podgorica on charges that they wanted to overthrow Montenegro's government in 2016 because of its pro-Western policies.

The U.S. established diplomatic ties with the tiny Balkan state in 2006 after it split from much larger Serbia.

Associated Press writers Dusan Stojanovic and Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Serbia, and Josh Lederman in Washington contributed to this report.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Montenegrin police identify the perpetrator of a grenade attack on the U.S. embassy in Podgorica which occurred yesterday. According to authorities, he was a veteran of the Armed Forces of Yugoslavia.