Country Reports on Terrorism 2010 - Serbia
- Document source:
-
Date:
18 August 2011
Overview: Serbia's law enforcement and security agencies, particularly the Customs Administration, Criminal Police, Border Police, and Security Information Agency, continued close bilateral counterterrorism cooperation with the United States, while intra-governmental cooperation between these agencies improved, thus increasing their effectiveness. Serbia had two police organizations that operated as counterterrorism tactical response units, the Special Antiterrorist Unit (SAJ) and the Counterterrorist Unit. In addition, the government created a Criminal Investigative Unit for Counterterrorist Investigation within the Interior Ministry's Criminal Investigation Directorate.
Legislation and Law Enforcement: On May 14, the Organized Crime Department of the Belgrade Appellate Court confirmed the convictions of four violent extremists, sentenced in July 2009 to a total of 27 years imprisonment, for conspiracy to commit unconstitutional activity, terrorism, illegal possession of firearms, and attempted murder. On October 22, the National Assembly voted to extend the validity of non-biometric passports until December 31, 2011.
Serbia's close bilateral counterterrorism cooperation with the United States continued across multiple law enforcement and security agencies, with U.S. counterparts providing training and assistance in hostage rescue, terrorist financing, civil aviation security, border security, and document fraud detection.
Countering Terrorist Finance: On November 30, the Parliament adopted a set of amendments to the 2009 Law on the Prevention of Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism. The amendments predominantly focus on additional control and supervision of electronic money transfers in accordance with the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism recommendations.
Regional and International Cooperation: Serbia continued to participate actively in the UN Office on Drugs and Crime Regional Program (2009-2011) of Promoting the Rule of Law and Human Security in South East Europe, with primary emphasis on increasing countries' counterterrorism capacities. In that regard, Serbia established a working group in charge of drafting a law on counterterrorism, which would provide a legal basis for subsequent adoption of a counterterrorism strategy and specific action plans of relevant ministries and agencies.
Serbia organized two successful regional counterterrorism events in 2010. In May, the Interior Ministry held a 10-day counterterrorism seminar at the Regional Special Police Unit Training Center in Kula; the main presenters were experts from the special operations unit of the French Gendarmerie (RAID), and participants included the federal governments of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Serbia. In October, the SAJ training camp in Batajnica hosted an international counterterrorism seminar with the participation of counterterrorism units from Austria, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Montenegro, Macedonia, Croatia, Romania, Italy, Bulgaria, the United States (FBI Hostage Rescue Team), and Serbia.
In April, Serbian authorities organized the country's first ever Civil Aviation Security exercise, involving a simulated plane hijacking, with the participation of the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit, Airport and Border Police, and representatives of foreign embassies.
Serbia acceded to the 2005 Protocol on the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation. Serbia signed bilateral agreements related to counterterrorism with Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and ratified 2009 agreements with Israel and Cyprus.
This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.