Zenica-Doboj Canton Ministry of Interior: Threatening emails received, multiple facilities being searched, security checks at highest level

(Patria) - The Zenica-Doboj Canton Ministry of Interior has issued a statement regarding threatening messages sent via email to multiple addresses, institutions, and educational facilities in the City of Zenica, which have further alarmed the public.

In this regard, and to ensure accurate public information, we point out the following:

- It is true that today, April 17, 2026, an email was received from an unknown address expressing certain threats towards the police, schools, and other groups and institutions in the City of Zenica,

- Immediately after receiving the contentious email, the Police Administration ordered urgent action, involving all available police forces and teams to conduct necessary checks and searches,

- In this regard, security check levels have been raised to the highest level, and cooperation has been established with other police agencies in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the exchange of intelligence data and conducting necessary checks,

- Considering the content of the received email, the engagement of police teams in the initial phase involved checks and searches of at least 40 facilities, primarily schools, in the City of Zenica, as well as other checks and searches,

- In parallel with the indicated activities, officers of the Criminal Police Sector are undertaking intensive measures and actions in cooperation with other police agencies and services to identify the individuals responsible for sending the email and issuing the threats.,

- We note that in the activities carried out so far by police teams, a larger number of facilities have been searched, and no items or activities have been found that would indicate the possibility of planning and executing the issued threats.

We particularly emphasize, in the context of certain rumors and the dissemination of inaccurate information, that the police actions have not documented any activities indicating individuals or groups acting with the intent to endanger the safety of children in schools in the City of Zenica, nor other forms of behavior and actions that could pose a security risk.

We also note that the Police Administration of the Ministry of Interior of the Zenica-Doboj Canton has responded professionally and effectively to this security incident with all available resources and capacities, in order to ensure maximum personal and property safety for all citizens and to bring this security situation under control.

In this regard, we call on the public and citizens to rely exclusively on information and facts contained in official police statements, as well as those from other institutions, and not to be guided by inaccurate and tendentious information disseminated through certain media and social networks.

We call on the media to inform the public about this event with utmost objectivity and professionalism, using official data and information, and to adopt an extremely responsible stance regarding the reporting, respecting all principles and standards of media reporting, thereby preventing the dissemination and publication of inaccurate information and consequently the spread of panic and public unrest.