Grenade attack on Zemun gym: three men charged

The Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade has filed an indictment against three young men over a hand grenade thrown at a fitness club in Zemun. The accused are Strahinja B. (19), Uros S. and Milan P. None of them has been found guilty by a final court ruling.

According to prosecutors, the attack took place on March 23, 2026, at around 3.30 a.m. The club was closed at the time. The suspects allegedly activated and threw a hand grenade at the building. The blast caused material damage, and the case drew public attention from the first day.

Alongside his role in the attack, Strahinja B. is also charged with causing general danger. That offence covers acts that endanger people’s lives or property on a larger scale. The penalties for such crimes are not minor, but any final sentence is decided by the court in regular proceedings.

Where was the grenade kept?

Part of the indictment concerns how the explosive device was stored before the attack. Prosecutors say the hand grenade was hidden inside the seat of an armchair. According to the investigation, the armchair was in an outbuilding in Grocka.

That detail carries weight. It suggests the device was not obtained just before the attack, but rather prepared and kept out of sight. How the explosive reached the suspects also matters for the investigation, though those circumstances are not being disclosed in full at this stage.

An indictment is the act by which the prosecution sets out its allegations. It is not proof of guilt. The burden of proof stays with the prosecution throughout the case, and the defence has the right to challenge each of the claims.

What comes next in court?

Together with the indictment, prosecutors asked the court to extend custody for the suspects. They cite the risk of reoffending and the public alarm the attack caused. The court decides on the request in a separate ruling.

Custody is a measure meant to secure the defendants’ presence and the smooth running of the case. It is imposed and extended on grounds set by law and is limited in time. At each stage, the court assesses whether the circumstances that justify custody still exist.

The next step is a review of the indictment. Once it becomes final, a main hearing is scheduled. Only at the hearing is evidence presented, witnesses and experts questioned, and the defendants’ account heard. Until a final verdict, all three are presumed innocent.

Explosive attacks on buildings in Belgrade have not been rare in recent years, and the investigations are often slow and complex. Will these proceedings give a clear answer to who was behind the attack, and why?