Croatian investigators are tracing the digital trail behind a series of false bomb threats that have caused evacuations and public alarm across the country in recent weeks.
According to initial findings, the messages were connected to a server located in one of the Baltic states. However, authorities have not yet identified the person or group behind the threats.
Croatia’s Interior Ministry says the investigation has entered a more intensive phase, with cooperation being expanded to foreign security services. Interpol is also involved, as investigators believe the threats were sent through international digital infrastructure designed to hide the sender’s identity.
Although the threats proved to be false, they caused serious disruption. Schools, kindergartens and health institutions were evacuated as police followed security protocols and inspected the targeted buildings.
The messages reportedly came from foreign IP addresses. A similar pattern has recently been observed in Skopje, where three shopping malls received comparable threats. This has raised questions over whether the incidents are part of a coordinated campaign or the work of individuals using advanced digital tools, including artificial intelligence, to automate and distribute threatening messages.
Croatian Interior Minister Davor Božinović confirmed that investigators have obtained early results, but stressed that uncovering the full chain — from the server to the real sender — remains a complex process.
Security experts warn that even false threats can have serious consequences. Former Croatian intelligence operative Ante Letica said such incidents should not be dismissed simply because no explosives were found. In his view, their impact is deeply destabilizing: they create fear, target vulnerable groups and force institutions to spend significant resources on emergency responses.
Letica also raised a broader concern: whether the threats are intended to test the reaction of security services, exhaust public institutions, or form part of a more sophisticated operation whose real purpose is still unclear.
For now, Croatian authorities are continuing the investigation with international partners, while public institutions remain on alert for possible new threats.
