Source: Eurojust
Eurojust has assisted the authorities in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Latvia with the apprehension of the alleged perpetrator who was responsible for sending thousands of emails in September last year threatening schools with explosions. The mass threats, which were also sent to other educational institutions and leisure centres, caused major public concern and led to the suspension of classes at the beginning of the school year.
Eurojust supported the national authorities involved by setting up a joint investigation team (JIT) dedicated to the case, as well as providing additional cross-border judicial support.
The alleged perpetrator also used the social network Telegram to spread his threats. He was apprehended in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro last week but was released pending potential further steps to be taken by the authorities.
Given the mass scale of the threats at the same time across three countries, the police authorities involved coordinated their investigations, assisted by the setting up of the JIT. The joint investigative efforts, using the cybercrime expertise of the police, led to the identification of an alleged perpetrator, operating from the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
With the participation of Czech and Slovak police officers, a joint action took place in Dnipro last week, during which the alleged perpetrator was apprehended and one individual was questioned. Furthermore, two locations were searched, which led to the seizure of computer equipment.
Thanks to the good and close cooperation of all the authorities concerned, the operation was successfully carried out under extremely difficult circumstances, very close to the frontline of the war in Ukraine, with Ukrainian, Czech and Slovak officers exposed to heavy risks.
Eurojust offered support not only through the establishment of the JIT but also by organising a coordination meeting to prepare for the joint action day in Ukraine. The operation was carried out at the request of and by the following authorities:
- Czech Republic: High Public Prosecutor’s Office in Prague; National Counterterrorism, Extremism and Cybercrime Agency (NCTEKK)
- Latvia: Rīga Pārdaugava Prosecution Office; 1st Unit of Cybercrime Enforcement Department of the Central Criminal Police Department of the State Police
- Slovakia: General Prosecutor´s Office of the Slovak Republic; Police Department West, Anti-Crime Unit, Bureau for Combating Organized Crime of the Presidium of the Police Corps (Police ACU); Counter Terrorism Centre, Presidium of the Police Corps
- Ukraine: Dnipropetrovsk regional Prosecutor’s Office; Main Department of National Police in Dnipropetrovsk region; Division for Combating Cybercrime in Dnipropetrovsk region of the Cyber Police Department of National Police of Ukraine