Kosovo’s Special Prosecution on Tuesday said it has filed an indictment for terrorism, espionage and weapons-related charges against two brothers and an alleged Serbian intelligence collaborator over the November 2024 explosion that severely damaged the Iber-Lepenc water canal and disrupted vital water and energy infrastructure.

The prosecution published only the initials of the three suspects – J.V., D.V. and I.D. – but BIRN has learned that they are brothers Dragisa and Jovan Vicentijevic and Igor Dimovic, charged with espionage, unauthorised possession of weapons, and endangering the constitutional order through the destruction or damaging of public installations and equipment.

“J.V. and D.V. are accused of having activated the explosion through a bag which they tied with a rope to a concrete pillar of the ‘Iber Lepenc’ canal, causing disruption to the supply of drinking water, endangering production of electricity and costing the ‘Iber Lepenc’ enterprise the amount of 376,774.70 euros,” the prosecution said.

The indictment alleges that J.V. and D.V. and other as yet unidentified individuals, “after a prior agreement, planted approximately 20 kilograms of trinitrotoluene, TNT explosive, inside the canal”.

The same two men are also charged with illegal possession of weapons. Both denied the charges after they were arrested in December last year.

Accused of espionage, Dimovic is allegedly affiliated with Serbia’s military intelligence service. According to the prosecution, he assisted the attack by gathering classified information and documents to support unlawful activities in Kosovo. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has denied that Belgrade had any involvement in the attack.

The November 2024 explosion at the canal near Varage village, in the municipality of Zubin Potok, was described by the government as a terrorist attack. The attack led to numerous other arrests and the seizure of weapons and explosives.

The Iber-Lepenc Hydroeconomic Enterprise supplies drinking water to several cities in Kosovo and provides essential cooling water for the Kosovo Energy Corporation’s power plants.