FBI declines comment on the 'sound cannon' case; Radic released after searches
By late June 22, N1 reported that the FBI declined to comment on its alleged role in reviewing the 'sound cannon' case, while Danas and N1 carried the VJT statement: searches involving military analyst Aleksandar Radic were conducted on a preliminary-proceedings judge's order over suspicion of calling for a violent change of the constitutional order or another ex officio offence. Later, lawyer Stefan Corda told N1 that the searches ended at about 21:00, prosecutors did not seek detention, and Radic was free. ANEM called the searches, the summons to Beta editor Vojkan Kostic, and the targeting of Radar journalist Milan Radonjic unacceptable pressure on journalists and sources.
Breakdown by publication
How sources frame this story
Mobile shows the first 3; the full breakdown is available on desktop.
Pro-government media reported the FBI 'confirmed' no sound cannon was fired, but no public FBI review has been reported
N1 writes that on June 21 pro-government media headlined a claim that Aleksandar Vucic had said the FBI and FSB confirmed no 'sound cannon' was used at the March 15, 2025 student protest. According to N1, video shows Vucic saying the FBI and FSB were invited 'to come and establish' the facts, not that the FBI had already confirmed the finding; N1 says only the FSB report from April 16, 2025 has been made public. N1 also recalls that Interior Minister Ivica Dacic wrote to FBI director Kash Patel on March 18, 2025 asking for help analyzing devices that emit sound waves, but no FBI response has been published; N1 has sent the FBI questions on the issue.
Law professor: RTS is justifying a legally unfounded 'sound cannon' thesis
Law professor Vanja Bajovic told N1 that the authorities and prosecutors are running a media campaign around the alleged 'sound cannon' simulation version, which she considers legally unfounded. She says the discovered note has no evidentiary value because the method of committing a crime has not been explained: it is unclear whether students simulated device use, used it, brought sound equipment, or how they could have organized the movement of trees, the crowd, and medical reports. Bajovic also says this is a pre-investigation, not a clear investigation, and sees it as propaganda and repression.
Vucic on Savo Manojlovic's list: there was no sound cannon
Danas reports that after opening the 21st World Congress of Economists at Sava Centar, Aleksandar Vucic said that at the March 15, 2025 Belgrade protest there was no 'sound cannon in use.' Responding to a list by Savo Manojlovic of Kreni-Promeni naming people he considers responsible for covering up device use, Vucic said the FBI and FSB had been invited, but the FBI could not participate because of its procedures; he now invites the FBI and all European services because, he said, whoever comes will say there was no device. Danas also carries Manojlovic's position: after more than 2,000 testimonies, many confirmed by medical documentation, those covering up device use are participating in covering up terrorism.
'There was no sound cannon, the FSB chief personally signed': Vucic dismantles blockade lies
Novosti writes that on June 22, after opening the 21st World Congress of Economists in Belgrade, Vucic said people talking about arrests have no plan or program and that there was no 'sound cannon in use.' The outlet quotes him saying the FBI and FSB were invited, the FBI could not participate because of procedures, and FSB director Aleksandar Bortnikov signed the finding; Vucic now invites the FBI and European services, claiming any serious reviewer will say there was no device. Novosti frames this as exposing 'blockade lies' and says the authorities know where the lie came from but will leave that to prosecutors.
Search of Aleksandar Radic's home underway
N1 reported at 16:07 that lawyer Stefan Corda confirmed searches of military analyst Aleksandar Radic's home and office, as well as his wife's home. According to RTS information cited by N1, police are acting on an order from the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade; prosecutors suspect Radic, 'by prior agreement,' began spreading information immediately after the March 15, 2025 protest about alleged 'sound cannon' use. N1 recalls that the prosecutor's office ordered the UKP anti-terrorism service to gather information about faculty-plenum documentation and interview everyone who publicly claimed a 'sound cannon' was used against protesters.
Search of Aleksandar Radic's home and office underway over his sound-cannon statements
Danas reported at 18:23 that lawyer Stefan Corda confirmed the search of Aleksandar Radic's home, while Beta said police arrived in the presence of a public prosecutor. The outlet says prosecutors ordered a police interview with Radic over his statements after the protest; prosecutors' version is that he may have spread information about alleged 'sound cannon' use. Danas adds that police also began searching Radic's office, and that the analyst was taken from his apartment with police officers and driven to the office in a civilian police vehicle.
FBI to N1 on its alleged review of the 'sound cannon' case
N1 reported at 21:53 that it asked the FBI about the bureau's alleged involvement in the 'sound cannon' case and about statements by Aleksandar Vucic and Ana Brnabic, but received the answer that the FBI declined to comment. The question followed Vucic's claim that the FBI had been invited to examine whether the device was used on March 15, 2025 in Belgrade, but could not participate because of its procedures. N1 recalls that Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, according to an official statement, wrote to the FBI in March 2025, but no public answer has been reported; only the Russian FSB report of April 16, 2025 has been published, while NASA earlier told N1 it had no information on another Vucic claim.
VJT: Radic will be questioned informally over his sound-cannon statements
Danas carried the Belgrade Higher Public Prosecutor's Office statement at 20:52 after the search of Aleksandar Radic's apartment. According to VJT, a preliminary-proceedings judge of the Higher Court in Belgrade ordered searches of Radic's apartments at the prosecution's request, and the Interior Ministry conducted them in a pre-investigation procedure over suspicion of calling for violent change of the constitutional order or another ex officio offence. VJT said A.R. would be questioned informally over his public statements since March 15, 2025 about state bodies' alleged use of a 'sound cannon,' and explained the action involving Beta editor Vojkan Kostic by saying he was holding Radic's phone at the scene and refused to hand it to police.
ANEM: Intimidating journalists and sources in the 'sound cannon' probe is unacceptable
N1 carried ANEM's 20:21 statement: the association expressed serious concern over the search of military analyst Aleksandar Radic's apartment, the summons delivered to Beta editor-in-chief Vojkan Kostic, and the targeting of Radar journalist Milan Radonjic in connection with the investigation into claims about 'sound cannon' use at the March 15, 2025 protest in Belgrade. ANEM says it is unacceptable for journalists and analysts who covered a topic of major public concern to become investigation targets, and says such targeting threatens free expression in Serbia. The organization also cites lawyer Stefan Corda's information about searches of Radic's home and office and his wife's home, and the prosecution's version that Radic is suspected of spreading information about alleged device use 'by prior agreement.'
Aleksandar Radic released; prosecutors did not seek detention
Danas republished N1's 22:56 report: lawyer Stefan Corda said searches of Aleksandar Radic's premises ended at about 21:00, VJT decided not to seek detention, and Radic was free. According to the lawyer, the warrant cited Article 320 of the Criminal Code on preparing offences against Serbia's constitutional order and security; police seized computers, USB drives, contracts, and other documents. Corda also said the search record did not include the RTS thesis that Radic had spread information after March 15 about alleged 'sound cannon' use.