Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T09:05:32.239Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Terrorism in Croatia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Nikola Bradic ,
Drazen Cuculic  and
Ervin Jancic
Nikola Bradic*
Affiliation:
Department of Anesthesiology, Reanimatology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia
Drazen Cuculic
Affiliation:
Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine Rijeka, University of Rijeka, Croatia
Ervin Jancic
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, General Hospital Karlovac, Croatia
*
2, Zagorska 2 C, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia, E-mail: nikola.bradic@ri.tel.hr
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Abstract

Introduction:

This report illustrates Croatia's experience with the terrorist attack in the city of Rijeka in October 1995. Also, the intention of this report is to outline how emergency services were functioning in this sudden-onset situation.

Methods:

The medical documentation of 27 wounded citizens in the attack was analyzed and the appearance of bodily wounds, severity of wounds, and the mechanisms of injury are described. From the forensic medical report, the wounds and damages sustained by the terrorist also were analyzed. All findings were compared with similar cases from around the world.

Results:

In the 27 wounded citizens, three (11%) had head injuries, and injuries of the abdomen in only two cases (7%) were found. The most common injuries sustained involved one or more extremities: 16 (59%) persons had wounds of an upper or lower extremity or a combination of multiple wounds. The main cause of death of the terrorist was explosive wounds to the chest and abdomen with destruction of multiple inner organs (primarily kidneys, liver, abdomen, and lung). Furthermore, the terrorist had a fracture of the skull base and multiple injuries to the brain.

Conclusion:

Comparing the findings with other data from the literature, the distribution in the percentages of wounded is almost the same as reported in many bomb attacks. In this case, the walls of the building protected many citizens, which is why so few were seriously injured. Forensic examination of the terrorist's body showed all of the characteristics of blast injuries.

Keywords

bomb attackblast injuriesCroatiaexplosive woundsterrorism
Type
Special Reports
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 18 , Special Issue 2: Terrorism-I: Country Reports , June 2003 , pp. 88 - 91
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Official report of Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine Rijeka, University Rijeka, Croatia.Google Scholar
2. Brismar, B, Lennart, B, Cooper, GJ, et.al: The terrorist bomb explosion in Bologna. J Trauma 1982; 22: 216–220.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3. Caro, D, Irving, M: The Old Bailey bomb explosion. Lancet 1973; 1: 1433–1435.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4. Hadden, AW: The injuries of terrorist bombing. Br J Surg 1978; 65: 525–551.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Clemendson, CJ: Blast injury. Phisiol Rev 1956; 36: 334–336.Google Scholar
6. Elsayed, NM, Gorbunov, NV: Interplay between high energy impulse noise (blast) and antioxidants in the lung. To xicology 2003;189(1–2):63–74.Google Scholar
7. Rutherford, WH: Experience in the accidental and emergency deployment of the Royal Victoria Hospital with patients from civil disturbances in Belfast 1969–1972, with a review of disasters in the united Kingdom 1951–1971. Injury 1973;4(1):189–199.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8. Waterworth, TA, Carr, MJT, Irving, M, et al: Report of injuries by patients at the BGH following the recent bomb explosions. Br Med J 1975; 2: 25–27.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9. Special report. The Oklahoma City bombing: mass casualties and the local hospital response. Hosp Secur Saf Manage 1995;16(5):5–10.Google Scholar
10. Robinson, M, Kernes, R, Lindsay, W, Webster, M: After the bomb. Oklahoma City rescuers talk about their experiences. J Emerg Med Serv 1995;20(6): 40–41, 84–88.Google Scholar
11. Mallonee, S, Shariat, S, Stennies, G, Waxweiler, R, Hogan, D, Jordan, F: Physical injuries and fatalities resulting from the Oklahoma City bombing. JAMA 1996;276(5):382–387.Google Scholar
12. Local newspaper, Novi List No. 286–291, October 1995.Google Scholar