Convicted gangster claimed responsibility for bomb attacks targeting Hungarian politicians

A Slovak organised crime figure currently serving a prison sentence has claimed responsibility for a series of bomb attacks targeting Hungarian politicians and party offices during the tense 1998 election campaign.

According to his lawyer, Jozef Roháč admitted that he carried out explosions near the homes of József Torgyán and József Szájer, as well as at the headquarters of Fidesz in Budapest. The attacks took place during the final months of the government led by Gyula Horn, when Hungary was experiencing a series of politically motivated incidents targeting politicians and party offices.

A series of attacks against politicians during the campaign

The wave of incidents began on 12 March 1998 with an attempted bombing at the headquarters of the Independent Smallholders’ Party. A few days later, on 16 March, an explosive device detonated near the apartment of party leader Torgyán.

Further attacks followed in the spring. On 1 May 1998, a bomb exploded near the home of Szájer, then a parliamentary group leader for Fidesz, and his wife. Another device was detonated on 15 June at the party’s headquarters, targeting the office of János Áder, who later became Speaker of Parliament and eventually President of Hungary.

Investigations at the time failed to identify those responsible. As the statute of limitations has long since expired, prosecutors can no longer bring charges over the incidents.

Admission through lawyer

Roháč, who has been convicted in other major criminal cases – including the Aranykéz Street bombing and the murder of media entrepreneur János Fenyő – reportedly admitted his role through his legal representative, Ilona Patócs.

According to the lawyer, her client said he was not involved in planning the attacks and only joined the operation after the first, failed attempt at the Smallholders’ Party headquarters. In the three later cases – the explosions linked to Torgyán, Szájer and Áder – Roháč allegedly obtained the explosives, assembled the devices and detonated them himself.

Patócs said her client was instructed that no one should be harmed. Roháč claims the bombings were intended as intimidation rather than assassination attempts.

Claims about political motives

Roháč also reportedly told his lawyer that he had been informed the attacks were carried out “in the interests of Fidesz”. However, he said he had no personal knowledge of whether that claim was true and did not know any Fidesz politicians personally. His lawyer stressed that this allegation does not prove that the party itself had any involvement or awareness of the operations.

Roháč further claimed that the final explosion at the Fidesz headquarters took place after the election victory in order to deflect speculation that earlier attacks had been staged. He said he even phoned the office beforehand to check whether Áder was present and only activated the device once he learned the politician was not there.

Despite the new claims, many aspects of the 1998 bombings remain unresolved. With the investigation closed and the case legally expired, the full background to the attacks may never be conclusively established.

If you missed it:

• Hungarian soldiers under fire in Erbil: will Orbán withdraw troops after the latest attack?

Featured image: screenshot/YouTube