A police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the man was 43-year-old Dalibor Jaukovic, who was identified by a close relative.

The man had no criminal record and the attack wasn't an act of terrorism, police said.

Police added they were investigating his motives and whether he had acted alone. They said security was beefed up around all foreign embassies in Montenegro.

The US State Department said it didn't believe the attack was part of an ongoing threat.

Photos posted on Jaukovic's Facebook profile include a plaque that appeared to be personally signed by Milosevic.

Police said in a statement earlier that an assailant threw a bomb into the embassy yard and then killed himself by activating another one around midnight Wednesday.

The blast created a crater but caused no other material damage to the embassy property. All staff were safe and accounted for.

Police sealed off the area around the embassy after the explosion. Officers came to the scene after receiving reports about two explosions and found a lifeless male body in the area of the Moraca river that runs through Podgorica, the statement said.

Police said Jaukovic was a Montenegrin citizen born in neighbouring Serbia.

The US established diplomatic ties with the tiny Balkan state in 2006 after it split from much larger Serbia.

The embassy would only perform emergency consular services for the remainder of the week. Previously scheduled visa appointments will be rescheduled.

Australian Associated Press