Milan Prosecutors Open Investigation into Alleged “Sniper Tourism” During Bosnia War

Milan Prosecutors Open Investigation into Alleged “Sniper Tourism” During Bosnia War
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Prosecutors in Milan have launched a criminal investigation into allegations that Italian citizens and other foreign nationals paid Bosnian Serb forces during the 1992–1996 siege of Sarajevo to shoot at Muslim civilians for sport.

More details in the following report:

According to Times Of India, the case, prompted by new testimonies and material submitted to Italian authorities, seeks to establish whether “tourist snipers” participated in war crimes during the Bosnian conflict.

The investigation was initiated after journalist Ezio Gavazzeni filed a detailed complaint citing evidence featured in the documentary Sarajevo Safari, which claims that wealthy visitors were escorted to sniper positions around Sarajevo and allowed to fire at civilians. Milan prosecutors are examining the accusations under charges of premeditated murder aggravated by cruelty and despicable motives.

According to the evidence submitted, participants allegedly paid between €80,000 and €100,000 for these excursions. Some testimonies claim that higher sums were offered specifically for targeting children. Investigators are examining whether Italian nationals played a central role and whether individuals from other European countries were also involved.

The case gained momentum following contact by Benjamina Karić, former mayor of Sarajevo, who provided additional documentation to Italian authorities. Sarajevo officials have expressed full cooperation, calling the inquiry a long-awaited step toward exposing concealed crimes committed during the four-year siege.

The siege of Sarajevo, which lasted from 1992 to 1996, left more than 11,000 civilians dead, many of them victims of sniper attacks. Reports of foreign individuals participating in sniper activities have circulated for years but had never previously resulted in a formal judicial investigation.

Italian authorities are now working to verify the identities of suspected participants, the routes used to reach sniper positions, and the extent to which Bosnian Serb military or security structures facilitated the activity. The inquiry also seeks to determine whether intelligence services in the region played any role in enabling the alleged “sniper safaris.”