Journalist Ezio Gavazzeni has submitted 17 pages of evidence regarding "sniper tourism" during the Bosnian War, claiming that wealthy Italians paid to shoot innocent men, women, and children in Sarajevo in the 1990s.
Public DomainMuch of the capital city of Sarajevo was destroyed during the siege, which lasted from 1992 to 1996.
Prosecutors in Milan are investigating claims that Italian civilians paid to be snipers for the Bosnian Serb army in Sarajevo during the siege of the city between 1992 and 1996.
Italian journalist and writer Ezio Gavazzeni filed a legal complaint alleging that wealthy Italians paid large sums of money to go on “sniper safaris,” in which participants would shoot at civilians in Sarajevo. Gavazzeni’s suit identified five individuals who participated in these alleged crimes, but the public prosecutor’s office in Milan is looking to track down more people who may have been involved.
Inside The Allegations Of ‘Sniper Tourism’ In Bosnia And Herzegovina
The military blockade of Sarajevo began in 1992 after Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia. It was the longest siege in modern European history. The city and its residents experienced nearly constant shelling and sniper fire for almost four years, leading to over 11,000 deaths.
Now, Italian counter terrorism prosecutor Alessandro Gobbis is looking into 17 pages of evidence submitted by Gavazzeni regarding alleged “sniper tourism” that took place during this siege. Gavazzeni told Italian newspaper La Repubblica that “at least a hundred” people took part in these safaris, allegedly paying up to $100,000 to participate.
“[The suit] exposes a part of society that hides its truth under the carpet,” Gavazzeni told the outlet. “Because we’re talking about wealthy people with reputations, entrepreneurs, who during the siege of Sarajevo paid to be able to kill defenseless civilians.”
Michael Büker/Wikimedia CommonsA memorial cemetery in Sarajevo for those who died in the war.
Gavazzeni first wrote about these crimes more than 30 years ago, but he had no real evidence at the time. Then, he watched the 2022 documentary Sarajevo Safari, which alleged that residents of Italy, Russia, the United States, and more paid to shoot men, women, and children in Sarajevo. The claims made in the documentary by a former Bosnian Serb soldier have been vehemently denied by Serbian war veterans.
“Sarajevo Safari was the starting point,” Gavazzeni told The Guardian. “I began a correspondence with the director and from there expanded my investigation until I collected enough material to present to the Milan prosecutors.”
His 17-page filing included five men Gavazzeni identified as having participated in the safaris, accusing them of “murder aggravated by cruelty and despicable motives.”
Did These Bosnian War ‘Safaris’ Really Take Place?
The “sniper tourists” mentioned in Gavazzeni’s complaint allegedly met in the northern Italian city of Trieste before traveling to Belgrade, Serbia. From there, they met soldiers of the Bosnian Serb army of Radovan Karadžić and accompanied them to the hills surrounding Sarajevo. (Karadžić was ultimately convicted of genocide.)
Gavazzeni alleges that those who participated were given a price list for specific targets. He claims children cost the most to kill, followed by women and men. Others, like elderly people, could be shot for free.
Christian Maréchal/Wikimedia CommonsOver 11,000 people died during the siege of Sarajevo. Here, residents cut tree branches for firewood to survive the frigid winter of 1992.
Not everyone is buying Gavazzeni’s claims, however. The BBC spoke to British soldiers who served in Sarajevo, who claimed there was no indication of any foreign sniper tourism. One soldier referred to the allegations as an “urban myth.”
However, Nicola Brigida, a lawyer who helped Gavazzeni put together his complaint, believes it could lead to convictions. Individuals alleged to have been involved with the safaris, as well as witnesses, are going to be questioned by Italian authorities in the coming weeks.
As Brigida said, “The evidence accumulated after a long investigation [by Gavazzeni] is well substantiated and could lead to serious investigation to identify the culprits.”
After reading about the investigation into the alleged “sniper tourism” during the Bosnian War, discover the bloody rule of Croatian dictator Ante Pavelić. Then, learn about the deadliest sniper in history.
