Prosecutors in Milan have launched an investigation into claims that Italian nationals paid members of the Bosnian Serb army during the 1990s siege of Sarajevo to travel there and shoot civilians "for fun." According to reports, wealthy foreigners allegedly paid tens of thousands of pounds to act as “weekend snipers” during the four-year conflict.
Snipers were among the most feared aspects of life during the siege of Sarajevo, targeting civilians, including children, at random from hidden positions.
According to investigators, groups of Italians and other foreign nationals, who are described as “sniper tourists,” allegedly paid large sums to soldiers of the Bosnian Serb army under Radovan Karadžić to be taken to the hills surrounding the city and shoot at residents for sport.
The participants reportedly gathered in the northeastern Italian city of Trieste before being transported to the hills surrounding Sarajevo during the 1992–1996 siege, as reported by The Telegraph UK.
Karadžić, the former Bosnian Serb leader, was convicted in 2016 of genocide and other crimes against humanity, as cited by the Guardian.
Serbia has denied the allegations. However, witnesses and Italian investigators claim that a price list existed for the killings, with higher payments offered for shooting children or armed men in uniform.
According to La Repubblica, the sniper tourists allegedly paid the equivalent of €80,000 to €100,000 to participate in what was described as a deadly “sport.”
Between 1992 and 1996, more than 11,500 people were killed in Sarajevo as the city endured relentless shelling and sniper fire during what became the longest siege in modern European history.
The siege followed Bosnia and Herzegovina’s declaration of independence from Yugoslavia and lasted longer than the 872-day German siege of Leningrad during the Second World War.
Sarajevo’s location in a valley surrounded by mountains made it especially vulnerable, allowing opposing forces to easily isolate and attack the city.
Prosecutors in Milan are working to identify Italian nationals allegedly involved in the killings, who could face charges of “voluntary homicide aggravated by cruelty and abject motives.”
They are being supported by officers from the Carabinieri’s specialist unit, the Raggruppamento Operativo Speciale, which focuses on combating terrorism and organised crime, as cited by The Telegraph.
The case came to light after Milan prosecutors , led by Alessandro Gobbi, opened an investigation to identify the Italian nationals allegedly involved.
Gavazzeni said he first came across reports of the alleged “sniper tourists” in the Italian press in the 1990s, but it was the 2022 documentary "Sarajevo Safari" by Slovenian director Miran Zupanič that prompted him to pursue the investigation further.
One of the most well-known sniper incidents was the 1993 killing of Boško Brkić and Admira Ismić, the couple featured in "Romeo and Juliet in Sarajevo", who were shot while attempting to cross a bridge. Their bodies remained in no-man’s land for several days.
Snipers were among the most feared aspects of life during the siege of Sarajevo, targeting civilians, including children, at random from hidden positions.
According to investigators, groups of Italians and other foreign nationals, who are described as “sniper tourists,” allegedly paid large sums to soldiers of the Bosnian Serb army under Radovan Karadžić to be taken to the hills surrounding the city and shoot at residents for sport.
The participants reportedly gathered in the northeastern Italian city of Trieste before being transported to the hills surrounding Sarajevo during the 1992–1996 siege, as reported by The Telegraph UK.
Karadžić, the former Bosnian Serb leader, was convicted in 2016 of genocide and other crimes against humanity, as cited by the Guardian.
Serbia has denied the allegations. However, witnesses and Italian investigators claim that a price list existed for the killings, with higher payments offered for shooting children or armed men in uniform.
According to La Repubblica, the sniper tourists allegedly paid the equivalent of €80,000 to €100,000 to participate in what was described as a deadly “sport.”
Between 1992 and 1996, more than 11,500 people were killed in Sarajevo as the city endured relentless shelling and sniper fire during what became the longest siege in modern European history.
The siege followed Bosnia and Herzegovina’s declaration of independence from Yugoslavia and lasted longer than the 872-day German siege of Leningrad during the Second World War.
Sarajevo’s location in a valley surrounded by mountains made it especially vulnerable, allowing opposing forces to easily isolate and attack the city.
Prosecutors in Milan are working to identify Italian nationals allegedly involved in the killings, who could face charges of “voluntary homicide aggravated by cruelty and abject motives.”
They are being supported by officers from the Carabinieri’s specialist unit, the Raggruppamento Operativo Speciale, which focuses on combating terrorism and organised crime, as cited by The Telegraph.
The case came to light after Milan prosecutors , led by Alessandro Gobbi, opened an investigation to identify the Italian nationals allegedly involved.
Gavazzeni said he first came across reports of the alleged “sniper tourists” in the Italian press in the 1990s, but it was the 2022 documentary "Sarajevo Safari" by Slovenian director Miran Zupanič that prompted him to pursue the investigation further.
One of the most well-known sniper incidents was the 1993 killing of Boško Brkić and Admira Ismić, the couple featured in "Romeo and Juliet in Sarajevo", who were shot while attempting to cross a bridge. Their bodies remained in no-man’s land for several days.
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