Milan’s public prosecutor’s office is investigating claims that an Italian national engaged in a “sniper safari” in Bosnia during the early 1990s war, where wealthy individuals allegedly paid to shoot civilians in besieged Sarajevo. Journalist Ezio Gavazzeni filed the complaint, stating that these “safaris” involved individuals seeking out Serb positions to kill defenseless civilians, with varying fees based on the targets’ genders and ages. This brutal siege resulted in over 11,000 civilian deaths.
Gavazzeni discovered that information about these safaris was relayed to Italy’s military intelligence, Sismi, in early 1994, leading to inactivity in such trips shortly after. He reignited interest in the issue after watching the 2022 documentary “Sarajevo Safari,” which suggested international involvement from various countries, including the U.S. and Russia.
His investigation included a detailed 17-page report and testimonies, highlighting that some participants paid up to €100,000 for their activities. While Gavazzeni noted over 100 people may have taken part, Bosnia’s own inquiries into the matter seem stagnant. Reports suggest that Italians would disguise these trips as humanitarian missions to evade scrutiny, returning home after weekends of violence. Gavazzeni criticized their actions as emblematic of “indifference to evil,” and authorities are currently working to identify witnesses involved in these activities.
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