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More than three decades after the siege of Sarajevo, Italian prosecutors have opened an investigation into one of the darkest and least-known chapters of the Bosnian war, the alleged presence of so-called “sniper tourists,” foreign nationals who reportedly paid to shoot at civilians during the siege of the Bosnian capital.
The investigation was launched by Milan prosecutor Alessandro Gobbis on suspicion of “premeditated murder aggravated by cruelty and vile motives.” The case, currently directed against unknown individuals, was opened following a criminal complaint filed by Ezio Gavazzeni, an Italian journalist and writer, who spent years collecting testimonies and documents before submitting them to the Milan Prosecutor’s Office.
Speaking to N1, Gavazzeni said he was inspired to act after watching the documentary Sarajevo Safari, which featured testimony from a former contractor and an intelligence operative claiming that groups of foreign marksmen, including Italians, Americans, Canadians, and Russians, had paid to shoot at civilians for sport during the war.
“Sarajevo Safari was the starting point. The film revealed and documented this horrifying phenomenon. My investigation went even further, with witnesses describing how these groups operated in Bosnia,” Gavazzeni told N1.
He said he had spoken directly with individuals linked to the events, including a former Bosnian intelligence officer who claimed to have encountered Italian sniper tourists in the hills surrounding Sarajevo between 1992 and 1996.
Italian authorities, Gavazzeni added, now have access to evidence that could help identify those responsible. “I want to see the people who paid to kill in Sarajevo brought before the court,” he said.
The case has drawn major attention in Italy, as it could lead to the first trial of European civilians accused of participating in war crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina outside formal military structures.
“My phone hasn’t stopped ringing since yesterday. The media interest is huge, and I hope this investigation leads to real prosecutions,” Gavazzeni said.
He also noted that Sarajevo’s former mayor Benjamina Karic had previously submitted a similar report to the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but that the case was shelved.
“I believe it was buried because Bosnia is still deeply divided. Opening such a case could trigger political tension. But I believe in justice,” he said.
Gavazzeni added that his ultimate goal is simple: “I would like to see two or three people stand trial, those who paid to shoot, so that the full scale of this monstrous phenomenon finally comes to light.”
The Milan Prosecutor’s Office has assigned the case to the ROS unit of the Carabinieri, known for handling complex investigations. Italy thus becomes the first country to launch a judicial inquiry into the disturbing claims surrounding the “sniper tourists” of the Bosnian war.
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