Italian prosecutors are investigating claims that Italian gun-enthusiasts paid to join Bosnian-Serb militia in the siege of Sarajevo (1992-96), where they allegedly shot civilians for sport.
Italian authorities have opened a formal investigation into a shocking allegation: that groups of Italian citizens participated in what have been dubbed “sniper safaris” during the siege of Sarajevo between 1992 and 1996.
According to a legal complaint submitted in Milan, participants were flown from Italy to Bosnia and paid to shoot at civilians in the besieged city, amid the four-year siege by Bosnian-Serb forces that claimed more than 11,000 lives.
What were the “sniper safaris”?
The complaint alleges that on weekends, mostly from Italy’s Trieste region, wealthy gun-enthusiasts would board an aircraft (identified as the Yugoslav/Serbian carrier Aviogenex) to hills around Sarajevo, where Bosnian-Serb militia facilitated the trips and sold targets.
Reportedly, participants paid large sums (adjusted estimate up to €100,000) for the opportunity to shoot civilians — a price list allegedly set depending on the target’s age, gender or vulnerability: children reportedly costing the most, while women and elderly were cheaper or complimentary.
Who is under scrutiny?
The Milan-area prosecutor’s office, led by Alessandro Gobbis, has been handed the complaint by journalist-novelist Ezio Gavazzeni alongside lawyers and a former judge. They have identified at least five individuals linked to the alleged shootings, including men from Turin, Milan and Trieste.
Testimony includes that of a Bosnian military intelligence officer, Edin Subašić, who claims his service informed the Italian intelligence agency SISMI of the trips; a SISMI internal report is cited as having interrupted the operations.
Wider context and responses
Survivors of the siege have expressed sorrow but not surprise. One Sarajevo-born resident recalls how weekends were “especially dangerous” and that rumours of outsiders coming to shoot civilians circulated widely.
The Bosnian consul in Milan stated that Bosnian authorities are cooperating fully with the investigation.
Notably, the complaint hints at broader participation beyond Italy — previous investigations and a 2022 documentary suggest that tourist-shooters from the U.S., Russia and other countries may also have taken part.
Why the probe matters
If proved, these allegations represent a chilling example of commodified violence: foreign participants allegedly paying to kill non-combatants in a war zone, facilitated by local militias and involving cross-border logistics. The case raises questions about wartime accountability, arms-trafficking, and how such crimes can evade prosecution for decades.
What happens next
Prosecutors in Milan are expected to summon witnesses, review intelligence files (including those of SISMI) and seek to identify and charge individuals involved under Italian law for “murder aggravated by cruelty and despicable motives”.
Bosnian authorities may also face pressure to open complementary investigations and help provide evidence on the ground. Survivors and human-rights advocates are watching closely, hoping this case does not fade into impunity.
