Italian authorities have launched a disturbing investigation into allegations that wealthy foreigners paid enormous sums to participate in "human safari" hunting trips during the Bosnian War, where they allegedly shot innocent civilians for sport.
The Shocking Allegations
Prosecutors in Milan are examining claims that rich tourists paid up to £70,000 for the opportunity to act as "weekend snipers" during the deadly siege of Sarajevo between 1992 and 1996. The four-year conflict saw more than 11,000 people killed by sniper fire and shelling.
A detailed 17-page complaint filed in Milan court alleges these visitors paid varying rates to target defenceless civilians, with different prices charged for men, women, and children. According to some reports, targeting children commanded higher fees.
How the Alleged Operations Worked
The investigation suggests these alleged "human hunters" travelled from Trieste to Belgrade using Serbian airline Aviogenex before being transported to hills surrounding Sarajevo. From Serbian positions, they would allegedly shoot at Bosnian civilians whose lives were already devastated by the brutal conflict.
Italian journalist Ezio Gavazzeni, who filed the complaint with support from former Sarajevo mayor Benjamina Karic, estimates approximately 100 wealthy tourists participated in these hunts as a weekend sport.
International Participants and Motives
Gavazzeni told la Repubblica newspaper that participants included Germans, French, English and people from various Western countries who paid substantial sums to shoot civilians. The journalist emphasised there were no political or religious motivations behind these actions.
"They were rich people who went there for fun and personal satisfaction," Gavazzeni stated. "We are talking about people who love guns who perhaps go to shooting ranges or on safari in Africa."
The alleged tourists reportedly had ties to far-right groups and would return to their respectable daily lives after their horrific weekend activities.
Funding War Crimes
Investigators believe the enormous fees, ranging from £70,000 to £88,000, were paid to Radovan Karadžić, the former Bosnian Serb leader currently imprisoned for war crimes, and his brutal army. The same forces were responsible for genocide during the Bosnian War.
Gavazzeni's main source appears to be a Bosnian intelligence officer who claims Italian intelligence agencies had information about these terrifying allegations as early as 1993. The journalist also suggests multiple witnesses would be willing to testify in court.
International Cooperation
The Bosnian consul in Milan, Dag Dumrukcic, has confirmed his country's government is offering "full cooperation" with the Italian investigation. "We are eager to uncover the truth about such a cruel matter and settle accounts with the past," Dumrukcic stated.
The case gained renewed attention following the 2022 documentary "Sarajevo Safari" by Slovenian director Miran Zupanic, which prompted Gavazzeni to revisit allegations he'd first seen in Italian media during the 1990s.
As the Milan prosecution continues its probe, the international community watches closely, hoping to achieve justice for victims of what may represent one of the most grotesque forms of war tourism ever documented.
