Milan Probes Sarajevo Sniper Tourism Allegations

Milan prosecutors have opened an investigation into allegations that Italian citizens and other foreigners paid Bosnian Serb forces tens of thousands of euros in the 1990s to shoot civilians during the Siege of Sarajevo, one of the longest and deadliest sieges in modern history. The probe, triggered by a formal complaint and witness accounts, targets individuals accused of participating in what has been described as organized "sniper tourism" amid the Bosnian War from 1992 to 1996.

The investigation, led by prosecutor Alessandro Gobbi, focuses on claims that wealthy gun enthusiasts and far-right sympathizers from Italy, the United States, Russia, and other Western countries traveled to the region for weekend excursions. According to the complaint filed by Milan-based writer and journalist Ezio Gavazzeni, participants allegedly met in the Italian city of Trieste before flying to Belgrade and being escorted by Bosnian Serb militias to sniper positions in the hills overlooking Sarajevo. There, they reportedly fired on civilians below, paying fees equivalent to 70,000 to 100,000 euros today for the opportunity. Gavazzeni, who gathered evidence including testimonies from former...