Italian Aristocrat Under Investigation for 1990s Plot Where Wealthy Tourists Allegedly Paid $100K to Hunt Civilians for Sport

An Italian aristocrat has become the latest person drawn into an investigation surrounding shocking claims that wealthy foreigners paid huge sums of money to shoot civilians linked to alleged 'human safari' shootings that occurred amid the Bosnian war in the 1990s.

Prosecutors are examining allegations that affluent visitors travelled to Bosnia during the war and joined sniper positions overlooking Sarajevo, turning a deadly conflict into what investigators have described as a form of 'human safari.'

The allegations have drawn renewed attention as investigators in several European countries work to determine whether people involved in the alleged shootings avoided scrutiny for decades.

A Dark Allegation Resurfaces After 2022 Documentary

The interest in the case resurfaced after the 2022 documentary Sarajevo Safari, which explored allegations that foreigners travelled to the war zone specifically to shoot civilians, including women and children.

The film helped bring long-standing rumours back into public discussion of witness accounts that had previously received limited attention.

The inquiry was launched following a complaint filed by writer Ezio Gavazzeni, who is based in Milan and spent years gathering material on the allegations. Authorities also received a report from Sarajevo's former mayor, Benjamina Karić. The complaint from Gavazzeni and the report from Karić prompted the investigation.

From 1992 through 1996, over 10,000 people were killed. Reports state that the 'sniper tourists' allegedly paid soldiers of Radovan Karadžić's army around $90,000 (roughly £67,000) for a trip to the hills above Sarajevo to shoot civilians. Additional fees allegedly allowed the sniper tourists to target pregnant women and children.

Alessandro Gobbi, a Milan prosecutor, is heading the investigation and seeks to identify Italians allegedly linked to the so-called 'sniper tourist' scheme. According to reports, those found responsible could face charges including voluntary murder aggravated by cruelty and abject motives.

Film Revived Chilling 'Sniper Tourists' Allegations

Gavazzeni has said he first encountered reports about alleged 'sniper tourists' in Italian media during the 1990s. However, he began a more extensive investigation after viewing Sarajevo Safari by Slovenian filmmaker Miran Zupanič.

In the documentary, a soldier and a contractor recalled how groups of Western visitors were allowed to shoot civilians from positions overlooking Sarajevo during the war.

Speaking to The Guardian, Gavazzeni said, 'Sarajevo Safari was the starting point. I began a correspondence with the director and from there expanded my investigation until I collected enough material to present to the Milan prosecutors.'

He also alleged that he recalled seeing 'many, many, many Italians' as part of the group. 'There were Germans, French, English ... people from all Western countries who paid large sums of money to be taken there to shoot civilians,' he added.

'They were rich people who went there for fun and personal satisfaction. We are talking about people who love guns who perhaps go to shooting ranges or on safari in Africa. There was a traffic of war tourists who went there to shoot people. I call it an indifference towards evil,' he told the outlet.

Focus Turns to an Italian Aristocrat

Recent reports say investigators have identified an Italian aristocrat from Milan as a person of interest in the expanding investigation. Authorities reportedly began looking into him after witness testimony and other evidence allegedly linked him to the alleged sniper tourism network.

The aristocrat, who remained unidentified but is described as a member of a wealthy Milanese family, allegedly paid substantial amounts of money to take part in the killings. The claims remain under investigation and no conviction has been secured.

According to reports, including one from the Times, investigators have questioned witnesses and carried out searches connected to the case. Evidence reportedly recovered in separate inquiries includes documents, permits, and other materials that prosecutors believe could help establish who travelled to sniper positions around Sarajevo during the conflict.