Bosnia and Herzegovina has announced its readiness to cooperate in the investigation of crimes committed between 1992 and 1996. According to a former intelligence officer, groups of foreigners organized hunts for civilians during the war.
At the end of 1993, the Bosnian intelligence warned the Italian Military Information and Security Service (SISMI) about at least five Italians who were firing at civilians from the hills near Sarajevo. According to former intelligence officer E.S., significantly more Italian "weekend snipers" were paid for such "entertainment" throughout the siege of the city.
The newspaper la Repubblica reported that Milan prosecutor Alessandro Gobbis is preparing to interrogate the first witnesses to identify the participants in the so-called "safari." Among them is former Bosnian intelligence officer E.S.:
"I worked in the military intelligence of the Army of Bosnia. We provided information to SISMI officers in Sarajevo, as we had data that tourist sniper groups were coming from Trieste," he said.
The 17-page report states that among the "tourist snipers" were Italians from Turin, Milan, and Trieste. One of the snipers who shot from the hills above Sarajevo in 1993 has been identified: he turned out to be the owner of a private clinic specializing in aesthetic surgeries.
The Consul of Bosnia in Milan, Dag Dumrukchich, confirmed the government's full readiness to assist the investigation:
"We look forward to uncovering the truth about this brutal event to put a period to the past. I have certain information that I will pass on to the investigators," he noted.
The prosecution will also include documents from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the case. Previously, American firefighter J.J., who was in Sarajevo during the siege, also spoke about the "tourist shooters."
