Italian authorities said that during the house search in Alessandria Province, new evidence was found. The evidence could play a significant role in the investigation into the so-called “Sarajevo Safari,” the case which refers to statements that the foreign nationals during the siege of Sarajevo paid to shoot at civilians in the city from the positions of the Army of Republika Srpska.
The house search was conducted under the warrant of the Prosecutor’s Office in Milan, which is leading the investigation against four Italian citizens suspected of murders committed during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995.
According to information reported by the Italian News Agency Ansa, among the confiscated items is also a photo of one of the suspects, a 65-year-old man from Alessandria, wearing uniformand technical equipment. The investigators believe the photo could have been taken in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has yet to be officially confirmed.
During the search, the suppressor was also found, which, as the prosecutors consider, could be important evidence in the procedure.
Investigation Initiated after the Testimony and the Investigative Journalism
According to the statements of the Prosecutor’s Office in Milan, the suspects are charged with murdering civilians during the siege of Sarajevo, including women, children, and the elderly.
Statements by the suspect’s ex-wife and former partner carry special weight in the investigation. Based on these statements, the final search was conducted.
During the hearing, the former partner said that the suspect spoke about his visits to Bosnia and Herzegovina during the war and that he suffered from nightmares due to the events from that period.
“He told me he usually travelled by plane from Milan with the group of people who spent weekends as snipers and shot Muslims,” she allegedly said to the investigators.
The Suspect has previously used his legal right to remain silent during the interrogation before the prosecutors.
Four Italians under Investigation
In addition to men from Alessandria, the following individuals are also under investigation: an 80-year-old former truck driver from the province of Pordenone, a 64-year-old businessman from Brianza, and another individual from Tuscany.
Three suspects have been heard over the previous months and have rejected the charges brought against them.
The investigation on “Sarajevo Safari” was initiated after the report of the Italian journalist, Ezio Gavazzeni, who for years collected testimonies on foreign nationals allegedly ready to pay large sums to shoot at civilians of besieged Sarajevo from the sniper positions during the war.
The Siege of Sarajevo, which lasted from 1992-1995, is considered one of the longest sieges of the capital city in modern history. During that period, over 11,000 people were killed, including a large number of civilians. New evidence found by the Italian investigators could further contribute to shedding light on the allegations of involvement of foreign nationals in crimes committed during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
