Italy: Insufficient evidence for prosecution in "sniper tourism" case at Sarajevo
Italian prosecutors say they do not have sufficient evidence to pursue criminal charges against suspects accused of participating in shooting excursions during the siege of Sarajevo.
Italy: Insufficient evidence for prosecution in "sniper tourism" case at Sarajevo
Magistrates in Milan have stated they do not have adequate evidence to proceed with criminal charges against people allegedly involved in shooting excursions during the siege of Sarajevo in the 1990s.
According to Naftemporiki, the investigation began last year following a complaint filed by journalist and writer Ezio Gavazzeni. The Italian journalist claimed that wealthy foreigners travelled to Bosnia to participate in "shooting excursions" during the war.
Prosecutors have placed five people under investigation. Among them is a Milan aristocrat who, according to testimony gathered by Gavazzeni, is believed to have boasted at a dinner with former school friends that he had travelled to Sarajevo to shoot people.
"Honestly, at the moment prosecutors could never ask for any of the suspects to be committed for trial," a source close to the investigation said. The authorities currently only have circumstantial evidence and no conclusive proof.
The prosecutor of Milan, Alessandro Gobbi, who is leading the investigation, and the chief prosecutor Marcello Viola will meet with magistrates from Belgium and Bosnia as part of Eurojust in Luxembourg on 29 June. The aim of the meeting is to discuss the case and exchange information.
"The hope is that the meeting with foreign colleagues and further investigations will bring additional evidence," the same source added.
Recently, the Carabinieri police conducted a search of the home of a former 66-year-old municipal employee from Genoa, who now resides in the province of Alessandria. The man had been questioned in recent months and had exercised his right not to answer. The investigation against him was ordered after his ex-partner testified to having seen photographs of what he allegedly did 30 years ago. The authorities seized a silencer and a photograph of a precision rifle.
In parallel, a separate investigation is underway into an alleged secret network in Milan that is believed to have organised the shooting excursions of the 1990s, though it has not yet produced any results.
Approximately 11,000 civilians lost their lives due to bombardment and sniper fire from positions of the Serbian army around Sarajevo during the 1992-95 war.
Source: Naftemporiki