Examines claims of foreigners paying for sniper fire during the Sarajevo siege, finding conflicting accounts and lack of material evidence across multiple sources.
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The article examines the persistent, decades-long mystery surrounding allegations that foreigners paid to fire sniper rifles at civilians during the siege of Sarajevo. While a book by Ezio Gavazzeni popularized this claim, citing over 400 foreign participants including many Italians, subsequent investigations reveal significant inconsistencies and lack of firm evidence. Initial reports surfaced as early as 1995 but faded from public attention amidst other major events.
Key discrepancies arise when examining accounts from named sources in Gavazzeni’s book. For instance, conflicting timelines are presented regarding intelligence exchanges between Bosnian military intelligence and Italian services (SISMI), with differing claims about the involvement of UNPROFOR. Furthermore, multiple experts, including former UN press officers and researchers, point out that major international journalists present during the siege failed to report this story when initial leaks occurred.
Despite new documentary evidence suggesting a “sniper safari” phenomenon involving foreign fighters, subsequent investigations have yielded no material proof. Multiple high-ranking military figures from both sides of the conflict have denied such organized activities. Experts suggest confusion often exists between actual volunteer fighters/mercenaries and paid tourists. Ultimately, while some doubt the scale or even the existence of the “price list” concept, the consensus among critical reviews is that the allegations lack concrete evidence, overshadowing discussions about accountability for the documented atrocities committed during the siege.
