A recent book makes the shocking claim that wealthy foreigners who committed murders during the siege of Sarajevo engaged in competitions to kill the most attractive women.
According to The Times of London, affluent gun enthusiasts paid 80,000 Deutsche marks, equivalent to about $53,000 at the time, between 1992 and 1996 to Serbian handlers to murder middle-aged women as part of a “human safari” experience.
The price increased to 95,000 marks for shooting young women and reached 110,000 marks (approximately $72,000) for targeting pregnant women.
These revelations are detailed in Croatian journalist Domagoj Margetic’s book “Pay and Shoot,” which references documents provided by Bosnian intelligence officer Nedzad Ugljen, who was killed in 1996.
Margetic told the publication, “Ugljen also wrote that the foreigners competed to see who could shoot the most beautiful women.”
Ugljen reportedly communicated with members of the Bosnian-Serb militia and claimed that a European royal was among those involved in the shootings. He allegedly stated, “Many told me a European royal was among the shooters. He would arrive by helicopter, stay in Vogosca near Sarajevo, and wanted to shoot at children,” according to Ugljen’s account.
While tourists paid Serbian handlers, the concept of safari hunting did not originate in Serbia but in Croatia, involving Zvonko Horvatincic, who had connections with the Yugoslav intelligence services in Croatia before the 1990s conflicts.
Margetic stated, “It was an activity managed by the security services due to the involvement of foreigners.”
As the siege of Sarajevo began, affluent Italians reportedly inquired in the summer of 1992 about visiting the area.
More than 10,000 people lost their lives in Sarajevo due to sniper attacks and shelling from 1992 to 1996.
Last year, Italian prosecutors investigated allegations that wealthy tourists paid over $90,000 to participate in human safari trips.
The investigation commenced following claims by investigative writer Ezio Gavazzeni that individuals from Germany, France, England, and other Western countries paid significant sums to be taken to Sarajevo to shoot civilians.
The probe aimed to identify any Italians involved in the sniper tourism activities.
In February, an investigation targeted an 80-year-old former truck driver as part of the sniper tourism inquiry.
He faces multiple charges of premeditated murder, though sources did not reveal to Reuters whether he directly committed the killings.
With Post wires.
