Weekend Snipers: Austria probes alleged Sarajevo war crimes

Vienna, 20 May 2026 An Austrian prosecutor has been investigating since April a citizen alleged to have shot civilians as a sniper during the 1992-1995 siege of Sarajevo, with international investigations now expanding across four countries. The allegations center on so-called 'weekend snipers' who were allegedly paid to target unarmed civilians during the prolonged siege of Sarajevo. Investigations are ongoing in Italy, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Switzerland, with judicial authorities planning to coordinate through Eurojust. In Italy, the Milan public prosecutor's office is conducting investigations with support from the Carabinieri's anti-terrorism unit. Four individuals are currently under investigation: a former truck driver from Friuli, a former municipal employee, an entrepreneur from Lombardy, and a man from Tuscany. All deny the allegations. The main suspect in Austria is reportedly a 60-year-old man from Lower Austria who allegedly traveled multiple times to Sarajevo during the siege to shoot civilians. Prosecutors say the time elapsed - approximately 30 years - makes these cases particularly complex to investigate. Italian journalist Ezio Gavazzeni brought these allegations to light in his book 'Cecchini del weekend' ('Weekend Snipers'), published in March. The book's German publication is planned for this summer through Kopp Verlag. ## The Book That Sparked Investigations During the siege from April 1992 to February 1996, approximately 11,000 people died, with snipers accounting for about 650 deaths including 60 children. One dangerous street became known as 'Sniper Alley' because pedestrians had to run across it. Allegations suggest wealthy individuals from European countries paid substantial sums - equivalent today to €25,000 for killing a man, €40,000 for a woman, and €50,000 for a child - for the 'right' to shoot civilians from Serbian positions during the conflict. Austrian Justice Minister Alma Zadić stated: 'The allegations involve the most serious war crimes that must be investigated. That people apparently paid to deliberately shoot at civilians, even children, is almost unimaginable in its cruelty.' ## International Coordination Organizers allegedly transported these 'sniper tourists' to either Croatian or Serbian positions overlooking the city. While dangerous, these excursions reportedly continued throughout the siege period. With the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in 1993, jurisdiction for such cases increasingly shifted abroad. Many of these 'weekend warriors' - so called because they returned home between deployments - stopped frontline fighting at that time. The Milan prosecutor's office began its investigation following a complaint by Gavazzeni. More suspects are expected to be added to the case as international cooperation continues to develop.

International Investigations Expand into 'Weekend Snipers' Alleged in Sarajevo Siege

The Book That Sparked Investigations

International Coordination