A key witness at the centre of an investigation into whether wealthy tourists paid thousands to kill unarmed civilians in Sarajevo during the city’s siege in the 1990s has died unexpectedly.
Slavko Aleksic, a Bosnian former militia leader, died in the city of Trebinje, despite having been in good health, The Times reports.
His sudden death comes after an investigation was launched last month in Italy following allegations of ‘human safari’ sniper trips during the Balkan wars – a bloody conflict that left more than 11,000 civilians dead.
Aleksic, 69, commandeered a Jewish cemetery above Sarajevo used by snipers, and according to Serbian lawyer Cedomir Stojkovic, ‘he would have been a crucial witness’ because ‘he could have said who did the shooting and who organised it’.
Croatian investigative journalist Domagoj Margetic added: ‘In November, Aleksic was apparently in good health — and now he has suddenly, and very conveniently, died.’
Last month, Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic was accused of being involved in Sarajevo’s ‘human safari’ sniper trips, an allegation he denies.
On November 24, Aleksic gave an interview on Serbian television and insisted the president had had no involvement in sniper activity.
‘Aleksic was alive and well then, did not announce a fatal illness and, on the contrary, said he would testify in favour of Vucic,’ Margetic said.
Hellbound and Down 