Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (Greece)

Eidiki Katastaltiki Antitromokratiki Monada
Active 1978 - Present
Country Greece Greece
Branch Hellenic Police
Type Special Forces
Role Domestic Counter-Terrorism and Law Enforcement
Size 200 operators
Part of Directly under control of the Hellenic Police
Garrison/HQ Most operators based in Athens
Nickname(s) EKAM, Special Counter-Terrorist Unit (English translation of unit name)

The Special Counter-Terrorist Unit (Greek: Ε.Κ.Α.Μ. - Ειδική Κατασταλτική Αντιτρομοκρατική Μονάδα, Eidiki Katastaltiki Antitromokratiki Monada) is the Greek counter-terrorism unit of the Hellenic Police. It is the most distinguished part of the Hellenic Police. It was formed in 1978 when the first two anti-terrorist units were created within the two Police Divisions that existed then (Hellenic Gendarmerie and the Cities Police) and in 1984 were united into a single body, the Hellenic Police. In the beginning the Unit had only 150 men but when Greece became the host country of the Olympic Games of 2004 their number increased to 200 after reassessing the needs for the magnitude of the event.

Training

The EKAM force is based in Athens, but have several detachments spread throughout Greece's major cities. Each officer is a full-time member who must have at least five years on the force before being allowed to try out. Many receive training from the Greek Army's Ranger School before going on to the police counter-terrorism school.[1]

The Special Counter-Terrorist Unit of the Hellenic Police follows a three-month training program every year. For its training modern, purpose-built facilities are being used. Training can also take place in other locations such as buildings in urban or rural areas (inhabited or not), the Athens International Airport, planes of Olympic Airways, the Piraeus port infrastructure, the Hellenic Railroad system, the Athens Metro. Other places that have been decided as suitable to cover its training needs can also be used. The Unit is in constant cooperation with other Special Units abroad such as the FBI, SAS and ERU via the ATLAS Network.[2]

Operations

The Special Counter-Terrorist Unit of the Hellenic Police, operates all around Greece and abroad whenever is deemed necessary. It has confronted challenges such as hostage situations and it has contributed in the arrests of many dangerous criminals. The EKAM played a key role in the dismantling of the November 17 and Revolutionary People's Struggle terrorist organizations. In March 2003, it confronted successfully an incident on a Turkish Aeroplane which was hijacked while it flew from Istanbul to Ankara (flight no. 160) and ended up at the Athens International Airport at the order of the hijacker. In a successful operation the Unit stormed the plane and arrested the hijacker by incapacitating him with a taser[3] and releasing all hostages safely.[4]

Duties

including physical disasters in cooperation with the Fire Brigade

Equipment

Pistols

Submachine Guns

Assault Rifles

Machine Guns

Shotguns

Sniper Rifles

All the above sniper rifles can be also be equipped with a special nightvision device.

References

  1. ↑ ::Rieas:: - Greek Special Forces Outlook
  2. ↑ Marsden, Chris. "European Union cites Boston attack to justify major anti-terrorist operation". 24 April 2013. International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI). Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  3. ↑ "TASER International, Inc. commends Greek Police Special Forces on use of ADVANCED TASER M26 to arrest Turkish Airlines Flight 160 hijacker". TASER International. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
  4. ↑ "Turkish Aeroplane hijacked". BBC News (BBC). 2003-03-29.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Greece Ministry of Public Order Press Office: Special Anti-Terrorist Unit" (PDF). http://astynomia.gr - Official Website of the Hellenic Police. July 2004. Retrieved 2009-10-13. External link in |publisher= (help)
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