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G.E.O.
The Special Operations Group (GEO), popularly known as the GEO, is the elite unit of the Spanish National Police Force specialized in high-risk operations. They are also present in some conflicts in the Middle East, either to protect Spanish citizens and high-ranking personalities or in civilian rescue missions. The GEO is, together with the Special Intervention Unit (UEI) of the Civil Guard, integrated into the ATLAS Network, which includes all the special counterterrorist units of the countries that make up the European Union. GEO has demonstrated throughout its history and operations the high preparation and qualification of its members, being among the best special operations units in Europe and the entire world.2 GEO has also trained special units in Spain and from other countries, as well as joint courses and training.
The GEO was created by a decision of the then Interior Minister Rodolfo Martín Villa, adopted a few hours after a German anti-terrorist unit released, on October 18, 1977 at Mogadishu airport, a Lufthansa plane hijacked 5 days earlier by the Palestine Liberation Front. The General Inspectorate of the Armed Police had been proposing the creation of such a unit for a long time, without getting the Ministry to accept it. In the afternoon of that day, Infantry Captain (DEM) José Paredes Pedrosa, chief of the Operations Section of the Inspection General Staff, took advantage of the occasion when he was received by the minister to remind him of the old proposal, who accepted it. immediately. Its creation and organization, like that of the remaining Armed Police Units then created, was handled by the aforementioned Operations Section, then under the command of Captain Paredes, who chose the name of the Special Operations Group (GEO), inspired by the denomination of the existing Special Operations Groups (GOEs) of the Army. The command of the newly created unit was entrusted to Infantry Captain Ernesto García-Quijada Romero, and Engineers Captain Juan Senso Galán was appointed as second chief, who succeeded the previous one in command when he died in a traffic accident. Captain Senso would also die in a traffic accident, while on duty, with Infantry Captain Carlos Holgado Martín taking command, who continued to exercise it after being promoted to commander. Along with the above, the first officers of the unit were Infantry Lieutenants Enrique Esteban Pendas and Rafael Roel Fernández. The idea of the need for such a group was taking shape in the police forces, in response to the increase in acts of violence that occurred during the 1970s, such as the kidnapping and murder of the Israeli sports delegation in the Olympic village. from Munich during the 1972 Olympic Games and the subsequent massacre at the Munich airport. This fateful outcome led the German federal government to consider the creation of a unit against terrorism with special means and preparation, and thus the GSG9 of the Federal Police and many other similar bodies in the remaining European police forces emerged. With regard to Spain, ETA violence, which, until 1968, was limited to propaganda and attacks against facilities and buildings, increased in the mid-1970s, including the attack on Carrero Blanco. Added to this was the appearance, in 1975, of another terrorist group, GRAPO, whose first action was the murder of four policemen. Faced with this situation, at the end of 1977 the GEO was created, whose development was carried out by captains García-Quijada and Senso, who managed to get the unit operational in record time, delivering the diplomas to its first members on April 5, 1978. A few months later, the Special Intervention Unit of the Civil Guard, created on June 3, 1978, and both units were part of the ATLAS Network of special European police units. GEO is based in Guadalajara and has two nuclei: support and operational. Only the agents of the operative group have taken the entrance exams and passed the tough training course; those in the support group are in charge of logistics. No real data is ever given on the number of members that make up the group. On April 5, 2008, they celebrated their 30th anniversary, attended by the former head of the National Police and the Civil Guard. During its celebration, they carried out different drills, such as assault on buildings, ambush situations in a conflict zone, arrests with dogs, etc. Currently, the “La Enira” National Police Operational Practice Center is being built in Linares (Jaén), with a budget of € 2,700,000, which will be used for training the GEO, as well as the Police Intervention Units ( UIP)
The Special Operations Group (GEO), popularly known as the GEO, is the elite unit of the Spanish National Police Force specialized in high-risk operations. They are also present in some conflicts in the Middle East, either to protect Spanish citizens and high-ranking personalities or in civilian rescue missions. The GEO is, together with the Special Intervention Unit (UEI) of the Civil Guard, integrated into the ATLAS Network, which includes all the special counterterrorist units of the countries that make up the European Union. GEO has demonstrated throughout its history and operations the high preparation and qualification of its members, being among the best special operations units in Europe and the entire world.2 GEO has also trained special units in Spain and from other countries, as well as joint courses and training.
The GEO was created by a decision of the then Interior Minister Rodolfo Martín Villa, adopted a few hours after a German anti-terrorist unit released, on October 18, 1977 at Mogadishu airport, a Lufthansa plane hijacked 5 days earlier by the Palestine Liberation Front. The General Inspectorate of the Armed Police had been proposing the creation of such a unit for a long time, without getting the Ministry to accept it. In the afternoon of that day, Infantry Captain (DEM) José Paredes Pedrosa, chief of the Operations Section of the Inspection General Staff, took advantage of the occasion when he was received by the minister to remind him of the old proposal, who accepted it. immediately. Its creation and organization, like that of the remaining Armed Police Units then created, was handled by the aforementioned Operations Section, then under the command of Captain Paredes, who chose the name of the Special Operations Group (GEO), inspired by the denomination of the existing Special Operations Groups (GOEs) of the Army. The command of the newly created unit was entrusted to Infantry Captain Ernesto García-Quijada Romero, and Engineers Captain Juan Senso Galán was appointed as second chief, who succeeded the previous one in command when he died in a traffic accident. Captain Senso would also die in a traffic accident, while on duty, with Infantry Captain Carlos Holgado Martín taking command, who continued to exercise it after being promoted to commander. Along with the above, the first officers of the unit were Infantry Lieutenants Enrique Esteban Pendas and Rafael Roel Fernández. The idea of the need for such a group was taking shape in the police forces, in response to the increase in acts of violence that occurred during the 1970s, such as the kidnapping and murder of the Israeli sports delegation in the Olympic village. from Munich during the 1972 Olympic Games and the subsequent massacre at the Munich airport. This fateful outcome led the German federal government to consider the creation of a unit against terrorism with special means and preparation, and thus the GSG9 of the Federal Police and many other similar bodies in the remaining European police forces emerged. With regard to Spain, ETA violence, which, until 1968, was limited to propaganda and attacks against facilities and buildings, increased in the mid-1970s, including the attack on Carrero Blanco. Added to this was the appearance, in 1975, of another terrorist group, GRAPO, whose first action was the murder of four policemen. Faced with this situation, at the end of 1977 the GEO was created, whose development was carried out by captains García-Quijada and Senso, who managed to get the unit operational in record time, delivering the diplomas to its first members on April 5, 1978. A few months later, the Special Intervention Unit of the Civil Guard, created on June 3, 1978, and both units were part of the ATLAS Network of special European police units. GEO is based in Guadalajara and has two nuclei: support and operational. Only the agents of the operative group have taken the entrance exams and passed the tough training course; those in the support group are in charge of logistics. No real data is ever given on the number of members that make up the group. On April 5, 2008, they celebrated their 30th anniversary, attended by the former head of the National Police and the Civil Guard. During its celebration, they carried out different drills, such as assault on buildings, ambush situations in a conflict zone, arrests with dogs, etc. Currently, the “La Enira” National Police Operational Practice Center is being built in Linares (Jaén), with a budget of € 2,700,000, which will be used for training the GEO, as well as the Police Intervention Units ( UIP)