Gruppo di Intervento Speciale

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Badge of the Gruppo di Intervento Speciale

The Gruppo di Intervento Speciale (GIS) is an anti-terrorism - Special Forces of the Italian Carabinieri . The approximately 120-strong unit is based in Livorno in Tuscany . It cooperates with other European police special units within the framework of the ATLAS network .

assignment

GIS members in Rome

In addition to the main tasks of counter-terrorism and hostage rescue , the GIS is also used to protect high-ranking members of government and in the fight against organized crime . Due to the comparatively small number of staff, the special unit usually only carries out very difficult operations. Since the GIS can also be used abroad within the framework of the Italian army , it is integrated into the special forces command COFS of the Italian General Staff .

Further areas of responsibility can be:

  • Police duties inside
  • Training of special units from other armed forces
  • Patrols in high risk countries of operations
  • Countering riot
  • Military police duties
  • Securing and monitoring of objects and operational areas
  • Use in case of smuggling conflicts

organization

In addition to staff, support and training sub-units, the special unit has a reconnaissance and sniper platoon as well as an assault platoon. The teams of the reconnaissance platoon consist of three men (two snipers and one scout), the teams of the assault platoon consist of four men (team leader, explosives specialist, climbing specialist, weapon specialist).

Helicopters from the Carabinieri and transport aircraft from the Italian Air Force ( 46ª Brigata Aerea ) are available to the teams .

Recruitment and training

Almost without exception, the offspring of the GIS come from the 1st Carabinieri Paratrooper Regiment Tuscania in Livorno. Applicants must be under 30 years of age and have served two to four years in this elite regiment. At the beginning there is a selection phase in which every applicant is examined intensively. The 18-week basic training is followed by a 24-week special training. Among other things, knowledge of dealing with explosives and all types of handguns is imparted. There is also training in hand-to-hand combat . Those who successfully complete this training will be taken on to an active team at the Gruppo di Intervento Speciale.

equipment

Special vehicle for reaching commercial aircraft on the ground
Solid inflatable boat Stingher
Sako TRG 42 (.338)

Vehicle fleet

The GIS fleet includes all-terrain vehicles of various types, including:

Boats

Handguns

The following handguns are used:

uniform

The Carabinieri of the GIS have not only a gray-blue combat suit but also camouflage suits . The beret is like the paratroopers claret . The members of the air-moving Carabinieri special units (Cacciatori) in Sardinia, Sicily and Calabria have slightly lighter, coral-red berets in contrast to the GIS and the Tuscania Regiment.

history

The GIS was set up on February 6, 1978 by then Interior Minister Francesco Cossiga following a wave of terrorist attacks by extremist groups. In addition to the fight against terrorism, the unit was used in the regions of Sardinia , Sicily , Calabria , Campania and Puglia in the fight against organized crime.

In its first major operation in 1980, the GIS put down a riot in the maximum security prison in Trani .

Abroad, the GIS has already been used in the following countries:

Similar units

The Italian Polizia di Stato (State Police) maintains a similar special task force , the Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza (NOCS).

References

Commons : Gruppo Intervento Speciale  - collection of images, videos and audio files

literature

  • Sören Sünkler: Europe's elite and special units. Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 2008, ISBN 978-3-613-02853-1 , pp. 129-130.

Web links