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SAJ (Special Anti-terrorist Unit)
Encyclopedia
The Special Anti-terrorist Unit (CAJ/SAJ) is a special operations and tactical police unit in Serbia
.
, due to the increasing phenomenon of terrorism in Europe
that was occurring at the time from such groups as: IRA
, ETA
, Red Army Faction
and the Red Brigade. The unit was founded on, 13th May 1978
The detachment for special effects in the Federal Secretariat of Internal Affairs - SSUP, and was appointed the first commander Franz Kos. After seven months since the founding of the federal unit for special effects, a decision was taken to establish on republic and provincial levels a unit with the same purpose. The Unit for Anti-terrorist effects (Jedinica za antiteroristička dejstva - JATD) in the Republic Secretariat of Internal Affairs - RSUP of SR Serbia was established in Novi Beograd
on December 18, 1978.
The first commander of unit was Miloš Bujenović. Main tasks of new formed unit were classical fight against terrorists, to prevent aircraft hijacking, release of hostages, the fight against organized crime and similar action of the high-risk in urban areas. In 1983 units base was relocated to the Belgrade
airport
and renamed in to Units for special effects (Jedinica za specijalan dejstva RSUP). In 1991 unit was again renamed in to Special units (Specijalne jedinice), and it's new commander was Radovan Stojičić. On June 1, 1992, Command of Special Anti-terrorist units (Komanda SAJ) was established, with Živko Trajković as commander. It consisted from Belgrade SAJ, under command of Zoran Simović Novi Sad SAJ, under command of Branko Ćuričić
SAJ has four teams: "A", "B", "C" and "D". "Striking force" are teams of "A" and "B" which solve complicated hostage situation, quickly enters into kidnapped airplanes, buses, breaking into barricaded buildings, arresting a dangerous person with guns and criminals. Team C is a specialist and make it: sniper group
, underwater diving
group, group guide service dog
s, the group of engineer for explosive land mines
and group for biological and chemical agents (BHS). In executing task A, B and C have coordination team work, as a single entity, a team in which everyone has clearly defined tasks. Team D a protect important persons and objects which is an exposed threats of terrorist attack. Logistical support provided by medical group, the group for the construction and testing of weapons and ammunition, technical and emergency services.
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
.
History
The SAJ was formed in the former YugoslaviaSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
, due to the increasing phenomenon of terrorism in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
that was occurring at the time from such groups as: IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
, ETA
ETA
ETA , an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization. The group was founded in 1959 and has since evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group with the goal of gaining independence for the Greater Basque Country...
, Red Army Faction
Red Army Faction
The radicalized were, like many in the New Left, influenced by:* Sociological developments, pressure within the educational system in and outside Europe and the U.S...
and the Red Brigade. The unit was founded on, 13th May 1978
The detachment for special effects in the Federal Secretariat of Internal Affairs - SSUP, and was appointed the first commander Franz Kos. After seven months since the founding of the federal unit for special effects, a decision was taken to establish on republic and provincial levels a unit with the same purpose. The Unit for Anti-terrorist effects (Jedinica za antiteroristička dejstva - JATD) in the Republic Secretariat of Internal Affairs - RSUP of SR Serbia was established in Novi Beograd
Novi Beograd
Novi Beograd or New Belgrade is the most populous municipality that constitutes the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is a planned city, built in 1947 on the left bank of the Sava river which was previously an uninhabited area, opposite of the old Belgrade...
on December 18, 1978.
The first commander of unit was Miloš Bujenović. Main tasks of new formed unit were classical fight against terrorists, to prevent aircraft hijacking, release of hostages, the fight against organized crime and similar action of the high-risk in urban areas. In 1983 units base was relocated to the Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
airport
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport is Serbia's busiest airport, also known as Surčin , after a nearby Belgrade district.Named after Nikola Tesla, the airport is situated west, of central Belgrade, in the Municipality of Surčin, surrounded by Syrmia's fertile lowlands...
and renamed in to Units for special effects (Jedinica za specijalan dejstva RSUP). In 1991 unit was again renamed in to Special units (Specijalne jedinice), and it's new commander was Radovan Stojičić. On June 1, 1992, Command of Special Anti-terrorist units (Komanda SAJ) was established, with Živko Trajković as commander. It consisted from Belgrade SAJ, under command of Zoran Simović Novi Sad SAJ, under command of Branko Ćuričić
Publicly known operations
- 1989 - On 27 February 1989th when, during a strike in KosovoKosovoKosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
's mines the most persistent "Stari Trg" 50 strikers barricade on the horizon ninth, (850 m underground). The campaign was launched at midnight, and because they lift a disability, special forces have descended through the fire holes and surprised strikers. - 1997 - action against hijacker in SmederevoSmederevoSmederevo is a city and municipality in Serbia, on the right bank of the Danube, about 40 km downstream of the capital Belgrade. According to official results of the 2011 census, the city has a population of 107,528...
. - 1998 - counter insurgent operations against the Kosovo Liberation ArmyKosovo Liberation ArmyThe Kosovo Liberation Army or KLA was a Kosovar Albanian paramilitary organization which sought the separation of Kosovo from Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the 1990s....
(KLA); attack on PrekazAttack on PrekazThe Attack on Prekaz was an operation led by the Serbian police Anti-terrorist Unit, launched on March 5, 1998...
. - 1999 - Račak massacre.
- 2003 - "Operation SabljaOperation SabljaThe Operation Sablja was launched on March 12, 2003, following the assassination of Zoran Đinđić, the Prime Minister of Serbia. The assassination destabilized the government. Immediately after the assassination, a state of emergency was declared by interim president Nataša Mićić...
" Arresting members of the Zemun organized crime gang. - 2007 - Arresting the mass murder in the Jabukovac killingsJabukovac killingsThe Jabukovac killings occurred July 27, 2007, when the villager Nikola Radosavljević took a hunting rifle and shot dead five men and four women in the Serbian village of Jabukovac, near the border with Romania and Bulgaria. Three other people were injured, two of them seriously.Police used...
. - 2010 - First Belgrade Pride Parade security
Structure
Sniper team
A sniper team typically consists of a sniper and a spotter as described in military doctrines of the United States, Canada and United Kingdom. Both members can perform either role and often rotate between the two...
, underwater diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
group, group guide service dog
Service dog
A service dog is a type of assistance dog specifically trained to help people who have disabilities including visual or hearing impairment, and also to help people with mental disabilities including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and severe depression...
s, the group of engineer for explosive land mines
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
and group for biological and chemical agents (BHS). In executing task A, B and C have coordination team work, as a single entity, a team in which everyone has clearly defined tasks. Team D a protect important persons and objects which is an exposed threats of terrorist attack. Logistical support provided by medical group, the group for the construction and testing of weapons and ammunition, technical and emergency services.
- Team A - Assault
- Team B - Assault
- Team C - Logistics
- Team D - Support