Gruppo di intervento speciale

Last updated
Special Intervention Group
Gruppo di Intervento Speciale
Embleme du Gruppo di Intervento Speciale (GIS).svg
Gruppo di Intervento Speciale Official Insignia
Active6 February 1978 – present [1]
Country Italy
Branch Carabinieri
Type Special forces
SizeAt least 100
Part of 2nd Carabinieri Mobile Brigade (logistics and administration)
Comando interforze per le Operazioni delle Forze Speciali (COFS) (English: Joint Special Forces Operational Headquarters)
Garrison/HQ Livorno
Nickname(s)Teste di cuoio ("Leatherheads")
Motto(s)Nei secoli fedele ("Faithful through the centuries")
Silenziosi come la notte veloci come la folgore ("As silent as the night, as fast as the lightning")
ColorsBlack and Red
Engagements
Commanders
Current
commander
Colonel Gianluca Feroce

The Gruppo di Intervento Speciale (GIS) (English: Special Intervention Group) is the special forces unit of the Italian Carabinieri. The Carabinieri, a branch of the Armed Forces responsible for both military and civil policing, formed GIS in 1978 as a police tactical unit. [1] In 2004, GIS assumed a special operations role, evolving to a special forces unit, in addition to the police tactical unit role, becoming part of the Comando interforze per le Operazioni delle Forze Speciali (COFS; English: Joint Special Forces Operational Headquarters). [1] [2]

Contents

The unit has taken part in counter-terrorism operations and VIP, executive and dignitary protection security. Since its inception, GIS has distinguished itself throughout Italy for efficiency and excellent preparation, and has also operated and operates in several theatres of war including Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq, Horn of Africa, as well as in all the countries where Italian diplomatic offices are at risk.

In Italy, GIS is one of three police tactical units that can operate throughout the country, the other two being Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza (NOCS) of the Polizia di Stato and Antiterrorismo Pronto Impiego (ATPI) of the Guardia di Finanza.

Roles

The Special Intervention Group is employed in high-risk special actions against terrorism. The GIS specializes in hostage rescue, prioritizing their physical safety, in the reconquest of vital targets and facilities held by terrorists, in resolutive intervention against hijacking, and in intervention in environments featuring NBCR dangers. [3]

Domestic roles

The Special Intervention Group ensures the permanent availability of personnel to the Ministry of the Interior for immediate deployments. The Ministry of the Interior employs the GIS for the release of hostages from airplanes, ships, trains, buses and buildings. It also calls them to protect sensitive targets from terrorist or criminal attacks and to ensure surveillance and security at high-risk events (in coordination with Public Security authorities). [3]

Aside from the permanent availability ensured to the Interior Ministry, the GIS is used by the General Command of the Carabinieri to guarantee the security of threatened personalities or to assist territorial units in crisis situations such as kidnapping and capturing criminals, fugitives or dangerous evades. The GIS also trains and certifies other Carabinieri assigned to escort duties, and provides security services to important persons. [3]

Roles abroad

GIS in desert camo for overseas operations GIS desertica.JPG
GIS in desert camo for overseas operations

The GIS is also deployed abroad, to perform foreign hostage-rescue operations, to protect Italian embassies and consulates in highly dangerous situations, as well as for special intervention in Carabinieri deployments and operations abroad. [3]

Occasionally they are also in charge of training foreign police personnel.

Special operations

In 2004, [4] GIS became a special forces unit responsible for special operations, including direct action, special reconnaissance, military assistance and counter-terrorism, part of Comando interforze per le Operazioni delle Forze Speciali (COFS) of the Armed Forces, in addition to its civilian police tactical unit role. [2] GIS can deploy overseas for special operations if requested by COFS. In 2015, laws were changed to permit the Italian foreign intelligence service Agenzia Informazioni e Sicurezza Esterna (AISE) to use GIS for individual missions. [5]

History

Background

During the seventies of the last century (the so-called years of lead) the Italian political and civil institutions suffered a violent assault by endemic terrorist groups. Although the Government had not taken any official initiatives, units were set up in the elite units of the Armed Forces and Police for the development and experimentation of intervention techniques in crisis situations in the presence of hostages.

On 18 October 1977, the political will changed as a result of the success of Operation Feuerzauber (Magic Fire) conducted by the Germans of the GSG-9 that in Somalia succeeded in freeing 86 passengers and 3 crew members of the Lufthansa 181 flight hijacked and still in the hand of terrorists. Feasibility studies were immediately carried out.

Following this action, interior minister Francesco Cossiga on 6 January 1978 ordered the creation of the UN.I.S. (Unità di Intervento Speciale, Italian for "Special Intervention Units"), [6] in order to support anti-terrorism investigations.

In a feasibility study conducted on 24 October 1977, the Carabinieri foresaw the establishment of the Special Intervention Group within the Battalion "Tuscania", in order to enable the Group to act both framed the larger Battalion and alone. [7]

Establishment

The Special Intervention Group was the first to be officially established on 6 February 1978 by the General Command of the Carabinieri, [1] within the then-Battalion "Tuscania". This unit of the Carabinieri could act both in civil and public order and in the military sphere. The Special Intervention Group was made operationally autonomous, administratively part of the Battalion and logistically supported by the Folgore Brigade. [7]

By December 1981, the Special Intervention Group reached its full operational capability. [8]

The public debut of the GIS took place in Trani on 29 December 1980. In the prison, a revolt led by terrorists broke out. On the building, helicopters began to whirl, from which masked men quickly fell down. They regained control of the prison in a few minutes despite the many gates welded by the rebels to hinder an intervention from outside.

Expansion of the scope

In the following years, the GIS expanded its tasks: in December 1988 the Group, on the proposal of its own commander, was tasked with prevention and counter-sabotage activities, as well as with the support of the Carabinieri territorial organization, sensitive targets surveillance, and high-risk interventions and round-ups against organised crime. [9]

In 1994, the tasks of the Group were further expanded, including support for the capture of prominent fugitives, in anti-drug operations and in operations aimed at executing orders of the judicial authorities in the presence of environmental characteristics that entail considerable difficulties in execution. An underwater component was also set established and the use of the unit in support of the Italian embassies at risk was also approved. [10]

2004: special forces unit

The GIS, because of the minor terrorist emergency, since 2000, has operated mainly in the military, and since 26 November 2004, it has been part of the Special Forces, along with COMSUBIN, 9th Paratroopers Assault Regiment and the 17º Stormo Incursori. [10] [11]

The decision of converting the GIS into a special forces unit was taken as a consequence of the large overseas deployment of its operators, which distinguished themselves for competence and resolution in various scenarios of war. Already after its creation, the group operated alongside Italian troops in Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War, and since that moment they become an important part of the Italian military actions around the globe.

Organization

The GIS headquarters is in Livorno.

The exact number of operating personnel is confidential information, but the Group is organized at a company level.

The GIS is divided into:

The largest combat section, in turn, is divided into three detachments consisting of teams of four men: a commander, an explosive specialist, a climbing specialist and an equipment specialist.

At any moment there is a detachment ready to leave the base in 30 minutes. For this purpose, there are always some Agusta-Bell AB 412 supplied with the Carabinieri and a 46th Air Force Aircraft of the Air Force that is located in nearby Pisa, which can supply the C-130 Hercules when needed. The remaining can be used within three and twenty-four hours of the alarm. In the most urgent cases, an advanced core precedes the operating section in order to plan the intervention strategy based on first-hand information.

The exploration, reconnaissance and scouting section is in turn made up of teams of three men: two fighters armed with Mauser 86 SR and an explorer equipped with a semiautomatic HK PSG-1. During longer actions, men can become the explorer.

Publicly known missions

As of late 2018, the Special Intervention Group has been involved in more than 600 special operations: [12] [13]

War operations

GIS has been involved in various multinational operations, both war and peacekeeping, since its creation. What follows is a list of confirmed operations in which GIS operators took part.

Training

GIS operators marching in public in the Rome Parade in 2006. Italian Special Intervention Group.jpg
GIS operators marching in public in the Rome Parade in 2006.

Being an elite unit, the path that candidates have to make to access it is particularly hard and selective from the first phase which includes interviews and psycho-physical visits.

The competition announcement (interpellation in jargon) was opened, in 2011, to members of the Carabinieri who are no more than 33 years old. It is therefore no longer an indispensable condition to be of the 1st Paratroopers Carabinieri Regiment "Tuscania".

The course is called "G.I.S. operator with the military patent of raider", because at the end of the training process the military receives the military patent of raider, as happens in the other three Italian Special Forces already mentioned.

The carabinieri who apply are sent to the 1st Tuscania Regiment. The first selection phase for the GIS involves an interview with a senior GIS officer who verifies motivation, a key element in becoming part of the department, followed by an examination by psychologists and medical doctors. This first selection is passed by 40 per cent of the candidates.

Paratroopers course (nine months)

The survivors then begin a very hard training process for the patent of Paracadutisti at the Tuscania of about nine months duration (this training is almost identical to the one carried out by the 1st Paratroopers Carabinieri Regiment "Tuscania", therefore those who come from the latter are directly introduced to the second phase, namely the specialized one for the GIS).

The course includes:

The carabinieri who finish the training period cited, about 30 per cent of the initial candidates, are admitted to the 45-week course divided into a Basic Course of 18 weeks (exceeded by more than 50 per cent of candidates) and to a 27-week "Specialized Course". Only at this point does the soldier become operational and an effective member of the department.

Basic course G.I.S. (18 weeks)

Specialized Course G.I.S. (27 weeks)

Once part of GIS, training is daily and their skills are perfected with further courses:

Strengthening courses

Courses for specialties

Courses abroad

Finally, there are ongoing collaborative relationships with military departments, including foreign ones. In fact, other courses are held abroad by the International Special Training Center—ISTC in Pfullendorf, Germany, the NATO Special Forces school, and various joint exercises with the colleagues of the SF and Antiterrorism (SAS —Great Britain, SWAT —USA, GSG9—Germany, GIGN—France) of other countries.

Alliances

GIS has very good relations with other top class CT units in the world, among these are Great Britain's SAS, Ireland's ARW & ERU, Spain's GEO and UEI, France's GIGN, United States's Hostage Rescue Team, Germany's GSG 9 and SEK, Belgium's ESI, Austria's EKO Cobra and the Netherlands's DSI. [34] [35]

Weapons

Uniforms

The uniform utilized by this elite force is normally the dark blue, even though mimetic and desert variations exist. Its reinforcements such as helmets, knee pads, elbow pads or bulletproof jackets are composed of fireproof and insulating materials.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carabinieri</span> Italian police force

The Carabinieri are the national gendarmerie of Italy who primarily carry out domestic and foreign policing duties. It is one of Italy's main law enforcement agencies, alongside the Polizia di Stato and the Guardia di Finanza. As with the Guardia di Finanza but in contrast to the Polizia di Stato, the Carabinieri are a military force. As the fourth branch of the Italian Armed Forces, they come under the authority of the Ministry of Defence; for activities related to inland public order and security, they functionally depend on the Ministry of the Interior. In practice, there is a significant overlap between the jurisdiction of the Polizia di Stato and Carabinieri, although both of them are contactable through 112, the European Union's Single Emergency number. Unlike the Polizia di Stato, the Carabinieri have responsibility for policing the military, and a number of members regularly participate in military missions abroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M-Squadron</span> Dutch special forces unit

M-Squadron, formerly the Unit Interventie Mariniers, and before that known as the Bijzondere Bijstandseenheid, is an elite Dutch special forces unit which is tasked with conducting domestic counter-terrorist operations. M-Squadron is part of the Netherlands Maritime Special Operations Forces of the Netherlands Marine Corps.

GIS is a computer-based system to analyse and present spatial data.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Italian special forces</span> Special forces units of the Italian Military

The Italian Special Forces include special forces units from several branches of the Italian Armed Forces: the Esercito Italiano (Army), the Marina Militare (Navy), the Aeronautica Militare and the Arma dei Carabinieri (Gendarmerie).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comando Raggruppamento Subacquei e Incursori Teseo Tesei</span> Italian special forces diving unit

COMSUBIN is the Italian Navy's special operations unit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Federal Police Special Units</span>

The Directorate of special units (DSU) is the police tactical unit of the Belgian Federal Police. In total, DSU consists of about 500 highly trained police officers. The centralized 50 operator small assault team of the intervention unit of the DSU is deployed in cases of terrorism, kidnappings, hostage taking and other forms of serious crime. DSU performs emergency responses, high-risk arrests and searches, observation operations, undercover operations and more.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Detașamentul Special de Protecție și Intervenție</span> Military unit

Detașamentul Special de Protecție și Intervenție of the Romanian Ministry of Defense is an elite special operations unit of the Romanian military. It should not be confused with the Detașamentul de Poliție pentru Intervenție Rapidă of the Police Force. They are different units, with radically different capabilities and reporting structure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">S10 NBC Respirator</span> Gas mask used by the British military

The S10 CBRN Respirator is a military gas mask that was formerly used within all branches of the British Armed Forces. Following the mask's replacement by the General Service Respirator in 2011, the S10 is now widely available to the public on the army surplus market.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smith & Wesson Model 28</span> Revolver by Smith&Wesson. N-frame (large) in .38/.357 Mag., Mfd 1954-86. Highway Patrolman

The Smith & Wesson (S&W) Model 28, also known as the Highway Patrolman, is an N-frame revolver chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge, in production from 1954 to 1986. It is a high quality matte-finished bead blasted version of the S&W Model 27.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dienst Speciale Interventies</span> Dutch elite police unit

The Dienst Speciale Interventies, commonly abbreviated DSI, is the elite police tactical unit of the Dutch National Police Corps and was formally established on 1 July 2006. The DSI is tasked with neutralising terrorist incidents and other violent public order disruptions for which regular police units are inadequately equipped. In total, the DSI consists of about 600 active personnel.

The 1st Carabinieri Paratroopers Regiment "Tuscania" is a special operations unit of the Italian Carabinieri. Together with the 7th Carabinieri Regiment in Laives, the 13th Carabinieri Regiment in Gorizia, and the Special Intervention Group it forms the 2nd Carabinieri Mobile Brigade. The regiment is based in Livorno, and has approximately 550 personnel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carabinieri Mobile Units Division</span> Military unit

The Carabinieri Mobile Units Division is the Carabinieri formation, established in 2001, dedicated to the performance of military duties abroad, the military police tasks when abroad, the support to Territorial Organization, the participation in civil protection operations and to ensure the emergency reserve for the General Command.

The 1st Carabinieri Mobile Brigade is a Carabinieri formation tasked with riot control, civil defence and security duties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2nd Carabinieri Mobile Brigade</span> Military unit

The 2nd Carabinieri Mobile Brigade, based in Livorno, is the Carabinieri formation dedicated to military missions abroad, including military police tasks. It employs the 7th Carabinieri Regiment "Trentino-Alto Adige", the 13th Carabinieri Regiment "Friuli-Venezia Giulia", the 1st Parachute Carabinieri Regiment "Tuscania" and the Gruppo di intervento speciale.

The 7th Carabinieri Regiment "Trentino Alto-Adige" is a mobile unit of the Italian Carabinieri. The unit is framed within the 2nd Carabinieri Mobile Brigade and it is headquartered in Laives.

The Carabinieri Heliborne Squadron "Cacciatori di Calabria" is a Carabinieri squadron based at the "Luigi Razza" Airbase, Vibo Valentia, Italy. The unit was established on 1 July 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uniforms of the Italian Armed Forces</span>

The uniforms of the Italian Armed Forces include the official dress worn by members of the Italian Armed Forces while on duty. Each of the branches of the Italian Armed Forces, the Italian Army, the Italian Navy, the Italian Air Force, and the Carabinieri Corps, maintains its own style of dress. The Italian Armed Forces have an extensive history, during which they have undergone changes in the equipment they use, and the military uniforms they wear.

The Special Intervention Detachment is a police tactical unit of the Algerian Gendarmerie Nationale. It specializes in the fight against terrorism, the release of hostages and the close protection of high-ranking personalities.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Gruppo Intervento Speciale (GIS)". Arma dei Carabinieri (in Italian). Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Cp. Gruppo di Intervento Speciale (CC)". Ministero della Difesa (in Italian). 2009. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Iacoviello 2018, p. 18.
  4. "Storia dei carabinieri". Arma dei Carabinieri. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  5. Ludovico, Marco (5 March 2016). "Intervento italiano in Libia: forze speciali e 007, ma non più di 100 uomini". Il Sole 24 Ore. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  6. Iacoviello, Giuseppe (2018). "Un compleanno speciale. I primi quarant'anni del G.I.S." (PDF). Notiziario Storico dell'Arma dei Carabinieri (in Italian). 3 (6): 13–14, 14, 15, 16–17, 18. OCLC   1176158889 . Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  7. 1 2 Iacoviello 2018, p. 14.
  8. Iacoviello 2018, p. 15.
  9. Iacoviello 2018, p. 16-17.
  10. 1 2 Iacoviello 2018, p. 17.
  11. G.I.S. Gruppo d'Intervento Speciale | Corpi d' élite - Forze speciali italiane, antiterrorismo, intelligence.
  12. Iacoviello 2018, p. 20.
  13. "Gruppo Intervento Speciale (G.I.S.)". Arma dei Carabinieri (in Italian). Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  14. "Il diario della battaglia del carcere di Trani, dicembre 1980". baruda.net. 19 June 2011.
  15. "Ricostruzione dei fatti". altrodiritto.unifi.it. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  16. "Quando Mario Tuti capeggio la rivolta - Cronaca - il Tirreno". iltirreno.gelocal.it. 2010-04-07. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  17. "Dieci ore di terrore". repubblica.it. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  18. https://www.carabinieri.it/Internet/ImageStore/Magazines/NotiziarioStorico/Notiziario%202018-6/files/basic-html/page22.html. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  19. "Quando ho liberato Patrizia Tacchella" . Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  20. "Corriere della Sera". 8 April 2004.
  21. "Criminalita': scoperto arsenale a Corato, arrestate sei persone". Archived from the original on 2015-07-14. Retrieved 2017-07-19.
  22. Carabiniere ucciso, blitz dei Gis arrestato l'anziano omicida - cronaca - Repubblica.it
  23. "Si barrica per 15 ore, poi l'omicidio-suicidio - Cronaca - ANSA.it". www.ansa.it.
  24. "Blitz antiterrorismo delle forze speciali italiane" (in Italian). Il Sole 24 ore. 3 November 2011.
  25. "L'errore di Max: in cella teneva la foto del cugino". gelocal.it. Archived from the original on 2013-11-12. Retrieved 2017-07-19.
  26. "Bergamo, barricato in Agenzia Entrate libera l'ultimo ostaggio e si arrende". tgcom24.mediaset.it. Archived from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  27. "Fratelli barricati a Costa di Rovigo".
  28. "Il blitz del GIS a Costa di Rovigo".
  29. ""Sono qui" le ultime parole di Monfregolo prima dell'arresto: latitanza finita". InterNapoli.it (in Italian). 2019-05-07. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  30. "PARTE LA MISSIONE DELLE FORZE SPECIALI ITALIANE NEL SAHEL". Difesaonline.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-06-11.
  31. "I militari italiani a Kiev: "Lì per proteggere l'ambasciata e indagare sui crimini della Russia"". Open.it (in Italian). Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  32. "Matteo Messina Denaro, l'arresto tra le urla e gli applausi dei pazienti ai carabinieri del Ros". ilfattoquotidiniano.it (in Italian). Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  33. "Nel covo di Messina Denaro il poster del Joker. Convalidato l'arresto di Giovanni Luppino, l'autista del boss". laRepubblica.it (in Italian). Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Gruppo Intervento Speciale (GIS) - Special Intervention Group". Archived from the original on 2010-12-08. Retrieved 2012-03-07.
  35. Giovanna Ranaldo (2008-10-13). "Speciale GIS, i professionisti dell'anti-terrorismo" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2011-08-21. Retrieved 2012-03-07.
  36. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Unofficial GIS Arms Page" (in Italian). Retrieved 2012-03-07.
  37. 1 2 3 "Arma dei Carabinieri" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2011-11-14. Retrieved 2012-03-07.