Special Suppressive Antiterrorist Unit (Greece)

The Special Suppressive Antiterrorist Unit (Greek: ΕΚΑΜ – Ειδική Κατασταλτική Αντιτρομοκρατική Μονάδα, Eidiki Katastaltiki Antitromokratiki Monada, EKAM) is the police tactical unit of the Hellenic Police. It is the most distinguished part of the Hellenic Police. It was formed in 1978 when two police tactical units were created within the two police divisions that existed then (Hellenic Gendarmerie and the Cities Police), which were united into a single body in 1984, the Hellenic Police.

Special Suppressive Antiterrorist Unit
Ειδική Κατασταλτική Αντιτρομοκρατική Μονάδα
Eidiki Katastaltiki Antitromokratiki Monada
Active1978 - present
Country Greece
AgencyHellenic Police
TypePolice tactical unit
Role
AbbreviationEKAM
Structure
Operators200

EKAM had 150 operators to start with. But when Greece became the host country of the 2004 Summer Olympics, their number increased to 200 after reassessing the needs for the magnitude of the event.[1]

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.[2]

The Special Suppressive Antiterrorist 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.[3][4][5] 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.[6]

Operations

The Special Suppressive Antiterrorist 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[7] and releasing all hostages safely.[8]

Duties
  • Hostage situation response
  • High risk arrests
  • High risk VIP's escort
  • W.M.D (Weapons of mass destruction) (C.B.R.N) hostage situation, intrusion response
  • Special antiterrorism operations and operations against organized crime in collaboration with the Hellenic Security Forces
  • Rescue operations 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 also be equipped with a special nightvision device.

Trivia

Outside international conventions the Greek name for the unit is Special Suppressive Antiterrorist Unit. At the time of its creation in the late 1970s, counter-terrorist units were conceived to be the assault teams deployed as a last resort against hostage situations. Hence the "suppression" designation used as a euphemism indicating a terminal engagement against terrorists .

References
  1. "Special Anti-terrorist Unit". Astynomia. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
  2. ::Rieas:: – Greek Special Forces Outlook
  3. "Η Ειδική Κατασταλτική Αντιτρομοκρατική Μονάδα (Ε.Κ.Α.Μ.) | Ελληνική Αστυνομία". www.astynomia.gr. Retrieved 2023-03-05.
  4. Group), Radiotileoptiki S. A. (OPEN Digital (1980-01-01). "Βίντεο από άσκηση: Αστυνομικοί εξουδετερώνουν τρομοκράτες στο «Ελ. Βενιζέλος»". ΕΘΝΟΣ (in Greek). Retrieved 2023-03-05.
  5. "24 ώρες στα άδυτα της Ελληνικής Αντιτρομοκρατικής Μονάδας (ΕΚΑΜ)". Palmografos.com. Retrieved 2023-03-05.
  6. 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.
  7. "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.
  8. "Turkish Aeroplane hijacked". BBC News. BBC. 2003-03-29.
  9. "Greece Ministry of Public Order Press Office: Special Anti-Terrorist Unit" (PDF). astynomia.gr. July 2004. Retrieved 2009-10-13.
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