GRUPO ESPECIAL DE OPERACIONES

The 'Grupo Especial de Operaciones' (Special Operations Group, GEO) is part of the Spanish National Police and is stationed in Guadalajara near the capital, Madrid. The GEO has special response capabilities and is responsible for VIP protection duties, as well as countering and responding to terrorism. Designed, set up and organised along the lines of many other special Counter-Terrorism units throughout Europe, the GEO is specifically focused on dealing with terrorist attacks, including aircraft hijackings as well as maritime threats and hostage taking. The GEO can also be utilised in a support role for Spanish Police operations outside the realm of terrorism, and is active in protecting visiting heads of state and providing security for high-profile events such as the 1992 Summer Olympics held in Barcelona.
GEO has had some noteworthy successes over the last decade. It was responsible for foiling the assassination attempt on King Juan Carlos in 1995, as well as an attempt by ETA to attack the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. GEO remains the foremost deterrent to terror cells and activity on the Spanish mainland.
Its only casualty - as of 2004 - occurred during the assault on the Leganés flat where the suspected perpetrators of the Madrid train bombings of 11 March, 2004 were hiding. Having realised that they were trapped the terrorists subsequently detonated bombs in the flat killing themselves and GEO Subinspector Francisco Javier Torronteras Gadea.

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External links

External links

★ Unofficial website