Counter-Terrorist Unit (Serbia)

Counter-terrorist Unit
Противтерористичка јединица
Protivteroristička jedinica
Amblem of Counter-terrorist Unit
Abbreviation PTJ
Agency overview
Formed 7 May 2003 (2003-05-07)
Preceding agency
Dissolved 2016
Superseding agency SAJ
Employees 215 (2012)[1]
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction [[ Serbia]]
Legal jurisdiction Domestic anti-terrorism and law enforcement
Governing body Ministry of Internal Affairs (Serbia)
Headquarters Lipovica

The Counter-terrorist Unit (Serbian: Противтерористичка јединица / Protivteroristička jedinica, abbr. ПTJ / PTJ) was a special operations and tactical unit of the Serbian Police.

As its name states, the PTJ was oriented towards anti-terror operations as well as securing and maintaining the internal security of Serbia. Often only used in operations deemed too dangerous for other police units, it was highly trained and equipped. The PTJ's responsibilities included: resolving hostage situations, anti-terrorist operations, high-profile arrests and bomb disposal. Members of the PTJ operate with extreme professionalism and devotion to their responsibilities. This has earned the PTJ the great respect throughout the world as an elite special operations police unit among other such units. In 2016, the unit was disbanded and most of its members were incorporated to the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (SAJ).

Equipment and training

PTJ Humvee

Candidates were selected from the Žandarmerija, who underwent rigorous physical evaluations before tactical training could begun. Lieutenant Colonel Dragović, the commander, stated in 2007 that out of 150 candidates only eight were selected in that year.[2] Members of the PTJ were expected to meet and excel the criteria set before them. Trainees were exposed to varying conditions that they might find in real life operations. PTJ training centres were located at Petrovo Selo near Kula and Goč near Vrnjačka Banja.

Weapons used include:[2]

Publicly known operations

In 13 operations across eight cities in Serbia, the PTJ arrested numerous members of the so-called "Customs Mafia". They detained known organized crime leaders such as Sreten Jocić from the Netherlands; Dejan Milenković from Greece; Ridvan Rašitija from Switzerland; and extradited Abdelmajid Bouchar, (a member of "Al-Qaeda" suspected in connection with the 2004 Madrid train bombings), to Spain.[3]

Others:

  • 2007 - Arrested a large group of terrorists in an Islamic religious movement called the wahhabi on Mount Ninaja, killing one.[4]
  • 2009 - Hostage rescue in Jagodina (in central Serbia).[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Novi odred Žandarmerije sličan JSO". b92.net (in Serbian). 24 January 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  2. 1 2 Crvene beretke prošle proveru, Večernje novosti, 5 January 2007
  3. ↑ Spain seeks 3/11 suspect in Serbia, CNN, 24 August 2005
  4. ↑ Ubijen vehabija, ranjen policajac Archived 2012-07-29 at Archive.is, Blic, 21 April 2007
  5. ↑ Special police kill man holding family hostage, B92, 29 March 2009
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