Brigada Antiterorista
Encyclopedia
Brigada Antiteroristă is a tactical special operations
unit of the Romanian Intelligence Service
(Serviciul Român de Informaţii).
threats that were directly or indirectly aimed at Romania
.
USLA confronted attempts by members or sympathizers of different terrorist organizations to enter Romania. These organizations did not limit themselves to precursory acts of preparing violent actions, but they also tried to organize terrorist attacks, the targets generally being foreign official representatives in Bucharest
.
On May 26, 1985, two Arab terrorists placed explosive devices under the cars belonging to Syrian students' leaders, in the Grozăveşti Campus parking lot in Bucharest. Two USLA officers were killed by the blast of the device while trying to defuse it.
USLA units were involved in the violent crackdown of anti-communist demonstrations during the December 1989 Romanian Revolution
, first in the city of Timişoara
, then in the capital Bucharest
. Between December 16 and December 20 USLA troops secretly infiltrated among Army
troops (called up in Timişoara to quell the revolt) and fired on the peaceful demonstrators.
On December 21, 1989, and the following night, the USLA together with the Army and the Securitate
troops tried several times and finally succeeded in clearing out the center of Bucharest of non-violent anti-communist protesters. The result of the operation was 49 dead, 463 wounded and 698 arrested.
On December 24, 1989, the USLA was called upon by the new Defence Minister Nicolae Militaru to protect the site of the Ministry of Defence
from alleged terrorist attacks. The tanks guarding the site opened fire and killed eight officers, while the other six survivors were arrested and one fled. This deadly hoax was used by the new authorities to claim that the terrorist threat really existed.
On the December 26, 1989, the USLA was attached to the Romanian Ministry of Defence
. On July 1, 1990, the name of the unit was changed to Brigada Antiteroristă and incorporated into the newly-created Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI).
On August 20, 1991, four Sikh
terrorists attempted to assassinate the India
n ambassador while he walked with his wife on the Aviatorilor Blvd. in Bucharest
. The quick intervention of anti-terrorist officers guarding the ambassador resulted in failure for the terrorists: one was killed on the spot, another was captured, the third was injured and the fourth person vanished. The criminal investigation revealed that the four terrorists belonged to an Indian Sikh extremist-terrorist group.
Following the September 11, 2001 attacks
in the United States, the Inspectorate for Preventing and Fighting Terrorism was confronted with new challenges. To tackle the new terrorist threats, specialized units of the Romanian Intelligence Service implemented special plans designed for such circumstances.
Special operations
Special operations are military operations that are considered "special" .Special operations are typically performed independently or in conjunction with conventional military operations. The primary goal is to achieve a political or military objective where a conventional force requirement does...
unit of the Romanian Intelligence Service
Serviciul Român de Informatii
The Romanian Intelligence Service is the Romanian domestic intelligence service. It is considered the descendant of the former Departamentul Securităţii Statului , of the Socialist Republic of Romania. The official decree The Romanian Intelligence Service (', SRI) is the Romanian domestic...
(Serviciul Român de Informaţii).
History
The unit was established on December 15, 1977 under the name of Unitatea Specială de Luptă Antiteroristă (Special Counter-terrorism Unit, USLA) as a result of the emergence of terroristTerrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
threats that were directly or indirectly aimed at Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.
USLA confronted attempts by members or sympathizers of different terrorist organizations to enter Romania. These organizations did not limit themselves to precursory acts of preparing violent actions, but they also tried to organize terrorist attacks, the targets generally being foreign official representatives in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
.
On May 26, 1985, two Arab terrorists placed explosive devices under the cars belonging to Syrian students' leaders, in the Grozăveşti Campus parking lot in Bucharest. Two USLA officers were killed by the blast of the device while trying to defuse it.
USLA units were involved in the violent crackdown of anti-communist demonstrations during the December 1989 Romanian Revolution
Romanian Revolution of 1989
The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a series of riots and clashes in December 1989. These were part of the Revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several Warsaw Pact countries...
, first in the city of Timişoara
Timisoara
Timișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
, then in the capital Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
. Between December 16 and December 20 USLA troops secretly infiltrated among Army
Romanian Armed Forces
The Land Forces, Air Force and Naval Forces of Romania are collectively known as the Romanian Armed Forces...
troops (called up in Timişoara to quell the revolt) and fired on the peaceful demonstrators.
On December 21, 1989, and the following night, the USLA together with the Army and the Securitate
Securitate
The Securitate was the secret police agency of Communist Romania. Previously, the Romanian secret police was called Siguranţa Statului. Founded on August 30, 1948, with help from the Soviet NKVD, the Securitate was abolished in December 1989, shortly after President Nicolae Ceaușescu was...
troops tried several times and finally succeeded in clearing out the center of Bucharest of non-violent anti-communist protesters. The result of the operation was 49 dead, 463 wounded and 698 arrested.
On December 24, 1989, the USLA was called upon by the new Defence Minister Nicolae Militaru to protect the site of the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of National Defence of Romania
The Ministry of National Defense is one of the fifteen ministries of the Government of Romania. the Minister of Defense is Gabriel Oprea.-Ministry:...
from alleged terrorist attacks. The tanks guarding the site opened fire and killed eight officers, while the other six survivors were arrested and one fled. This deadly hoax was used by the new authorities to claim that the terrorist threat really existed.
On the December 26, 1989, the USLA was attached to the Romanian Ministry of Defence
Ministry of National Defence of Romania
The Ministry of National Defense is one of the fifteen ministries of the Government of Romania. the Minister of Defense is Gabriel Oprea.-Ministry:...
. On July 1, 1990, the name of the unit was changed to Brigada Antiteroristă and incorporated into the newly-created Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI).
On August 20, 1991, four Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
terrorists attempted to assassinate the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n ambassador while he walked with his wife on the Aviatorilor Blvd. in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
. The quick intervention of anti-terrorist officers guarding the ambassador resulted in failure for the terrorists: one was killed on the spot, another was captured, the third was injured and the fourth person vanished. The criminal investigation revealed that the four terrorists belonged to an Indian Sikh extremist-terrorist group.
Current activities
At present, there is an increased flow of information shared with partner-foreign services tasked with fighting terrorism. Backed up by state-of-the-art equipment and counter-terrorism tactics, the unit is always on the alert.Following the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
in the United States, the Inspectorate for Preventing and Fighting Terrorism was confronted with new challenges. To tackle the new terrorist threats, specialized units of the Romanian Intelligence Service implemented special plans designed for such circumstances.