GEO officers return to Spain after guaranteeing security during the evacuation of Spanish citizens from Libya

News - 2011.3.2

Specialist officers from the Special Operations Unit [Spanish acronym: GEO] of the Policía Nacional will return to Spain on Wednesday at 3:30 pm from Libya, where they have been guaranteeing security during the evacuation of Spanish citizens after the closure of the Spanish embassy in the country. Four elite officers from the Policía Nacional have been in Libyan territory for a week with a mission to organise and carry out the evacuation of the Spanish population.

The GEO officers safeguarded the departure from Libya of the Ambassador and his family, the Home Affairs Attaché and the team of police officers providing a permanent security service at the Spanish embassy, who also assisted in the operation.

At the start of the month, another elite GEO team travelled to Egypt with an identical mission, although the situation there did not result in a need to evacuate Spanish officials.

Special Operations Unit

The unit of elite officers was set up in 1978 to tackle highly-dangerous situations or those requiring a special skill set. Since then, the GEO specialists have dealt with numerous armed gangs belonging to various terrorist groups and numerous organised crime gangs, and have intercepted dozens of boats used for drugs trafficking at sea.

The tasks given to the Special Operations Unit include security operations at headquarters of diplomatic and consular representatives of Spain abroad. Its officers have served at diplomatic headquarters in 31 countries during various periods of crisis.

The officers who form part of the GEO must overcome a tough selection process in which psychological factors are highly important, as well as a series of demanding physical tests. Subsequently, the future specialists complete a seven-month course to convert them into experts in various techniques, such as climbing, diving, parachuting, precision and instinctive shooting, driving, explosives and terrorist groups.

EFE