SIPA

On November 17th, 2011, members of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) Special Support Unit, in cooperation with colleagues from the French Republic National Gendarmerie (GiGN), carried out an “Aircraft Entry” tactical drill at the International Airport Sarajevo.

After receiving information that armed terrorists entered an aircraft full of passengers, SIPA’s Special Support Unit demonstrated how swiftly they could initiate a negotiation process with the attackers, assume tactical positions and respond to a potential terrorist act. Members of the negotiation team of the Special Support Unit primarily initiated negotiations during which the terrorists allowed them to evacuate “a murdered passenger” from the hijacked aircraft, after which there was the aircraft entry and hostage rescuing. After the drill, trainers from the well-known French Gendarmerie pointed out that SIPA’s Special Support Unit was prepared to intervene autonomously in case of a terrorist attack and aircraft hijacking. The drill was carried out with the assistance from the Government of the French Republic, Embassy of the French Republic in B&H, B&H Border Police, Sarajevo Airport and BH Airlines and in the presence of the French Ambassador in B&H Roland Gilles, SIPA’s Director Mirko Lujić and his Deputy Marko Dominković, Director of the Directorate for the Coordination of Police Bodies in B&H Himzo Selimović, Deputy Director of the Border Police Enes Gačanin and numerous other guests. After the drill, the members of the Special Support Unit were awarded certificates.

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