Integrating Special Forces and the ATLAS Network: A Theoretical Framework for Strategic Security Cooperation in Europe

Prof. Dr. Raphael Röttinger

doi:10.5771/9783748967569

Summary

International European Police Cooperation has been a frequently discussed subject since the early stages of the European Union (EU). In the 21st century, transnational organized crime and international terrorism have been developing for a long time and pose a constant and nowadays even increasing threat to the internal security of the European Member States. It is solely through a comprehensive approach that amalgamates all accessible resources and expertise that the EU can adequately tackle the varied and perpetually evolving threats posed by terrorism. This endeavor seeks to contribute to this vital discussion by exploring methods to enhance the synchronization and deployment of multinational specialized counterterrorism units.

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Bibliographic data

Edition: 1/2026
Copyright Year: 2026
ISBN-Print: 978-3-7560-3601-1
ISBN-Online: 978-3-7489-6756-9
Publisher: Nomos, Baden-Baden
Series: Polizei, BOS & Sicherheit – Schnittstellen der Praxis
Volume: 4
Language: English
Pages: 403
Product Type: Monograph

1. Geleitwort GSG9 No access
2. III List of Abbreviations No access
1. 1.1 Background and Rationale No access
2. 1.2 Objectives, Research Questions and Hypotheses No access
3. 1.3 Expected Research Limitations No access
4. 1.4 Structure of the Sections No access
1. 2.1 Examination of the Concept and Formulation of an Operational Definition of Terrorism No access
2. 2.2 The Characteristics, Origins, and Evolution of Terrorism No access
3. 1. 2.3.1 Left-wing Ideologically Driven Terrorism No access
  2. 2.3.2 Radical Right-wing Terrorism No access
  3. 2.3.3 Terrorism Driven by Nationalist Ideology No access
  4. 2.3.4 Terrorism Motivated by Islamic Ideology No access
  5. 2.3.5 Alternative Forms of Terrorism No access
  6. 2.3.6 Cyber Terrorism No access
4. 2.4 Refining the Terrorism Manifestation Model — The Determinants of TM No access
5. 2.5 The Consequences of Terrorism as a Security Hazard to European Union Member States – The National, Regional, and Global Scales No access
6. 2.6 Conclusion No access
1. 1. 3.1.1 The European Counter Terrorism Centre (ECTC) No access
  2. 3.1.2 Europol No access
  3. 3.1.3 Eurojust No access
2. 1. 3.2.1 Global Security Situation No access
  2. 3.2.2 Interplay of Foreign and Internal Security No access
  3. 3.2.3 Difficulties with Cooperation and Coordination Between EU Member States No access
3. 1. 3.3.1 Madrid Train Attack (2004) No access
  2. 3.3.2 France – Bataclan Attack (2015) No access
  3. 3.3.3 Berlin Christmas Market Truck Attack (2016) No access
  4. 3.3.4 Nice Attacks (2016) No access
  5. 3.3.5 Brussels Airport Bombing (2016) No access
  6. 3.3.6 Manchester Arena Attack (2017) No access
  7. 3.3.7 NotPetya – Cyber-attack (2017) No access
  8. 3.3.8 Salisbury Nowitschok Chemical Attack (2018) No access
  9. 3.3.9 Cologne Ricin Attempted Attack (2018) No access
1. 1. 4.1.1 EU Member States' policies and frameworks for combating terrorism at national level. No access
  2. 4.1.2 EU Member States' policies and frameworks for combating terrorism at regional level No access
  3. 4.1.3 EU policies and frameworks for combating terrorism at international and transcontinental level. No access
2. 1. 4.2.1 Counterterrorism units and capabilities (CTUAs) in the EU at national level. No access
  2. 4.2.2 CTUAs in Belgium - Federal Police Special Units - DSU; Directorate of the Special Units No access
  3. 4.2.3 CTUAs in Bulgaria - Main Directorate of Gendarmerie, Special Operations and Counter-Terror – SOBT; General Directorate Combating Organized Crime - GDBOP tac teams Bulgarian Gendarmerie - СТЗБД-МВР No access
  4. 4.2.4 CTUAs in Czech Republic - Útvar rychlého nasazení [ÚRN/URNA] Rapid Reaction Unit, national police CT unit; Krajská zásahová jednotka - [KZJ] 8 regional police intervention units No access
  5. 4.2.5 CTUAs in Denmark - Politiets Aktionsstyrke (Special Intervention Unit) No access
  6. 4.2.6 CTUAs in Federal Republic of Germany - Grenzschutzgruppe 9 der Bundespolizei (GSG 9) - Special Operations and Counterterrorism unit; Beweissicherungs- und Festnahmeeinheit (BFE) - Special Detention Unit of Federal Anti Riot Police; Beweissicherungs- und Festnahmeeinheit plus (BFE+) - Special Counter-Terrorism Unit of Federal Anti Riot Police; Spezialeinsatzkommando (SEK) - State Tactical Unit, Part of Uniformed Police; Mobiles Einsatzkommando (MEK) - Tactical and Surveillance Unit, Part of Criminal Police No access
  7. 4.2.7 CTUAs in Estonia - K-Commando (Special unit of the Central Crime Police) No access
  8. 4.2.8 CTUAs in Ireland - Emergency Response Unit (ERU) No access
  9. 4.2.9 CTUAs in Greece - Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (EKAM); Special Operations Teams (OEA) No access
  10. 4.2.10 CTUAs in Spain - Unidad Especial de Intervención (UEI, Special Intervention Unit) - "Tier 1"; Grupo de Acción Rápida (GAR, Rapid Action Group) - "Tier 2" No access
  11. 4.2.11 CTUAs in France - Recherche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion (RAID); Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale (GIGN; "National Gendarmerie Intervention Group") No access
  12. 4.2.12 CTUAs in Croatia - Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit (ATJ Lučko); Special Police Units (SJP Split "BATT", SJP Rijeka "AJKULA", SJP Osijek "ORAO") No access
  13. 4.2.13 CTUAs in Italy - Gruppo di Intervento Speciale (GIS); Aliquota Primo Intervento, Squadre Operative Supporto (API, SOS) No access
  14. 4.2.14 CTUAs in Cyprus - Mobile Immediate Action Unit (MMAD) No access
  15. 4.2.15 CTUAs in Latvia - Special Tasks Battalion (Latvian: Speciālo Uzdevumu Bataljons) former as Special Tasks Battalion "ALFA"; Counter-terrorist unit "OMEGA" (Latvian: Pretterorisma vienība "OMEGA") No access
  16. 4.2.16 CTUAs in Lithuania - ARAS - Lithuanian Police Anti-terrorist Operations Unit No access
  17. 4.2.17 CTUAs in Luxembourg - Unité Spéciale de la Police No access
  18. 4.2.18 CTUAs in Hungary - Counter Terrorism Centre (TEK - Terrorelhárítási Központ) No access
  19. 4.2.19 CTUAs in Malta - Rapid Intervention Unit (RIU) and Special Intervention Unit (SIU) No access
  20. 4.2.20 CTUAs in Netherlands - Dienst Speciale Interventies (Special Intervention Service) No access
  21. 4.2.21 CTUAs in Austria - EKO Cobra - Special operations and counterterrorism unit; WEGA - SWAT team No access
  22. 4.2.22 CTUAs in Poland – The Internal Security Agency, ISA (Polish: Agencja Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego, ABW), Samodzielny Pododdział Kontrterrorystyczny Policji (SPKP) No access
  23. 4.2.23 CTUAs in Slovenia. No access
  24. 4.2.24 CTUAs in Portugal - Special Police Unit (UEP) Intervention Corps - riot control unit Special Operations Group (GOE) - special tactical assault unit; Special Operations Intervention Group (GIOE) - special tactical assault unit No access
  25. 4.2.25 CTUAs in Romania - Detașamentul de Poliție pentru Intervenție Rapidă; BSIJ Special Intervention Brigade "Vlad Țepeș"; BAT - Anti-Terror Brigade No access
  26. 4.2.26 CTUAs in Slovakia - Útvar Osobitného Určenia (UOU) Lynx commando - Special Designation Unit of the Presidium of Police No access
  27. 4.2.27 CTUAs in Finland - Police Rapid Response Unit No access
  28. 4.2.28 CTUAs in Sweden. No access
3. 1. 4.3.1 Joint counterterrorism units, forces and capabilitiesin the EU No access
  2. 4.3.2 The European Counter-Terrorism Centre (ECTC) No access
  3. 4.3.3 Europol No access
  4. 4.3.4 The ATLAS network No access
  5. 4.3.5 SWOT analyses cooperation and coordination between EU Member States for countering terrorism No access
  6. 4.3.6 SWOT analysis of cooperation No access
  7. 4.3.7 SWOT analysis of coordination No access
  8. 4.3.8 Other challenges No access
4. 4.4 CONCLUSIONS ON CHAPTER FOUR No access
1. 5.1 Special Forces: Definition and Capabilities No access
2. 5.2 Present Use in the European Union No access
6 Interim Conclusion No access Pages 207 - 212
1. 7.1 Literature Review as a Method of Research No access
2. 7.2 Source Selection No access
1. 1. 8.1.1 Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) No access
  2. 8.1.2 G5 Sahel Joint Force No access
  3. 8.1.3 Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) No access
  4. 1. 8.1.4.1 Exercises and Trainings No access
    2. 8.1.4.2 Examples of Special Forces in the ATLAS Network No access
    3. 8.1.4.3 Expert Groups and Forums No access
  5. 8.1.5 European Surveillance Group No access
  6. 8.1.6 ASEANAPOL No access
  7. 8.1.7 European Union Battlegroup (EUBG) No access
  8. 8.1.8 Frontex No access
  9. 8.1.9 EEAS No access
  10. 8.1.10 AIRPOL No access
  11. 8.1.11 AQUAPOL No access
2. 8.2 Advantages of International Collaboration No access
3. 8.3 Difficulties and Resolutions No access
1. 9.1 Design of Structures No access
2. 9.2 Education and Incorporation No access
3. 9.3 Sharing of Technology and Resources No access
4. 1. 9.4.1 Purpose and Principles No access
  2. 9.4.2 Key divisions in training No access
5. 1. 9.5.1 Goal of the Training Concept No access
  2. 9.5.2 Maintaining Existing Procedures No access
  3. 9.5.3 Restructuring and Expansion of the Existing Concept No access
  4. 9.5.4 Underlying Theory No access
  5. 9.5.5 Emerging Benefits No access
  6. 9.5.6 Planned Process (rough) No access
  7. 9.5.7 Other Important Points No access
1. 1. 10.1.1 Comprehensive International Cooperation No access
  2. 10.1.2 Hostage Rescue No access
  3. 10.1.3 Terrorist Attacks No access
  4. 10.1.4 Cyber-Attacks No access
  5. 10.1.5 Operations in Conflict Zones No access
  6. 10.1.6 Border Security and Controls No access
  7. 10.1.7 Operations Against Terrorist Financial Networks No access
  8. 10.1.8 Protection of Infrastructure and Events No access
  9. 10.1.9 Future Scenarios No access
2. 10.2 Command-and-Control No access
3. 10.3 Collaboration With Other Agencies No access
1. 1. 11.1.1 General Historical Facts No access
  2. 11.1.2 History of Torture in Germany No access
  3. 11.1.3 History of Torture in the UK No access
  4. 11.1.4 History of Torture in the US No access
  5. 11.1.5 Conclusion No access
2. 1. 11.2.1 Universal Legislation on Torture No access
  2. 11.2.2 Anti-Torture Legislation in Modern Western Countries No access
  3. 11.2.3 Contrast: Torture Legislation in Russia and China No access
  4. 11.2.4 Consequences and international law No access
3. 1. 1. 11.3.1.1 Summary: Some Torture Cases in the War on Terror No access
    2. 11.3.1.2 Why is Torture so Common in Anti-Terror Operations No access
  2. 1. 11.3.2.1 Motivation and Consequences for Torturers No access
    2. 11.3.2.2 Consequences for the Tortured and Other People No access
  3. 11.3.3 Consequences for the Countries No access
  4. 11.3.4 Consideration: Arguments For and Against Torture No access
  5. 11.3.5 Conclusion and Policymaking No access
1. 1. 12.1.1 Framework for International Law Enforcement Special Operations No access
  2. 12.1.2 Legal Uncertainties and Limitations No access
  3. 12.1.3 Recommendations for the Legal Framework No access
2. 12.2 Finance and the Distribution of Resources No access
3. 12.3 Extended-Range Strategic Objectives No access
1. 13.1 Key Points Summarized No access
2. 13.2 Upcoming Research Paths No access
3. 13.3 Concluding Remarks No access
IV List of References No access Pages 375 - 400
V Questionnaire No access Pages 401 - 402