RENEA Shqiptare, njësia më e mirë kundër terrorizmit në Ballkan/
Nga Shefqet Kërcelli*/
Në shkrimin e publikuar pak kohë më pare tek “Military Zone”, nga publicisti Aakash Kumar, theksohet se, reparti i Neutralizimit të Elementeve terroristë, i njohur zakonisht shkurtimisht me emrin RENEA, është njësia kryesore anti-terroriste shqiptare dhe reaguese ndaj incidenteve kritike. Kjo njësi u krijua në fillim të viteve 1990, në përgjigje të niveleve në rritje të krimit në vend pas rënies së komunizmit. Përgjegjësitë e RENEA-s, janë operacionet e shpëtimit, situatat e pengjeve, kundër-terrorizmi dhe reagimi ndaj formave veçanërisht të dhunshme të krimit. Që nga viti 1991, njësia ka humbur gjatë operacioneve katër pjesëtarë në veprim dhe më shumë se dyzet të plagosur. Aftësitë e tyre konsiderohen shumë të mira si brenda Shqipërisë dhe në Perëndim. Ata janë trajnuar nga GSG.
Përzgjedhja dhe Trajnimi i RENEA
Procesi i përzgjedhjes mbahet vetëm një herë në vit dhe zgjat dymbëdhjetë javë. Më pas, rekrutët trajnohen për nëntë muaj të tjerë në aftësi të tjera të tilla si gjuha, sinjalet, fotografimi dhe bisedimet me pengjet. Kandidatët gjithashtu vazhdojnë t’i nënshtrohen testeve strikte psikologjike dhe fizike. Vetëm pas një periudhe prej tre vjetësh shërbimi mund të bëhesh operator i RENEA. Rreth 90 përqind e kandidatëve vijnë nga degë të tjera të policisë dhe të Gardës Kombëtare, ndërsa pjesa tjetër janë ushtarakë. Kandidatët ushtarakë që kalojnë përzgjedhjen, duhet gjithashtu të përfundojnë një kurs gjashtë mujor mbi jurisprudencën. Mosha maksimale për përzgjedhje është 26 vjet dhe kandidatët pritet të jenë anëtarë të njësive përkatëse të mëparshme për jo më pak se dy vjet.
Roli i negociatorëve
Prej vitit 1991, negociatorët e njësisë kanë zgjidhur, pa përdorur dhunën, më shumë se 500 nga 600 rastet që kanë të bëjnë me rrëmbyesit dhe profesionet e armatosura. Të gjithë negociatorët duhet të kenë shërbyer për një minimum prej dhjetë vjetësh me forcën policore dhe janë persona me temperament të mirë dhe balancë mendore, me njohuri të të gjitha dialekteve dhe mentaliteteve rajonale. Ata me ligj e kanë të detyrueshme një diplomë ose te kanë përfunduar akademinë e policisë. Përveç kësaj, ata përfundojnë kurse trajnimi me FBI në Akademinë Quantico FBI dhe me agjencitë federale të Shteteve të Bashkuara. Negociatorët janë të parët që ndërhyjnë në rastet e një okupimi me ose pa pengje. Askush nuk ndërhyn pa urdhrin e tyre të qartë, përveç rasteve kur pengu është i vdekur.
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The Best Counter-Terrorism Unit in the Balkans, Albanian RENEA
The Department of Neutralization of Armed Elements. commonly known by its acronym RENEA, is the main Albanian counter-terrorist and critical incident response unit. The force was constituted the early 1990s in response to the growing crime levels in the country after the fall of communism. RENEA’s responsibilities are rescue operations, hostage situations, counter-terrorism and response to particularly violent forms of crime. Since 1991, the unit has lost four men in action and more than forty wounded. Their skills are highly regarded and well-thought-of inside Albania and in the West and are trained by GSG.
Following the emergence of capitalism in Albania after 1990 and in order to eradicate all semblances to and associations with the communist state, many investigators, attorneys, and police officers were simply dismissed. This confused situation soon allowed organized and individual crime to flourish to the point that it soon became the norm of everyday life. Kidnapping, extortion, drug-related crime, murder, and human trafficking were at an all-time high, and the Albanian fledgling democracy did not have the legal, administrative and organizational experience to combat these problems — in fact, its infrastructure was almost non-existent. During communism, the force that was entrusted with CT and other special missions were Unit 326, but because of its role in suppressing public unrest during the popular uprising against communism, it had been neglected. The new public order authorities recognized the need for a small professional force, and after exhaustive trials and training finally established what subsequently came to be known as RENEA. It was also known as Unit 88. It was composed of eighty members, or operatives, who were elected from the 600 original members of Unit 326. The rest of the operators joined subsequent special intervention groups that came into existence
Selection and Training of RENEA.
The selection process is held only once a year and lasts twelve weeks. Subsequently, recruits are trained for an additional nine months in other skills such as linguistics, signals, photography, and hostage negotiations. Candidates also continue undergoing strict psychological and physical tests.
Only after a period of three years may the recruit become a RENEA operator cleared in participating in hostage rescue operations. About 90 per cent of candidates come from other branches of the police and the National Guard, while the rest are military. The military candidates that pass selection must also complete a six-month course on jurisprudence. The maximum age for selection is 26 years and candidates are expected to have been members of their respective previous units for no less than two years.
The first two weeks are called the “shake-down”, in which almost everyone takes part. Only the negotiators and part of the logistics group (not including drivers) are exempted. Candidates undergo long and complicated psychological and durability tests designed to weed out weaker applicants. “Shakedown” is harsh, consisting of forced marches in full combat gear. True to their SAS origins, the operatives must carry a 35 kg (77 lb) backpack, AK-47 with eight full magazines, handgun and magazines, knives, gas mask, and radio. Their training routes take part in the worst weather, in some of the toughest terrains that Albania has to offer: in the northeastern mountain range (the highest peak is Korabi, at 2,751 meters (9,025 feet)), the marshes of Vlora, and the swamps of Durrës and Lezha. Approximately 75 per cent of the candidates fail at this initial phase. The last day is reserved for infiltration tests. The candidates that have successfully accomplished the first phase are left helpless in some remote part of Albania, at a safe distance from the capital, with 200 commandos and national guardsmen at their heels. Each is expected to make it back to headquarters in Tirana intercepted. If they are caught they go home. Training, preparation, and tests change according to the whims of the instructors, who are themselves veterans of the unit. They have a reputation for being unyielding and unmerciful. Sheepie was the trainer for about 20 years until they deemed his training tactics to hard and inefficient. Ferriku is the actual commander of the unit.
The role of negotiators
From 1991, the unit’s negotiators have resolved, without resorting to violence, more than 500 of the 600 cases involving kidnappers and armed occupations.
All negotiators must have served for minimum of ten years with the police force and are persons of good temperament and mental balance, with knowledge of all dialects and regional mentalities. They all either have a degree in law or have attended the police academy. In addition, they complete training courses with the FBI at Quantico FBI Academy and with other United States federal agencies. The negotiators are the first to intervene in cases of an occupation with or without hostages. Nobody intervenes without their explicit order, except in cases when the hostage is already dead.
*Shkrim i publikuar tek “Military Zone” për Forcat tona të RENEA-s, ku theksohet dhe rëndësia e trajnimit të tyre në SHBA dhe Shqipëri nga specialistët e FBI.
