# Special Anti-terrorist Squad

The Special Anti-terrorist Squad (EAO; Greek: Ειδικός Αντιτρομοκρατικός Ουλαμός, Eidikos Antitromokratikos Oulamos), is the counterterrorism unit of the Cyprus Police force. The unit was formed in 1978 and falls under the operational command of the Mobile Immediate Action Unit.

## Training

To join EAO, one must go through a screening process which takes approximately one week, with those passing, later being trained on other specialties such as fast-roping, first aid, diving and other specialties that are needed.
EAO has trained with multiple units both within Cyprus and internationally, such as, the Cypriot Special Forces, the Greek Special Suppressive Antiterrorist Unit, the Special Air Service, the Diplomatic Security Service and other units within the ATLAS Network which EAO is a part of. One year, whilst training in the United States with 45 other units during the State Separtment's antiterrorism assistance program (ATA), the unit came in first place among the 46 participants scoring an overall 96% being named "Best of the Best".

## Operations

In 1984, members of the antiterrorist squad apprehended and arrested an escaped convict from prison while in his house in Limassol, armed with rifles and grenades.
In 1988, a Turkish corporal serving in the Turkish Armed Forces, crossed from the occupied northern side, entered the United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus and specifically the village of Athienou attempting to take a family hostage however they managed to escape. Cypriot National Guard soldiers serving in the nearby outpost heard the screams of the family and two soldiers rushed unarmed to checkout what was happening, both being subsequently shot by the Turkish soldier, one soldier (Charalampos Charalampous) being killed and his other friend (Giannis Kalessis) being injured. When police negotiators attempted to negotiate with the Turkish non-commissioned officer they were met with rounds being fired and thus EAO went in and shot the soldier and him succombing to his wounds.
In the village of Chloraka in 1993, a botched hostage rescue resulted in the death of both the hostage and the hostage taker with an officer being injured. A further investigation by the European Court of Human Rights and the Cypriot government cleared the police of any wrongdoing citing that the clear and imminent danger of the hostage's life warranted a raid by the Police.
In December 2008, convicted criminal Andreas Prokopiou Kita escaped from the Apolloneio hospital where he was being treated. After 25 days of searching, undercover officers found Prokopiou and alerted the central command at the Police headquarters in Nicosia who dispatched EAO to make the arrest. EAO entered the house in Paralimni and found Prokopiou in bed with a gun next to him.
On March 29, 2016, an Egyptair flight that was meant to go from Borg El Arab airport to Cairo International Airport (EgyptAir flight 181), was hijacked and forced to land at Larnaka International Airport under the threat of him having a bomb. Officers from EAO were present at the scene with security and snipers ready to take action should the circumstances have required. The hijacker later surrendered and was arrested and the bomb turned out to be fake.
On May 21, 2016, an Egyptian man took his own 16-month child hostage in the village of Oroklini with neighbours alerting the police at in the evening between 7 and 10 pm. Negotiators attempted to bargain with the man for 12 hours however he was not cooperating and at one point began to pray, signalling he was ready to kill the child, as such, the Special Antiterrorist Squad was given the go ahead to breach the house. Upon entering the house, the man was shot and killed and the baby was successfully rescued although sustained a neck cut.

## Duties

* Counterterrorism
* Hostage rescue
* Protection of high value individuals
* CBRN
* Visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS)