| SPECIJALNA ANTITERORISTICKA JEDINICA (SAJ) Special Antiterrorist Unit The Specijalna Antiteroristicka Jedinica (SAJ), Serbia's prime counter-terrorist unit, was created in 1995 with Radovan Stojicic Badza as its first commander. The unit is under the control of the Ministry of Interior (MUP), specifically by Gen. Obrad Stejanovic, the head of all special units of the MUP. After Stojicic, the unit's commander was a Zoran Simovic Tutinac, and the latest commander is said to be Zivko Trajkovic. Initially headquartered at the Belgrade airport, they were relocated to Batajnica, while maintaining a training center at Paklenink, complete with a model town to practice close quarters battle (CQB) and other skills. Originally, the SAJ numbered around 200 men, but during the recent year, that number is reported to have grown to around 500. The SAJ concerns itself with "extraordinary situations," such as combating terrorism, insurgency, organized crime, hostage situations and high risk warrant executions, as well as VIP protection. A secret unit is said to exist within the SAJ, which provides protection for the Serbian president, as well as important figures and businessmen. Like counter-terrorist units around the world, the SAJ is better equipped and funded than ordinary police and military units. In contrast to other special units of the MUP or of the Yugoslav Army who use the M-70/80 line of assault rifles, the SAJ is equipped with MP5 variants, H&K G3 SSG sniper rifles, and ... |
