Israeli Security Forces - YAMAM
The YAMAM ( ימ"מ ),
is the acronym for Special Police Unit (יחידת משטרה מיוחדת) in Hebrew,
Israel's elite civilian counter-terrorism unit. The YAMAM has a
world-wide reputation as a professional and successful counter terrorism
unit and it is capable of both hostage-rescue operations and offensive
take-over raids (for use against terrorists). Besides counter-terrorism
duties, it also performs SWAT duties and undercover police work.
Name and organization
YAMAM stands for Special Police Unit (יחידת משטרה מיוחדת). In Israel it
is also called "The Unit for Counter-Terror היחידה ללוחמה בטרור". The
YAMAM answers to the MAGAV central command and belongs to the civilian
Israeli police forces rather than the military. Its operators and
officers are professional policemen on payroll, usually with combat
experience from their military service within the IDF.
The YAMAM is self-dependent, training its own operators in all fields,
such as sniping, recon, dog operating, bomb disposal, etc. As a result,
the YAMAM has a very rapid deployment time and high coordination between
various squads (sniping squad, entry team, engagement force, etc.).
The YAMAM's primary duties are:
1. Hostage rescue (terrorist events).
2. Hostage rescue (criminal events).
3. Counter terrorism (preventative operations).
4. SWAT duties - handling dangerous criminials.
5. Undercover police operations.
6. VIP security.
Most of the YAMAM's activity is classified, and published YAMAM
operations are often credited to other units. Nevertheless, the YAMAM
enjoys a high reputation among SF professionals and the Israeli public.
History
The YAMAM was established after the Maalot massacre, where a failed
operation by military special forces units ended with 21 children
murdered before the terrorists were killed. Since hostage rescue in
friendly territory is different from counter-terrorism in hostile areas,
it was decided to establish an elite civilian force, which develops and
practices a special CQB (Close Quarters Battles) doctrine for
counter-terrorism operations in friendly territory and hostage rescue.
In the late 1974 the YAMAM was established as and falls under the direct
jurisidiction of a special forces counter-terrorism unit of the MAGAV —
the combat arm of the police.
Operational record 1974 - September 2000
The YAMAM has carried out many counter-terror operations. Some of the
missions known to the public prior to the al-Aqsa Intifada are listed
below:
* In March, 1988, the YAMAM was to called into action after a group of
three Palestinian terrorists hijacked a bus full of women near Dimona,
in an incident known as the "Mothers Bus". The YAMAM performed a rescue
operation, killing all three terrorists, but didn't manage to prevent
three Israeli passengers from being killed.
* On March 3, 2000, the YAMAM captured a terrorist group hidden in the
Israeli-Arab town of Taibe with the aid of Sayeret Duvdevan and an IDF
Caterpillar D9 bulldozer. In the end of the raid, one terrorist was
arrested and four were killed.
Operational record during the al-Aqsa Intifada (since October 2000)
The YAMAM has carried out many counter-terror operations during the Al-Aqsa
Intifada within the last few years. The vast majority of them are
classified. Some of the most notable are listed below:
* April 7, 2002: A combination of SHABAK, the YAMAM and the IDF leads to
the capture of Case Aduwan, a Hamas terrorist who planned the Passover
massacre in Netanya. Aduwan fortified himself in a house along with four
armed terrorists. During the raid, YAMAM snipers killed two terrorists
and IDF forces detonated a car bomb meant to be sent into an Israeli
city. After 12 hours of heavy fire exchanges, an armoured IDF
Caterpillar D9 demolished the house. Aduwan's body was found under the
rubble.
* YAMAM and Sayeret Matkal rescued Israeli cab driver Eliyaho Goral,
after he was kidnapped by Palestinian militants.
* June 23, 2003: YAMAM forces killed Hamas's head in Hebron, Abbedullah
Qawasameh.
* December 3, 2003: YAMAM forces foiled an attempted massacre in
Yokne'am school by Palestinian terrorists.
* YAMAM forces killed Sirhan Sirhan, a Palestinian terrorist who was
responsible for the slaughter of a mother and her two children in
Kibbutz Metzer.
* YAMAM forces, together with IDF elite units, arrested 12 al-Aqsa
Martyrs' Brigades terrorists, which used the shelter of a mental
institute in Bethlehem to prepare a huge suicide bombing against Israel
during Passover.
* November 21, 2004: Three Fatah militants were killed in a gunfight
with the YAMAM. One of the dead was Mohammed Rassan Sheikh, a senior
Fatah militant who hid in Arafat's compound for a long time. (Haaretz)
YAMAM Directors
* Asaf Hafetz (1974-1988)
* Elik Ron (1988-1992)
* David Tzur (1992-1995)
* The names of active YAMAM chiefs are prohibited from publication.
From:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YAMAM
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