FUNDACIÓN VÍCTIMAS DEL TERRORISMO 96 - ENGLISH

EDUCATION AND COEXISTENCE 29 The morning of 14 July 1986 became in- delibly etched in Spain’s recent history. At approximately 7:45, Madrid’s Plaza de la República Dominicana became the scene of the deadliest attack ever suffe- red by the Civil Guard. A van loaded with explosives by the te- rrorist organisation ETA blew up as an official convoy carrying dozens of offi- cers passed. The explosion was the re- sult of a carefully planned operation the terrorists had tried unsuccessfully to ca- rry out several times before. After days of monitoring the vehicles’ movements, they chose the precise moment to acti- vate the device, containing around 35 kilos of explosives and a large quantity of shrapnel. The toll was devastating. Twelve Civil Guard officers, aged between 19 and 26, lost their lives as a direct result of the attack. Some died immediately; others died shortly afterwards from the seve- rity of their injuries. Around sixty other people, including members of the force, local workers and passers-by, were inju- red, several seriously. The force of the blast caused enormous destruction nearby. Wrecked vehicles, devastated façades and damaged homes formed a scene that shocked the public. Rubble covered much of the square and its surroundings, leaving an indelible mark on the collective memory of the neighbourhood and the capital. The convoy consisted of three official vehicles: a 60-seat Pegaso bus, a 25-seat Avia minibus and a Land Rover acting as an escort. All three had left the Civil 14 July 1986 THE REPÚBLICA DOMINICANA SQUARE, THE ATTACK THAT MARKED THE CIVIL GUARD FOREVER Guard Traffic School in Calle Príncipe de Vergara minutes earlier, heading for the Venta de la Rubia area, where trainees were to practise motorcycle riding. Seventy trainee officers from the Tra- ffic Division were travelling in the convoy. The terrorists had observed its movements for several days and established that, despite variations in the usual routes, Plaza de la República Dominicana was an unavoidable cros- sing point before joining the M-30 via Calle Costa Rica. At the moment of the explosion, the escort vehicle was separated from the rest of the convoy after stopping at a traffic light before entering the square. As a result, the main impact fell on the buses carrying the officers. The material damage was also exten- sive. Almost fifty vehicles were dama- ged, and around 290 properties and businesses in the area were affected. Particularly significant damage occu- rred at number 8 in the square, beside the spot where the terrorists had par- ked the vehicle loaded with explosives. The attack marked a turning point for the Civil Guard. Beyond the profound grief caused by the loss of twelve young officers, it led to new security measu- res. Following the attack, the Civil Guard Traffic Academy subsequently moved its activities to the Duque de Ahumada Young Guards’ College in Valdemoro, ending a period marked by one of the most tragic episodes of terrorism in Spain. THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES CARMELO BELLA ÁLAMO (aged 22): From Granja de Torrehermosa (Badajoz). He had served in the force for a year and was posted to the Arganda Traffic Detachment. JOSÉ CALVO GUTIÉRREZ (aged 19): Born in Barcelona. He joined the Civil Guard in May 1985 and served at the Barajas Detachment. MIGUEL ÁNGEL CORNEJO ROS (aged 24): From Burjasot (Valencia). He was married and had joined the Civil Guard one year before the attack.