GAL (paramilitary group)

GAL (Grupos Antiterroristas de Liberación "Antiterrorist Liberation Groups") were death squads illegally established by officials of the Spanish government to fight against ETA, the principal Basque separatist terrorist group. They were active from 1983 to 1987 under Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)-led governments.

GAL (Grupos Antiterroristas de Liberación)
LeaderJosé Barrionuevo
Enrique Rodríguez Galindo
Rafael Vera
José Amedo Fouce
Ricardo García Damborenea
Julián Sancristóbal
Dates of operationOctober 15, 1983 (1983-10-15)  1987 (1987)
MotivesElimination of ETA
Active regionsFrance
Spain
Notable attacksMonbar Hotel attack
Killing of Lasa and Zabala
StatusInactive
SizeSeveral dozen members

At trial, it was proven that they were financed by high-ranking officials in the Ministry of the Interior. The daily newspaper El Mundo played an important role in exposing GAL when it published a comprehensive series of articles about the squads.

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