Pro-Government Militias
Gladio (Spain)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 527 |
| Country: | Spain |
| Date formed: | Jan. 1, 1948 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | year |
| Details of Formation: | |
| Date dissolved: | Jan. 1, 1990 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | year |
| Details of Termination: | |
| Termination Type(s): | none |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | no |
| Former Armed Group? | no information |
| Former Rebel Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | no |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | unclear (type 1 or 2) |
| Created by the Government?: | yes | Main Creating Government Institution: | person/minister |
| Government Link(s): | state (institution); military (institution) |
| If link to party, name of party: | None |
| Training and Equipment: | yes |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | no information |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | Foreign government |
| State Sponsor(s): | United States |
| Other Connection(s): | NATO, CIA |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | no information |
| Primary Membership: | no information |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | None |
| Force Strength: | [unknown, unknown] |
| Target(s): | foreign military |
| Purpose(s): | protect state, national or religious institutions; protect national borders and integrity; self-defense and security |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: | The network of groups may have some semi-official status within the intelligence community. But this status is not recognized but instead hidden even from some domestic governments and prime ministers. The groups were ultimately answerable to NATO-CIA rather than to domestic governments in event of attack by Warsaw Pact. Spain became an official member of NATO in 1982, but unofficial contacts had taken place much earlier. A base was set up in 1948 in Las Palmas on the Canary Islands, which was run by US instructors. Other bases were located in Madrid, Barcelona and San Sebastián. The Spanish secret army had taken part in a stay-behind exercise commanded by US forces in Bavaria, Germany, in March 1973. There was cooperation with Gladio in Italy and the group was involved in a joint action in the Atocha massacre, in which five lawyers closely linked to the Spanish Communist party were killed. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The PGM was intended to defend Western Europe in case of an invasion by Warsaw Pact forces. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | faster mobilization; deniability of violence |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | The group has been linked to the Atocha massacre in which five civilians died. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | killing |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no information |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | It is reported that there was some training which was comprised mainly of guerilla tactics. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | According to a report, the PGM was organised by the CIA in cooperation with parts of the Spanish secret services. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.