"The State law enforcement agencies will do everything possible to ensure the safety of Spanish citizens and everyone visiting Spain at Easter", says Juan Ignacio Zoido

During his visit, the Minister for Home Affairs gave a speech to the employees who work at CITCO - a centre that offers solutions to the challenges posed by public security - to thank them for the great job they do every day and the excellent coordination they provide between the State law enforcement agencies to get that job done. "It is in this great coordination", said the minister, "that lies the future of security for the people of Spain. And CITCO is a fine example of that".

Juan Ignacio Zoido highlighted the work carried out by CITCO to protect all citizens because "you always seek the best solution to each problem and, although you come from different security forces, you always pull in the same direction. That is the spirit that should preside over all security-related actions, because that is the only way to continue tackling the major threats, such as Jihadi terrorism, that are hitting Europe so hard".

The Minister for Home Affairs, Juan Ignacio Zoido, used this visit to send a message to all citizens and said that "you can rest assured that the State law enforcement agencies will do everything possible to ensure the safety of Spanish citizens at Easter and everyone visiting Spain in this holiday period".

Juan Ignacio Zoido recalled that "we have a Global Strategy against International Terrorism and Radicalisation in Spain, a highlight of which is the STOP RADICALISM Programme (www.stop-radicalismos.es), a major benchmark for our main European partners and in which they are showing great interest with a view to implementing a similar model in their own countries".

The Minister for Home Affairs said that, in terms of the terrorist threat, "no-one is safe from these attacks, which includes us", and again expressed gratitude for the work carried out by the State law enforcement agencies and CITCO to prevent them. "The experience of so many years fighting the terrorist group ETA means that Spain is highly prepared, but we must be absolutely clear that zero-risk does not exist", said the Minister for Home Affairs.

Juan Ignacio Zoido also paid a moving tribute to those members of the State law enforcement agencies who have given their lives to protect others. "Yesterday, during my visit to the Intelligence Department of the Guardia Civil, I mentioned the 243 officers killed by terrorism and, today, I would like to remember the 188 Spanish National Police officers who have become victims of terror and senseless attacks".

Juan Ignacio Zoido underlined the importance of the weekly contributions made by CITCO to the Terrorist Threat Assessment Council, the Official Statistics on Drugs and the Annual Report on the Situation of Organised Crime in Spain. "I urge you to maintain your efforts and start looking ahead, designing images of the near future, anticipating what is to come and searching for strategies to prevent the threats that await us", said the Minister for Home Affairs.

CITCO, a centre that offers solutions to the challenges posed by public security

The Centre for Intelligence against Terrorism and Organised Crime [Spanish acronym: CITCO] was set up under Royal Decree 873/2014, of 10 October, on the basic organic structure of the Ministry for Home Affairs, by integrating into a single body the former Centre for Intelligence against Organised Crime [Spanish acronym: CICO] and the National Counter-Terrorism Coordination Centre [Spanish acronym: CNCA] and including the Judicial Unit for Terrorist Offences [Spanish acronym: TEPOL].

CITCO is organised into two Divisions (Counter-terrorism and Organised Crime), a National Passenger Information Office (PNR) and the Judicial Police Unit for Terrorist Offences (TEPOL). Reporting to a single director, the Chief Superintendent of the Spanish National Police Force, CITCO comprises personnel from the State law enforcement agencies and other services, such as the National Intelligence Centre [Spanish acronym: CNI], Customs Surveillance and Penitentiary Institutions.

Both in terms of terrorism and the fight against organised crime and serious crime, CITCO undertakes actions in the following areas:

1. Preparation of intelligence

2. Police coordination

3. Regular threat assessments

4. Preparation of statistics

5. Proposal of national strategies

6. Other powers that may be entrusted to it

In short, CITCO is a leading body in Europe and the rest of the world, being a pioneer in many aspects related to public security. It is a new concept in the global treatment of all criminal phenomena, including terrorism and organised crime, producing highly positive results in Spain on the coordination of and support for the State law enforcement agencies.