Thread by @LHreports

EU governments deny the existence of a violent campaign by masked men to turn away asylum seekers at EU borders. A months-long investigation by @LHreports & leading media unmasks these groups, reveals who commands & finances them

Our reporting shows that these clandestine forces aren't masked vigilantes but police units who report to EU governments. The operations are denied in public but financed & equipped from EU budgets

We captured these ‘shadow armies’ on film by @LHreports in a joint investigation w/ Swiss TV #srfrundschau @derspiegel @ARDstudioWien @Novossti @pointer_kroncrv @ARD_Presse #Monitor @disinfaux @libe @vijestihr in Croatia, Romania & Greece

In Croatia, we filmed 1st ever high-res footage of a violent pushback at the border with Bosnia Herzegovina. Forensic examination of the video reveals that the men had equipment & uniforms consistent with a branch of the Croatian police called Intervention Police

The men used a specific type of baton, called Tonfa, with which they beat Afghan & Pakistani asylum seekers. The Tonfa is only issued by Croatian authorities to the Intervention Police

In total @LHreports & partners filmed 11 pushbacks in Croatia. Drone footage shows a police officer covering his face with a balaclava before forcing at least 15 people over the border to Bosnia

Based on testimonies of police involved in border operations, violence is regularly used against asylum seekers & their property is stolen/confiscated, later burned at dumpsites. The whistleblowers said these actions were part of a national operation codenamed ‘Koridor’.

The Croatian gov established an Independent Monitoring Mechanism, a condition of EU funding, to track activities of the police at the borders. But reporting reveals 2/5 organizations making the pre-scheduled monitoring visits receive funding from Croatia’s interior ministry.

The EU significantly finances Croatia’s border operations, including Koridor. Open source evidence reveals that Intervention Police who are part of Koridor stay at hotels along the border when they are on mission. Hotels & per diems are paid out of the EU's Internal Security Fund

The jackets worn by police officers caught on video conducting a violent pushback match the specific descriptions found in the EU’s tender database. And in 2018, the EU allocated €6.8 million to Croatia to finance daily allowances and overtime payments for officers

In Romania, @LHreports used remote camera tech typically used by hunters to capture footage of Romanian police units pushing people back to Serbia. The videos are supported by testimony from the people who said they were seriously assaulted by police during these pushbacks.

In Greece, open source videos show masked men engaging in pushbacks on the high seas. Current & former senior Greek coast guard officers identified the masked men as members of elite Greek coast guard units: the Underwater Operations (MYA) and Special Operations (KEA) and (OEA).

For a thorough breakdown of our open source methods, investigators @bash_deeb and @JackSapoch compiled a twitter thread explaining their work

This research has been done by a group of great journalists & researchers: @bash_deeb @JackSapoch @N_Voegele @stluedke @g_christides @disinfaux @AndreaBeer2 @SrdjanGovedrica ...

@AndreiPopoviciu @TomasStatius @Peterkeizer @elsjevD @Jerko_Bakotin @DDerifaj @ShafaghLaghai Lamia Sabic @phesimeonid @alextalent94 @klaasvandijken