Our Heroes

At the main entrance to our Headquarters there is a memorial with nine flames paying tribute to the memory of our heroes: the members of the CNI who sacrified their lives for defending the interests of Spain and the Spanish people.

Eight out of the nine flames have a name: Mr Carlos Baró Ollero, Mr José Antonio Bernal Gómez, Mr José Lucas Egea, Mr Alberto Martínez González, Mr José Ramón Merino Olivera, Mr José Carlos Rodríguez Pérez, Mr Alfonso Vega Calvo and Mr Luis Ignacio Zanón Tarazona.

All of them died in the autumn of 2003 in Irak: Mr José Antonio Bernal died in Baghdad on 9 October, and the rest of comrades in Latifiya, on 29 November. One of the main meeting rooms at the CNI HQ has been named “Heroes of Irak” in their honour.

The ninth flame is devoted to those who quietly sacrifice their lives in the service of Spain.

Memory is important. Our names go beyond our lives and we will be remembered for our deeds. Only under test, we learn who we really are.

That dreadful autumn in Irak, our comrades proved who they were: heroes. Their names will be always associated with this word. Their heroism did not just limit to their mission in Irak. Grief over their loss made the CNI stronger, since there is no better teacher than suffering. Their memory helped save the life of others who came after them, gave us wisdom and courage, and made the members of the CNI proud of being part of this institution.

The memory of our heroes will be in our hearts and minds forever, since those who are remembered never die.