Hagop Hagopian
Encyclopedia
Hagop Hagopian also Bedros Ohanessian (birth name) was one of the founders and the main leader of the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia
(ASALA).
, Iraq
as Bedros Ohanessian, in later years he took the pseudonym Hagop Hagopian, he moved to Lebanon
, where according to some sources he joined the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
. In 1975, with the support and training from radical Palestinian groups, he founded in Beirut
the ASALA. As leader of ASALA, he directed assassinations of Turkish diplomats and their families in various countries of the world.
Following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon
in 1982, Hagopian fled and supposedly set up new bases in Damascus
and Athens
. He broke with the Palestine Liberation Organization
, which had given ASALA training and support, and linked up with the anti-PLO leader Abu Nidal
.
Hagopian was wanted in France for masterminding the Orly airport attack
in July 1983. This attack resulted in a split in ASALA, with the splinter group ASALA Revolutionary Movement led by Monte Melkonian
condemning "the murderous deviation" of Hagopian. In the aftermath of the split, Hagopian executed two of Melkonian's allies within ASALA in retaliation for the assassination of two of Hagopian's closest aides.
According to the unidentified U.S. official quoted by The Washington Post
, in the late 1980s ASALA had grown more mercenary due to financial difficulties, and "Hagopian became a gun for hire".
Total count of Turkish diplomats all over the world that Hagopian killed is thirty.
suburb at 4:30 a.m. on April 28, 1988, while he was waiting for a taxi to take him to the airport for a flight to Belgrade
. He was accompanied by his sister-in-law, who was not hurt.
A Greek police official said two armed men got out of a parked car as Hagopian walked out of his apartment building, carrying his luggage. One of the two men opened fire with the sawed-off shotgun
, wounding Hagopian in the chest and elbow. As Hagopian tried to flee, the killer ran after him and fired two more slugs into his head and chest. The attackers got away in a car left parked across the street.
The victim was at first identified as Abdul Mohammed Kasim, 39, from a South Yemen diplomatic passport he was carrying.
When police questioned his wife Jeanine, she revealed that her husband used numerous false passports and identified him as Hagop Hagopian, who lived in Athens for about a year under the name of Henri Titizian and frequently traveled abroad on the Yemeni passport. South Yemeni Embassy denied having any knowledge of Hagopian's real identity. Authorities in Greece also stated that they were not aware of the real identity of the victim.
No one claimed responsibility for assassination. The Turkish government denied complicity in assassination, with one state official commenting: "State-sponsored terrorist action is not our style". The Washington Post
quoted a U.S. intelligence source as saying: "It's hard to say who hit him. He was not a nice character by any stretch of the imagination. He was certainly a very wanted man.
According to Markar Melkonian, the brother of Monte Melkonian, Hagopian's assailants, Hovsep A., Vartan G., Garabed K., and Albert "Sultan-Minas" A., were all former ASALA members and lieutenants of Hagopian.
The body of Hagop Hagopian was flown to Iraq and buried in his home town of Mosul. It was revealed that Hagopian's real name was Haritoun Takoshian and that his parents, Macardich and Siranoush Takoshian, still lived in Mosul. Previously, the French police claimed that his real name was Bedros Hovanissian.
Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia
The Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia or ASALA was an Armenian nationalist militant organization, that operated from 1975 to 1986. The group also operated under other names such as The Orly Group and the 3 October Organization...
(ASALA).
Life
Born in MosulMosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
as Bedros Ohanessian, in later years he took the pseudonym Hagop Hagopian, he moved to Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, where according to some sources he joined the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist organisation founded in 1967. It has consistently been the second-largest of the groups forming the Palestine Liberation Organization , the largest being Fatah...
. In 1975, with the support and training from radical Palestinian groups, he founded in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
the ASALA. As leader of ASALA, he directed assassinations of Turkish diplomats and their families in various countries of the world.
Following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon
1982 Lebanon War
The 1982 Lebanon War , , called Operation Peace for Galilee by Israel, and later known in Israel as the Lebanon War and First Lebanon War, began on 6 June 1982, when the Israel Defense Forces invaded southern Lebanon...
in 1982, Hagopian fled and supposedly set up new bases in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
and Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. He broke with the Palestine Liberation Organization
Palestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
, which had given ASALA training and support, and linked up with the anti-PLO leader Abu Nidal
Abu Nidal
Abu Nidal , born Sabri Khalil al-Banna , was the founder of Fatah–The Revolutionary Council , a militant Palestinian group more commonly known as the Abu Nidal Organization...
.
Hagopian was wanted in France for masterminding the Orly airport attack
Orly airport attack
The Orly Airport attack was the 15 July 1983 bombing of a Turkish Airlines check-in counter at Orly Airport in Paris, France, by the Armenian militant organization ASALA as part of its campaign for the recognition of and reparations for the Armenian Genocide...
in July 1983. This attack resulted in a split in ASALA, with the splinter group ASALA Revolutionary Movement led by Monte Melkonian
Monte Melkonian
Monte Melkonian was a famed Armenian commander during Nagorno-Karabakh war. Melkonian had no prior service record in any country's army before being placed in command of an estimated 4,000 men in the war...
condemning "the murderous deviation" of Hagopian. In the aftermath of the split, Hagopian executed two of Melkonian's allies within ASALA in retaliation for the assassination of two of Hagopian's closest aides.
According to the unidentified U.S. official quoted by The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, in the late 1980s ASALA had grown more mercenary due to financial difficulties, and "Hagopian became a gun for hire".
Total count of Turkish diplomats all over the world that Hagopian killed is thirty.
Assassination
Hagopian was assassinated outside his home in Athens' Palaio FaliroPalaio Faliro
Palaio Faliro is a suburb in the southern part of Athens, Greece. The area is famous for its beaches , forming Athens' nearest beach and Piraeus' only beach...
suburb at 4:30 a.m. on April 28, 1988, while he was waiting for a taxi to take him to the airport for a flight to Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
. He was accompanied by his sister-in-law, who was not hurt.
A Greek police official said two armed men got out of a parked car as Hagopian walked out of his apartment building, carrying his luggage. One of the two men opened fire with the sawed-off shotgun
Sawed-off shotgun
A sawed-off shotgun also called a sawn-off shotgun and a short-barreled shotgun , is a type of shotgun with a shorter gun barrel and often a shorter or absent stock....
, wounding Hagopian in the chest and elbow. As Hagopian tried to flee, the killer ran after him and fired two more slugs into his head and chest. The attackers got away in a car left parked across the street.
The victim was at first identified as Abdul Mohammed Kasim, 39, from a South Yemen diplomatic passport he was carrying.
When police questioned his wife Jeanine, she revealed that her husband used numerous false passports and identified him as Hagop Hagopian, who lived in Athens for about a year under the name of Henri Titizian and frequently traveled abroad on the Yemeni passport. South Yemeni Embassy denied having any knowledge of Hagopian's real identity. Authorities in Greece also stated that they were not aware of the real identity of the victim.
No one claimed responsibility for assassination. The Turkish government denied complicity in assassination, with one state official commenting: "State-sponsored terrorist action is not our style". The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
quoted a U.S. intelligence source as saying: "It's hard to say who hit him. He was not a nice character by any stretch of the imagination. He was certainly a very wanted man.
According to Markar Melkonian, the brother of Monte Melkonian, Hagopian's assailants, Hovsep A., Vartan G., Garabed K., and Albert "Sultan-Minas" A., were all former ASALA members and lieutenants of Hagopian.
The body of Hagop Hagopian was flown to Iraq and buried in his home town of Mosul. It was revealed that Hagopian's real name was Haritoun Takoshian and that his parents, Macardich and Siranoush Takoshian, still lived in Mosul. Previously, the French police claimed that his real name was Bedros Hovanissian.