List of attacks by the Justice Commandos Against Armenian Genocide
Encyclopedia
List of attacks
- October 22, 1975, ViennaViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
: Turkish Ambassador to AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Daniş TunalıgilDanis TunaligilHüseyin Daniş Tunalıgil was a Turkish diplomat. He was assassinated by JCAG in 1975 during his duty as the Turkish ambassador to Austria.-Life and career:...
, was assassinated in his office.
- October 24, 1975, ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
: Turkish Ambassador to FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, İsmail Erezİsmail Erezİsmail Erez was a Turkish diplomat who held several high ranking posts in the Turkish Foreign Service.-Life and career:...
, was assassinated in ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France. His car's driver Talip Yener was also killed in the attack.
- May 28, 1976, ZurichZürichZurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
: Two bombs caused extensive damage to the office of Garanti Bank and of Labor Attaché of Turkish embassy.
- May 29, 1977, IstanbulIstanbulIstanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
: a double bombing in railroad station and airport killed five persons and wounded 64.
- June 9, 1977, RomaRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
: Turkey's VaticanHoly SeeThe Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
Ambassador, Taha CarımTaha CarimTaha Carim was a Turkish diplomat who held several high ranking posts in Turkish foreign service and was assassinated by Armenian terrorists from JCAG.-Biography:...
, was assassinated in RomeRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
- June 2, 1978, MadridMadridMadrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
: Turkish Ambassador to SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Zeki KuneralpZeki KuneralpZeki Kuneralp was a Turkish diplomat, who rose to the highest offices in his country's foreign ministry despite having been brought up as an exile in Switzerland, after the murder of his father, a pro-British journalist and politician, during the Turkish War of Independence...
's car was attacked in MadridMadridMadrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain. His wife Necla, the retired Turkish Ambassador Beşir Balcıoğlu and the Spanish driver Antonio Torres lost their lives. Zeki Kuneralp survived since he was not in the car. Pro-Armenian writer Christopher Walker wrote that Armenian terrorist campaign, "as with all terrorism, often murdered shockingly inappropriate people, such as the wife of Zeki Kuneralp, whose family had been instrumental in seeking rapprochement between the different nationalities of post-Ottoman Turkey".
- October 12, 1979, The HagueThe HagueThe Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
: Ahmet Benler, son of the Turkish Ambassador to the NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Özdemir Benler was assassinated in the HagueThe HagueThe Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. The attack was claimed at the same time also by the ASALAArmenian Secret Army for the Liberation of ArmeniaThe 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...
.
- December 22, 1979, Paris: Turkish attachéAttachéAttaché is a French term in diplomacy referring to a person who is assigned to the diplomatic or administrative staff of a higher placed person or another service or agency...
for tourism in FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Yılmaz Çolpan, was assassinated in ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France.
- January 20, 1980, Madrid, Spain: several bomb exploded in Madrid airport, injuring twelve peoples.
- February 6, 1980: Turkish Ambassador to SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
Doğan TürkmenDogan TurkmenDoğan Türkmen is a former Turkish diplomat.He served in Lagos as ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Nigeria from January 28, 1969, to December 16, 1971....
was attacked in Bern, Switzerland. Türkmen escaped with minor wounds. Max Hraïr Kilndjian was sentenced as an accessory to two years of jail by the tribunal of Aix-en-ProvenceAix-en-ProvenceAix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
.
- April 17, 1980, Roma, Italy: JCAG terrorist opened fire on the Turkish Ambassador to the Holy See, Vecdi Turel, seriously wounding him, and more slightly his bodyguard, Tahsin Guvenc.
- October 6, 1980, USA: Harut Sassounian attempted to kill the Turkish general consul, Kemal Arikan. Harut Sassounian was sentenced to 6 years of jail; his brother Hampig "Harry" Sassounian assassinated Kemal Arikan in 1982.
- October 12, 1980, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA: A bomb planted under a stolen automobile parked in front of the United Nations Plaza and Turkish Center, exploded at 4:50 p.m., minutes before hundreds of employees and tourists exit the United Nations building which closes at 5 p.m. The bomb, which has the force of nine sticks of dynamite, demolished the automobile, hurling the parts of the vehicle in all directions; all that remained of the vehicle is the rear bumper. The flying pieces of metal and glass as well as flames from the blast injured five Americans. The explosion destroyed a vehicle parked across the street, and causes significant damage to the 11-story Turkish Center, and blows out the windows of nearby buildings, including B’nai B’rith, Chase Manhattan Bank, the African American Center, a travel agency and numerous apartment complexes. Assistant New York City Police Chief, Milton Schwartz, expressed “It is absolutely lucky that more people weren’t injured.” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Donald McHenry, condemned the attacks as “savage and calculated terrorism.” New York City Mayor Edward Koch expressed that the incident “demonstrates forcefully that all terrorism, no matter what form it takes, and no matter against whom it is directed, must be condemned and punished.”
- October 12, 1980, Los Angeles: the offices of Imperial Travel, a Hollywood travel agency owned by a Turkish American, Ali Ondemir, were partially destroyed by a bomb; a tourist was wounded.
- December 17, 1980, SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Two gunmen on a motorcycle shot and killed the Turkish consul- general and his bodyguard ... The consul, Sarik Ariyak, had received a death threat that day, and took it seriously enough to swap cars with his bodyguard. The motorcyclists opened fire on the bodyguard, then realizing they had not hit their intended target, caught up with Mr. Ariyak's fleeing car and fired several shots through the windshield, killing him instantly. No one was apprehended. In their phone call to the newspaper, the assassins said they would continue to attack Turkish diplomats and Turkish institutions.
- June 3, 1981, OrangeOrange, CaliforniaSouthern California is well-known for year-round pleasant weather: - On average, the warmest month is August. - The highest recorded temperature was in 1985. - On average, the coolest month is December. - The lowest recorded temperature was in 1950...
, USA: a bomb exploded in the Orange County Convention Center in Anaheim, the scheduled site of a Turkish folk dance and music show, causing extensive damage. Two days before, bomb threats provoked cancellation of another Turkish show, in San Francisco.
- November 20, 1981, Los Angeles: a bomb caused extensive damage where the Turkish consulate of LA is located, 8730 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills. Serge Samionian, Secretary of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Armenian National Committee of AmericaArmenian National Committee of AmericaThe Armenian National Committee of America is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively...
, submitted a letter to Los Angeles World Affairs Council (LAWAC), stating “2000 Armenians are expected to turn out for the demonstration against the Ambassador” of Turkey and requesting that the Ambassador's speech be canceled “in the interest of public safety.”. In vain.
- January 28, 1982, USA: Turkish consul general Kemal Arıkan was shot to death in his car as he sat at a stoplight in Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Four people were taken into custody; Harry SassounianHarry SassounianHarry M. Sassounian is currently serving a life sentence for the 1982 assassination of Turkish Consul General Kemal Arikan.The jury determined that Sassounian, an Armenian immigrant formerly of Pasadena, California, member of Armenian Youth Federation and Justice Commandos Against Armenian...
, 19 at the time of the killing, was later convicted of first degree murder. The jury found that Sassounian killed Arikan "because of his nationality", leading to a sentencing of life in prison without possibility of paroleParoleParole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
. In 2002, the sentence was changed in life with no possibility of parole during 25 years, but Sassounian's demand of parole were rejected in 2006 and 2010 An accomplice, believed to be Krikor (Koko) Saliba, is still at large.
- May 4, 1982: Police sought the Armenian assassin who shot New England's honorary Turkish consul general in Sumerville, Massachusetts, Orhan Gündüz, whose import shop in Cambridge was the target of a previous attack, was shot by a man dressed in a jogger's outfit, as he sat in his car.
- June 27, 1982: Turkish administrative attaché, Erkut Akbay in LisbonLisbonLisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, was assassinated outside his home on the outskirts of the city as he returned home for lunch. His wife, Nadide Akbay, was also shot in the head as she sat beside him. Nadide Akbay died after eight months in coma on January 11, 1983.
- August 27, 1982: Atilla AltıkatAtilla AltikatColonel Atilla Altikat was the Turkish military attaché to Ottawa, Canada, who was assassinated in 1982. The Armenian group, Justice Commandos Against Armenian Genocide, claimed responsibility for the attack. The act was forcefully condemned by the Prime Minister of Canada, Pierre Trudeau.Before...
, Turkish military attachéMilitary attachéA military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
in CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
was assassinated in OttawaOttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Canada.
- September 9, 1982, BulgariaBulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
: Bora Süelkan, attaché to the Turkish consulate of Burgas was assassinated.
- March 9, 1983, YugoslaviaYugoslaviaYugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. "Turkish Ambassador Galip BalkarGalip BalkarGalip Balkar was a Turkish diplomat. He was assassinated by two Armenian terrorists in 1983 during his duty as the Turkish ambassador to Yugoslavia.-Life and career:...
died of wounds received when two gunmen shot him in an ambush in central BelgradeBelgradeBelgrade 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...
. An armed clash between the guerrillas and police ensued and one of the guerillas was wounded. Both guerrillas, who claim to belong to an Armenian paramilitary organization, were eventually apprehended. A Yugoslav passerby was killed during the clash, while a female student and a Yugoslav officer who was trying to capture the assailants were wounded. The Justice Commandos of the Armenian Genocide claimed credit for the attack.
- July 14, 1983, BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
: the administrative attaché of Turkish embassy, Dursun Aksoy, was assassinated in BrusselsBrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
- July 27, 1983, Portugal: during the suicide attack against Turkish embassy in Lisbon1983 Turkish embassy attack in LisbonThe 1983 Turkish embassy attack was an attack on the Turkish embassy in Lisbon on 27 July 1983, which resulted in death of 7 people, including all 5 attackers.-Background:...
, the five perpetrators, a Portuguese policeman (Manuel Pacheco) and the wife of Turkish chargé d'affaires, Cahide Micioglu, were killed; another Portuguese policeman was seriously wounded.
- June 20, 1984, Austria: the trade and labor attaché to Turkish embassy, Erdogan Ozen, was assassinated in the explosion of his car
- September 3, 1984, Turkey: two ARA terrorists are killed in front of Topkapi PalaceTopkapi PalaceThe Topkapı Palace is a large palace in Istanbul, Turkey, that was the primary residence of the Ottoman Sultans for approximately 400 years of their 624-year reign....
by their proper bomb, due to an error of manipulation.
- November 19, 1984, Austria: Enver Ergün, UN official, is assassinated in Vienna.
- March 12, 1985, Canada: three terrorists of ARA attacked the Turkish embassy in Ottawa1985 Turkish embassy attack in OttawaThe 1985 Turkish embassy attack was an attack on the Turkish embassy in Ottawa, Canada, on March 12, 1985.-The attack:The storming of the embassy began shortly before 7 a.m., when three terrorists in a rented moving truck arrived at the embassy gate. They scaled the security gate and began shooting...
, killing the Pinkerton agent Claude Brunelle, who attempted to stop them, taking 12 hostage and attempting in vain to kill the Turkish ambassador. The three criminals were sentenced to life, including 25 years without pardon.
- November 23, 1986, Australia: a Dashnak terrorist bombed the Turkish consulate of Melbourne, but was killed by his proper bomb; an Australian woman was wounded.
- January 19, 1987, Australia: a bomb exploded in a package at a mail sorting facility of BrisbaneBrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and injured six people.