1985 Turkish embassy attack in Ottawa
Encyclopedia
The 1985 Turkish embassy attack was an attack on the Turkish embassy in Ottawa
, Canada
, on March 12, 1985.
, who worked for the private security firm Pinkerton's. As soon as the attack began, Brunelle called in the emergency code to his supervisor and left the bullet-proof enclosure to confront the terrorists. He fired four shots at the terrorists and took two shots in the chest, which killed him instantly.
Using a powerful homemade bomb
, the terrorists blasted open the heavy front door of the two-storey, Tudor-style home and embassy office on Wurtemburg Street, in the capital's embassy district about two kilometers east of Parliament Hill
. Once inside, they began rounding up hostage
s, including the wife of the Turkish ambassador, his teen-age daughter and embassy staff members – at least 12 people.
Ambassador Coskun Kirca
, a veteran career diplomat with United Nations
experience, who had been in Canada less than two years, escaped by leaping from the second floor window at the back of the embassy, breaking his right arm, right leg and pelvis.
The police response was almost immediate. Within three minutes, officers were on the scene. Four hours later, the terrorists released all hostages and surrendered – they tossed out their weapons and came out of the building with their hands up, asking only that they not be shot by police. Earlier, in telephone conversations with reporters, they demanded, in exchange for releasing their hostages, that Turkey
acknowledge what they called the 1915 Armenian holocaust and “return Armenian lands confiscated by Turkey”. The terrorists, who said they were members of the Armenian Revolutionary Army
told Ottawa
police they blasted their way into the Turkish embassy “to make Turkey pay for the Armenian genocide
" of 1915.
quickly took credit for the attack, which left the attaché
paralyzed. Four months later, in August 1982, the embassy's military attaché – Col. Atilla Altıkat
– was shot to death as he drove to work. The Justice Commandos Against Armenian Genocide
claimed responsibility. In addition, other attacks by Armenians on Turkish targets, particularly diplomats, occurred in other countries during 1973-1994.
, Rafi Panos Titizian, 27, of Scarborough
, Ontario
, and Ohannes Noubarian, 30, of Montreal
– were charged with first-degree murder of a security guard during the assault on the Turkish Embassy. They also faced charges of attacking the premises of a diplomat, endangering the life and liberty of Ambassador Coskun Kirca, setting off an explosion to get into the embassy and possessing grenades, handguns and shotguns. Chahe Philippe Arslanian, a lawyer for two of the accused, said that his clients were “not guilty". “It's evident that surely it was not a criminal act, but a political act," Mr. Arslanian told reporters.
A year later, on October 14, 1986, the three men went on trial. An Ontario Supreme Court jury deliberated for 8½ hours before finding Mr. Noubarian, Mr. Marachelian, and Mr. Titizian guilty of first-degree murder. Mr. Justice David Watt imposed the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment with no possibility of parole
for 25 years.
After the jury
gave its verdict and was dismissed, Mr. Noubarian told the court that what the three did "sprang from the national ideals we shared.” “However, something undesirable and regrettable happened and Mr. Brunelle died, resulting in the clouding of our aims and our goals and also resulting in our persecution and trial as simple criminals. But imprisoning individuals would not harm the Armenian cause
. Individuals are mortal, but the Armenian nation lives and as long as it lives it will always demand its rights."
In February 2005 the National Parole Board of Canada decided to allow one of the men, Mr. Marachelian, to visit his family for the first time in 20 years. The board granted him two visits over the following six months, during which he had to be accompanied by a corrections officer.
Marachelian and Noubarian were released from prison on February 19, 2010.
Rafi Titizian was also released during April 2010 and sent to Armenia on the day of his release to join his family living in Armenia.
Canada needed a unit that was capable of defeating a determined and well-armed group of militants. This need was ignored until the March 12, 1985 attack on the Turkish Embassy in Ottawa. The event changed the Canadian government's attitude toward militants and set in motion a chain of events that would eventually lead to the creation of Joint Task Force Two.
Claude Brunelle was awarded the Star of Courage
for delaying the assailants long enough to allow the Turkish Ambassador to escape.
Embassy of Turkey in Ottawa
The Embassy of the Turkey in Ottawa is Turkey's diplomatic mission to Canada. It is housed in a sprawling Tudor style manor located at 197 Wurtemburg Street overlooking the Rideau River. The building was built by Fisheries Commissioner William F. Whitcher in about 1869. In 1888 it was expanded and...
, Canada
Canada
Canada 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...
, 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 at the security hut. The security hut was a bulletproof enclosure guarded by Claude Brunelle, a 31-year-old student from the University of OttawaUniversity of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
, who worked for the private security firm Pinkerton's. As soon as the attack began, Brunelle called in the emergency code to his supervisor and left the bullet-proof enclosure to confront the terrorists. He fired four shots at the terrorists and took two shots in the chest, which killed him instantly.
Using a powerful homemade bomb
Bomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
, the terrorists blasted open the heavy front door of the two-storey, Tudor-style home and embassy office on Wurtemburg Street, in the capital's embassy district about two kilometers east of Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
. Once inside, they began rounding up hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
s, including the wife of the Turkish ambassador, his teen-age daughter and embassy staff members – at least 12 people.
Ambassador Coskun Kirca
Coskun Kirca
Coşkun Kırca was a Turkish diplomat, journalist and politician. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey in 1995. He was a member of the True Path Party.-Biography:...
, a veteran career diplomat with United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
experience, who had been in Canada less than two years, escaped by leaping from the second floor window at the back of the embassy, breaking his right arm, right leg and pelvis.
The police response was almost immediate. Within three minutes, officers were on the scene. Four hours later, the terrorists released all hostages and surrendered – they tossed out their weapons and came out of the building with their hands up, asking only that they not be shot by police. Earlier, in telephone conversations with reporters, they demanded, in exchange for releasing their hostages, that Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
acknowledge what they called the 1915 Armenian holocaust and “return Armenian lands confiscated by Turkey”. The terrorists, who said they were members of the Armenian Revolutionary Army
Armenian Revolutionary Army
The Armenian Revolutionary Army was a paramilitary organization, thought to be renamed from the group "Justice Commandos against Armenian Genocide". ARA attacked at least 7 times resulting in at least 6 fatalities and 8 injuries; its last attack occurred in 1985...
told Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa 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...
police they blasted their way into the Turkish embassy “to make Turkey pay for the Armenian genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
" of 1915.
Background
This was the third assault on Turkish diplomatic personnel in Ottawa by Armenian terrorists in three years: in April 1982, the embassy's commercial counselor – Kani Güngör – was shot and critically injured in a parking garage. The Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of ArmeniaArmenian 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...
quickly took credit for the attack, which left the attaché
Attaché
Attaché 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...
paralyzed. Four months later, in August 1982, the embassy's military attaché – Col. Atilla Altıkat
Atilla Altikat
Colonel 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...
– was shot to death as he drove to work. The Justice Commandos Against Armenian Genocide
Justice Commandos Against Armenian Genocide
Justice Commandos against Armenian Genocide was a secret military organization that operated in various western nations from 1975 to 1987...
claimed responsibility. In addition, other attacks by Armenians on Turkish targets, particularly diplomats, occurred in other countries during 1973-1994.
Indictment and trial
The attackers – Kevork Marachelian, 35, of La Salle, QuebecQuebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Rafi Panos Titizian, 27, of Scarborough
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, and Ohannes Noubarian, 30, of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
– were charged with first-degree murder of a security guard during the assault on the Turkish Embassy. They also faced charges of attacking the premises of a diplomat, endangering the life and liberty of Ambassador Coskun Kirca, setting off an explosion to get into the embassy and possessing grenades, handguns and shotguns. Chahe Philippe Arslanian, a lawyer for two of the accused, said that his clients were “not guilty". “It's evident that surely it was not a criminal act, but a political act," Mr. Arslanian told reporters.
A year later, on October 14, 1986, the three men went on trial. An Ontario Supreme Court jury deliberated for 8½ hours before finding Mr. Noubarian, Mr. Marachelian, and Mr. Titizian guilty of first-degree murder. Mr. Justice David Watt imposed the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment with no possibility of parole
Parole
Parole 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...
for 25 years.
After the jury
Jury
A jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Modern juries tend to be found in courts to ascertain the guilt, or lack thereof, in a crime. In Anglophone jurisdictions, the verdict may be guilty,...
gave its verdict and was dismissed, Mr. Noubarian told the court that what the three did "sprang from the national ideals we shared.” “However, something undesirable and regrettable happened and Mr. Brunelle died, resulting in the clouding of our aims and our goals and also resulting in our persecution and trial as simple criminals. But imprisoning individuals would not harm the Armenian cause
Armenian nationalism
Armenian nationalism in the modern period has its roots in the romantic nationalism of Mikayel Chamchian and generally defined as the creation of a free, independent and united Armenia formulated as the Armenian Cause . Armenian national awakening developed in the 1880s in the context of the...
. Individuals are mortal, but the Armenian nation lives and as long as it lives it will always demand its rights."
In February 2005 the National Parole Board of Canada decided to allow one of the men, Mr. Marachelian, to visit his family for the first time in 20 years. The board granted him two visits over the following six months, during which he had to be accompanied by a corrections officer.
Marachelian and Noubarian were released from prison on February 19, 2010.
Rafi Titizian was also released during April 2010 and sent to Armenia on the day of his release to join his family living in Armenia.
Consequences
The attack on the Turkish Embassy was a major international embarrassment for Canada. For years, foreign diplomats in Ottawa had asked the Canadian government for better security, but to no avail. Turkey declared Ottawa to be one of the most dangerous places in the world for Turkish diplomats.Canada needed a unit that was capable of defeating a determined and well-armed group of militants. This need was ignored until the March 12, 1985 attack on the Turkish Embassy in Ottawa. The event changed the Canadian government's attitude toward militants and set in motion a chain of events that would eventually lead to the creation of Joint Task Force Two.
Claude Brunelle was awarded the Star of Courage
Star of Courage (Canada)
The Star of Courage is a decoration that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second highest award for bravery, and one of the three Canadian Bravery Decorations gifted by the Canadian monarch, generally through his or her viceroy-in-Council...
for delaying the assailants long enough to allow the Turkish Ambassador to escape.