Remembrance of Victims
Of Armenian Terrorism

OTTAWA (Bizim Anadolu) - The Council of Turkish Canadians is organizing a commemoration ceremony, on August 24, 2008, to remember Colonel Atilla Altikat, Turkish military attaché assassinated in Ottawa in 1982. At this remembrance day, Canadians of Turkish origin will gather in sadness, at the intersection of Ottawa River Parkway and Island Park Drive, the spot where Col. Altikat was gunned down by Armenian terrorists. This remembrance of Col. Altikat will also be an occasion for all Canadians to condemn terrorism committed on Canadian soil and around the world.

Col. Altikat was the military attaché at the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Ottawa. On the morning of August 27, 1982, while driving to work, he was killed by the Armenian terrorists representing JCAG (Justice Commandos of Armenian Genocide). This violence had shocked the residents of the peaceful capital and shattered the harmonious Canadian mosaic. Yet, in spite of all the evidence unearthed by reporters, no arrests have been made and the murderers remain at large.

During the 1970s and 80s, many Turkish diplomats around the world lost their lives as results of similar Armenian terrorist acts and Canada was the scene of some of these attacks. Before the murder of Colonel Altikat, the Turkish Honorary Consulate in Toronto had been bombed and received extensive damage in January 1982. In April 1982, the commercial attaché of the Republic of Turkey, Mr. Kani Gungor was gunned down and seriously wounded in the parking lot of his residence in Ottawa. He was permanently paralyzed. In March 1985, three heavily armed Armenian terrorists stormed the Turkish Embassy, killing a Canadian security officer during the attack. The Ambassador Mr. Coskun Kirca was wounded but survived the ordeal. The family members of one support staff, who were living in the basement apartment of the embassy, were taken hostage and owe their lives to the failure of the hand-grenade that was thrown onto them. A few weeks later, ASALA, another Armenian terrorist organization, made a bomb threat on Toronto's subway system, creating chaos in the city during the rush hour.

The president of the Armenian National Committee of America was arrested and later convicted of terrorism

By 1986, over 30 Turkish Diplomats have been killed by Armenian terrorists around the world. In 1999, the president of the Armenian National Committee of America was arrested and later convicted of terrorism.

On August 24, 2008, at 13:30, Turkish Canadians will commemorate the victims of Armenian terrorism by assembling at the spot where Col. Altikat was killed. Later in the day, starting at 20:00 hours, there will be a candle light vigil around the Centennial Flame in front of the Parliament Building.

Canadians of all ethnic back-grounds are invited to join these ceremonies to remember those who lost their lives in terrorist activities and to condemn terrorism in Canada and elsewhere around the world.

July 2008