List of attacks by ASALA

This is a list of attacks by the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA). Between 1975 and 1985, a total of 84 incidents were recorded: 46 people were killed and 299 injured.

DateLocationTargetTacticFatalitiesInjuriesNote(s)20 January 1975 Beirut, LebanonReligious figures/institutionsAssassination attempts00In a 1978 press conference, a spokesman for ASALA claimed that the January 1975 bombing of the Beirut offices of the World Council of Churches was the group's first operation.20 February 1975 Beirut, LebanonAirports & airlinesBombing00 Turkish Airlines offices were bombed. Both the Yanigian group and ASALA claim responsibility for the attack. Yanigian group were demanding the release of the imprisoned Armenian American Kourken Yanigian who invited Turkish Consul General Mehmet Baydar and Turkish Consul Bahadır Demir to a luncheon and killed his these two guests on January 27, 1973, in Santa Barbara, California, United States. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.22 October 1975 Vienna, AustriaDiplomaticAssassination20Turkish ambassador Danis Tunaligil is assassinated in his study by three members of the ASALA. ASALA Buldugian commando claims responsibility.Vasn Hayutyan, Vasn Hayrenyats, 1975-1995, ASALA Publication, 1995, p. 3024 October 1975 Paris, FranceDiplomaticAssassination20Turkish ambassador Ismail Erez and his chauffeur Talip Yener are killed. Both ASALA Yanikian groupVasn Hayutyan, Vasn Hayrenyats, 1975-1995, ASALA Publication, 1995, p. 30 and JCAG claim responsibility. 18 December 1975 Beirut, LebanonDiplomaticBombing10The Turkish embassy in Beirut was attacked with rockets; one person was killed. ASALA claimed responsibility.28 December 1975 Beirut, LebanonDiplomaticBombing00Two rockets were fired at the Turkish embassy in Beirut. ASALA claimed responsibility.16 February 1976 Beirut, LebanonDiplomaticAssassination10First Secretary in Turkish Embassy Oktar Cirit is assassinated in a restaurant on Hamra Street. ASALA claimed responsibility.4 January 1978 Athens, GreeceDiplomaticBombing00Bombing attack on the car of Turkey's Assistant Press Attache Metin Yalman in Athens. ASALA claimed responsibility.10 March 1978 Athens, GreeceDiplomaticBombing04Three small bombs exploded under cars owned by Turkish diplomats in the Palaio Faliro-Kalamaki area of Athens, slightly injuring a Turkish diplomat, two policemen and a passerby. The ASALA claimed responsibility.2 June 1978 Madrid, SpainDiplomaticAssassination30Attack on Turkish Ambassador Zeki Kuneralp's automobile by three people. His wife Necla Kuneralp, retired Turkish ambassador Besir Balcioglu and Spanish chauffeur Antonio Torres died. Both ASALA and JCAG claimed responsibility.6 June 1976 Ankara, TurkeyPropertyBombing00A statue of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was attacked with explosives, leaving only material damage.18 December 1978 Geneva, SwitzerlandAirports & airlinesBombing00An explosive device was thrown at the Turkish Airlines office in Geneva. No one was injured in the explosion which shattered the windows of the building. The ASALA claimed responsibility.27 August 1979 Frankfurt, GermanyAirports & airlinesBombing01A bomb shattered a Turkish Airlines office in central Frankfurt, injuring a woman in a streetcar passing by the building. The ASALA claimed responsibility.4 October 1979 Copenhagen, DenmarkAirports & airlinesBombing02A bomb exploded near Turkish Airlines offices. Two Danish civilians were hurt.12 October 1979 The Hague, NetherlandsDiplomaticAssassination10Ahmet Benler, the son of Turkish Ambassador Özdemir Benler was assassinated by members of the ASALA. JCAG and ASALA claimed responsibility.30 October 1979 Milan, ItalyAirports & airlinesBombing00A Turkish Airlines office was destroyed by a bomb, claimed by the ASALA.17 November 1979 Paris, FranceAirports & airlinesBombing02Three bomb explosions at airline offices of Turkish Airlines, the Dutch airline KLM, and the German line Lufthansa in central Paris. Two policemen were injured in the attacks. A spokesman for ASALA claimed responsibility in a telephone call to AFP, saying: "Let imperialism and its collaborators all over the world know that their institutions are targets for our heroes and will be destroyed. We will kill and destroy because that is the only language understood by imperialists."25 November 1979 Madrid, SpainAirports & airlinesBombing00Two bombs went off in front of the Madrid offices of British Airways, and Trans World Airlines. ASALA claimed responsibility by saying: "These were airlines of world imperialists, and that the attack was to serve as a warning to Pope John Paul II to cancel his trip to Turkey."22 December 1979 Paris, FranceDiplomaticAssassination10Turkish Tourism Attache Yilmaz Çolpan is assassinated while walking on the Champs-Élysées. Several groups, including ASALA, JCAG and the "Commandos of Armenian Militants against Genocide" claimed responsibility.23 December 1979 Rome, ItalyOtherBombing00A bomb exploded in front of the Dina Boarding House. The home is a refugee center and a part of Ansha in Rome, responsible for the transfer of many Armenians to the United States and other countries. The ASALA claimed responsibility.23 December 1979 Rome, ItalyAirports & airlinesBombing012Three bombs exploded in front of Air France, and TWA offices in three different parts of downtown Rome. A dozen people were injured. The ASALA claims responsibility by saying these were "in reprisal against the repressive measures of French authorities against Armenians in France."30 December 1979 Istanbul, TurkeyAirports & airlinesBombing00Bombs exploded in Yesilkoy Airport, Istanbul. Property damage.18 February 1980 Rome, ItalyAirports & airlinesBombing00A bomb in Rome damaged the offices of Swissair. In anonymous call to Rome office of the Associated Press, ASALA claimed responsibility.10 March 1980 Rome, ItalyAirports & airlinesBombing212Two bombs detonate at Turkish Airlines office in Rome's Piazza della Repubblica, killing two and injuring 12. The second bomb was calculated to kill or wound the curious who came to watch after the first bomb went off. ASALA claimed responsibility.29 July 1980 Lyon, FranceDiplomaticArmed attack221980 Turkish Consulate attack in Lyon: Two gunmen shot up the Turkish Consulate in Lyon, killing two people and seriously wounding two others. ASALA claimed responsibility.31 July 1980 Athens, GreeceDiplomaticAssassination22July 1980 Athens attack: Turkish Administrative Attache Galip Özmen and his family were attacked while sitting inside their car. Galip Özmen and his 14-year-old daughter Neslihan are killed. His wife, Sevil, and his 16-year-old son, Kaan were injured. ASALA claimed responsibility.26 September 1980 Paris, FranceDiplomaticAssassination01The press secretary of the Turkish Embassy in Paris was wounded as he entered his home. Police discovered the envoy lying in the street, shot twice, but still conscious. After hospitalization, he was pronounced in satisfactory condition. ASALA claimed responsibility.3 October 1980 Milan, ItalyAirports & airlinesBombing00The Turkish Airlines (THY) office in Milan was bombed causing some damage but no injuries. ASALA claimed responsibility by saying "the attack was as part of a campaign to stop the flow of Armenian emigrants to the US" in a phone call to the Italian news agency ANSA. 5 October 1980 Madrid, SpainAirports & airlinesBombing012In Madrid, the office of Alitalia was bombed. Although physical damage was minimal, 12 people were injured. The bomb exploded at a time calculated to injure a large number of people. ASALA claimed responsibility. 12 October 1980 London, United KingdomAirports & airlinesBombing00A Turkish Airlines office was bombed in London causing damage but no injuries. The caller said "the bomb was meant to protest the Turkish government's bloody action against Kurds and Armenians". The bombing might also have been related to bombings by JCAG in Hollywood, Paris, and an almost simultaneous one in London. Scotland Yard said that it would be an extraordinary coincidence if the two London bombings were not related. 10 November 1980 Strasbourg, FranceDiplomaticBombing00The Turkish Consulate in Strasbourg, France was bombed causing significant material damage but no injuries. In a telephone call to the Agence France-Presse office, a spokesman said the blast was a joint operation and marked the start of a "fruitful collaboration" between ASALA and Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). 10 November 1980 Rome, ItalyBusiness, airports & airlinesBombing05Two bombings, one at a Swissair office, and one at a Swiss tourist bureau, injured 5 people in Rome, Italy. The bombings were first claimed by the October Third Group which said it was protesting "Swiss and Italian fascism". However, in a call to Agence France-Presse, ASALA and PKK claimed responsibility saying that "while they regretted injury to innocent people, there would be more attacks against private and public establishments in Turkey because of growing opposition to the government and in Switzerland because it locks up our militants." 19 November 1980 Rome, ItalyAirports & airlinesBombing00The offices of the Turkish Airlines were damaged when a powerful bomb exploded. In a phone call to the Associated Press shortly after the explosion, ASALA claimed responsibility. 1 January 1981 Unknown, United StatesBusinessBombing00A small bomb exploded at a Carpeteria store and the owners were threatened with more violence unless money was paid to ASALA. In November 1987 Vicken Tcharkhutian, a member of ASALA, admitted to having taken part in this extortion/bombing scheme. 13 January 1981 Paris, FranceDiplomaticAssassination00A bomb exploded in the car of Ahmet Erdeyli, the financial adviser of the Turkish Embassy in Paris. He escaped without injury. An investigation by French officials showed that the explosion was caused by a hand grenade placed under the front fender of the car. ASALA claimed responsibility for the attack. 3 February 1981 Los Angeles, United StatesDiplomaticBombing00Los Angeles police dismantled a bomb discovered on the doorstep of the Swiss consulate. An Armenian group calling itself "October 3" has claimed responsibility for the bombing of a number of Swiss government and commercial buildings throughout Europe in recent months. The group has been seeking the release of Alec Yenikomshian, who is related to a Geneva hotel bombing (with Suzy Mahseredjian) which went off during their assembly. Mahseredjian was released by a Swiss court and allowed to return to the United States after she was accused of affiliation with ASALA. In November 1987, Vicken Tcharkhutian admitted in federal court that he had built the weapons used in this attack. Tcharkhutian is a member of ASALA. 4 March 1981 Paris, FranceDiplomaticAssassination20Two gunmen open fire on Turkish Labour Attache Resat Morali, Religious Affairs Officer in Turkish Embassy Tecelli Ari, and Paris representative of Anadolu Bank Ilkay Karakoç. Morali and Ari are killed. ASALA claimed responsibility. 12 March 1981 Tehran, IranDiplomaticAssassination20A group of ASALA members try to occupy the Turkish Embassy, killing two guards in the process. ASALA claimed responsibility. 9 June 1981 Geneva, SwitzerlandDiplomaticAssassination10Secretary in the Turkish Embassy Mehmet Savas Yergüz is assassinated by Mardiros Jamgotchian. Arrest of Mardiros leads to the formation of a new ASALA branch called the "Ninth of June Organization". 15 September 1981 Copenhagen, DenmarkAirports & airlinesBombing02A man was seen shortly before the explosion placing two plastic bags outside the building. Only one of the bags containing explosives went off; the second bomb was detonated by army experts. Two people were injured in the attack, one of them seriously. The offices were severely damaged. ASALA claimed responsibility. 24 September 1981 Paris, FranceDiplomaticBarricade/hostage121981 Turkish consulate attack in Paris: Four ASALA members attacked th