A team of researchers have recently entered the National Archives to piece together a comprehensive anatomy of the 1980 Armenian terror attack killing two Turkish diplomats in Sydney. Here's what they have found.
According to Australian government files:
About 9.45 am, on Wednesday, 17 December 1980, the Turkish Consul
General, Sarik ARIYAK, left his private residence, 5 Portland Street, Dover
Heights, and entered his private vehicle, DH0-206, a Holden sedan, which was
parked on the western curb of Portland Street, facing in a northerly direction,
and outside his premises.
At the time the Consul General's bodyguard, Engin SEVER, was parked in Consular vehicle, CC-2322, a Mazda Sedan, almost opposite the previous mentioned vehicle, facing in a southerly direction.
The consul General commenced to make a three point turn in Portland Street, SEVER's
vehicle remained stationary.
About the same time a 1974, Honda i500cc Solo motorcycle, black, NO. RA-087
entered Portland Street, from Lancaster Road, passed behind the Consul General's
vehicle and continued in a southerly direction.
The pillion rider, described as a male person, 168cm. in height, wearing
full face white helmet, possibly spectacles, grey knee length dust coat and
fawn trousers, while seated on the cycle, fired a number of rounds from a
handgun into SEVER's vehicle.
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The motor cycle continued in a southerly direction, this offender then
alighted from the cycle, which was traveling at very low speed, ran back to
the offside of the Consul's vehicle (which was negotiating a three point turn,
with front wheels almost on the curb), discharged further rounds from the
same weapon into the vehicle. Whilst this person was discharging these rounds,
the rider of the cycle, described as a male person, 175cm. in height, wearing
full face white helmet, dressed in a navy blue, possibly combination overalls,
with a heavy brass chain across the shoulder and chest, negotiated a 'U' turn,
and was now facing in a northerly direction.
The shooter (offender No. 1) mounted the pillion seat and both offenders
drove along Portland Street, turned left (west) into Lancaster Road.
SEVER'S vehicle then commenced to move slowly in a southerly direction in Portland
Street, crossed onto the incorrect side of the roadway, mounted the curb,
traveled down a slight embankment and came to a halt against a fence.
The vehicle traveled approximately 150 yards.
It had been the regular practice, over the previous twelve months for
the consul General to leave his home in his private vehicle so that he arrives
at the Turkish consulate, 66 Ocean Street, Woollahra, about 10.00 am.
He was always followed by his bodyguard, who drives the Consular car, (Mazda sedan).
The Honda motorcycle used in the offense was located in an unnamed
lane chained to a telegraph pole, approximately 2 kilometers from the scene.
A woman told police she had seen two men near the site of the abandoned motor cycle nearly a week ago. They had asked her if there was an exit from the small lane where the bike was eventually abandoned. Two days later, she saw a woman sitting near the scene, who had said she was waiting for two male friends. The waiting woman spoke with a foreign accent. Canberra Times, 19 December 1980.
The cycle had been reported stolen from the Drummoyne area by the owner
on 8 December 1980. Police examination and inquiries revealed that the cycle
had been serviced.
The petrol tank and other portions of the bike had been resprayed from bronze to black and alterations had been made to the electrical system after the theft.
The number plates which were originally attached to the stolen cycle, to date, have not been recovered. The number plates which were attached to the cycle at the time of the offense were stolen from the Bondi Junction area, however, the owner of these plates was not aware of the theft until notified by police.
The motorcycle was involved in an accident a day before the attack in the Willoughby area.
The handgun used in the commission of the offense was a nine mm caliber, self loading pistol, designed to accept a large capacity magazine. Spent cartridges, manufactured by Sako of Finland, during World War II, were
located at the scene.
Approximately 35 minutes after the murders, a young female with an ethnic
accent telephoned the 'Sun Herald' newspaper, claiming responsibility for
the shooting in the name of the 'JUSTICE COMMANDOS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE'.
A short time later a male person contacted the same newspaper and claimed responsibility for the act on behalf of the same group.
Hear the audio recording from the video above.
According to official documents, a professor of linguistics analysed the recording, concluding that the voice could be belonging to someone between the ages of 18 and 25, of Armenian origin, possibly a Turkish-Armenian who learned English in Australia.
Other newspaper offices, radio and television stations in Sydney were also contacted by
persons alleging to be from the same organization, and claiming responsibility
for the murders.
It must be noted that the call made to AAP and The Sun have slightly different contents. While AAP call mentions of a female with a fine accent, the audio recording released by NSW Police recently is of a female with a heavy accent.
Homicide Squad, Special Brach and Waverley Detectives are carried out inquiries within the Armenian Community, particularly into the clandestine movement of 'TASHNAG' (DASHNAG), of which it is believed that the JUSTICE COMMANDOS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE' are part thereof.
Members of the Armenian Community, particularly their leaders, have claimed
that both of the latter mentioned organizations do not exist in Sydney, or just cultural organizations.
Police raids on the properties of DASHNAG leadership led to the arrest of a person who have found to be in possession of a replica gun. The person was fined A$250 and deemed unrelated to the murders.
Over 300 hours of interviews had been conducted, with particular focus on 14 people. Travel records and personal connections of some sixty one known Armenian terrorists had been thoroughly checked.
Inquiries have also being carried out in an effort to locate a number of vehicles and foreign persons believed to be of Armenian extraction, who have been observed by witnesses in the vicinity of the Consul General's private residence and the Consulate, prior to the murders.
Numerous inquiries through Interpol were made concerning travel movements of known Armenian terrorists or "DASHNAG' representatives.
There is no doubt that the assassinations were carried out by Armenians who were members of the 'JUSTICE COMMANDOS OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE' The female person who claimed responsibility, displayed a knowledge of Armenian politics, and the division which exists between the ASALA, and JCAG, by emphasising that "We have no connection with the so called Secret Army". The division between the two terrorist groups is not widely known and there could be no other reason for the inclusion of this phrase, other than to ensure that the JCAG was in fact responsible.
TO BE CONTINUED.
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