On this date...
October 12, 1980, New York
A bomb planted under a stolen automobile parked in front of the United Nations Plaza and Turkish Center, which houses the offices of the Turkish Ambassador to the U.N. and the Turkish Consul General in New York, explodes at 4:50 p.m., minutes before hundreds of employees and tourists exit the United Nations building.
The bomb, with the force of nine sticks of dynamite, demolishes the automobile. Hurled metal, glass, and flames injure five Americans. The explosion destroys 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."
Justice Commandos of Armenian Genocide (JCAG), the militant division of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) (aka the Dashnak Armenian political party) claims responsibility.
According to the FBI, this incident was directed by former ANCA Chairman Mourad Topalian who, 20 years later, was convicted of related weapons and explosives charges. He served 37 months in federal prison.
ATAA condemns these acts of violence against innocent individuals and remembers these tragedies with great sorrow and deliberation to bring the perpetrators and their supporters to justice.
For more information: www.ataa.org/reference
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
