The Ottawa Sun
August 26, 2004 Thursday Final Edition

WHO KILLED TURKISH DIPLOMAT?;
22-YEAR HUNT FOR ASSASSIN

BY LAURA CZEKAJ, OTTAWA SUN

Someone knows who committed the cold-blooded murder of a Turkish
military attache in Ottawa 22 years ago tomorrow.

The question is whether the passage of time will give that person the
courage to come forward.

“Hopefully some day we will get something solid to follow up on,”
said RCMP Sgt. Andre Bigras.

Until then, the RCMP will continue to search for the killer of Col.
Atilla Altikat, who was shot to death on Aug. 27, 1982, as he sat in
his car stopped at a red light on the Ottawa River Pkwy. at Island
Park Dr.

The gunman conducted the brazen killing in plain view of other
motorists and disappeared without a trace.

HISTORICAL FEUD

“It was something you don’t expect to see in Canada,” Bigras said
about the assassination.

The Justice Commandos of the Armenian Genocide claimed responsibility
for the killing — another violent act in the longstanding feud
between Turks and Armenians.

“These attacks caused by Armenians were a result of passing hate from
generation to generation,” said Dr. Kevser Taymaz, a representative
of the Federation of Canadian Turkish Associations.

“Both sides lost lives and what we want is to commemorate those lives
together.”

Armenians say the Turkish government of the Ottoman Empire carried
out genocide on the Armenian minority in Turkey from 1915-1916 and
1922-23.

They say the massacre of more than a million Armenians was systematic
and repeated to eliminate the Armenian minority and create space for
Turkish development.

COMMEMORATION

Turkey denies the accusation of genocide almost a century ago, but
hatred between the two nationalities endures.

Each year, Turkish mourners commemorate the anniversary of Altikat’s
assassination in Ottawa by gathering at the intersection where he was
gunned down.

This year’s commemoration ceremony starts at noon tomorrow and is
expected to attract Turkish Canadians from Toronto, Montreal,
Kingston and Brockville. Altikat’s relatives are not expected to
attend.

“We want to remind people that … we should raise our children with
tolerance and understanding,” said Taymaz.