Following the murder of Hrant Dink in Istanbul, the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) has been mentioned in some Turkish circles to counter claims made by some Armenians in the Diaspora that as Dink was murdered by a Turk, all Turks are potential murderers. In response, they state that Turks do not claim that all Armenians are terrorists, although to be honest, I’m sure they have on occasion.

I wonder if the boring clichéd commentators on the Dink murder could answer any of the following questions: Can a whole nation be held responsible for one (or a few) heinous act(s) of a fanatic(s)? If yes, are the Dutch a “murderer nation” because Volkert van der Graaff, a non-Muslim Dutchman, for example, murdered Pim Fortuyn? Did any Turk hold Turkey’s Armenians responsible for the murders by ASALA of scores of Turkish diplomats?

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The BBC reports that Hollywood actor Johnny Depp is to produce a film on the life and death of former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko who was poisoned by a radioactive substance in London in November last year. The film will be based on a book, Sasha’s Story: The Life and Death of a Russian Spy, written by Alan Cowell of the New York Times.

Friends of Mr Litvinenko believe he was poisoned by the Russian government because of his strong criticism of President Vladimir Putin.

The Kremlin has dismissed suggestions it was involved in any way, and police in both the UK and Russia are investigating the death.

Under the terms of Depp’s production company, Infinitum Nihil, the actor could both produce and star in the film.

Depp, star of Pirates of the Caribbean and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, has been following Mr Litvinenko’s case closely, Variety reported.

To make this related to Armenia, I wonder if the film will include any references to Litvinenko’s allegations that the Russian special service were involved in the 27 October 1999 assassinations in the Armenian National Assembly? Will be interesting if it does. Although it doesn’t include any details about the film itself, the full BBC report is here.

The BBC reports that former KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko died last night in a London hospital after apparently being poisoned at the beginning of November. According to the report, Litvinenko was investigating last month’s murder of Anna Politkovskaya and dictated a letter in his final hours accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of being behind his imminent death.

Protest from around the world “will reverberate, Mr Putin, in your ears for the rest of your life,” he said.

The Kremlin has dismissed allegations it was involved as “sheer nonsense”.

Scotland Yard said officers were now investigating “an unexplained death”.

Friends say the former KGB agent was poisoned because of his criticism of Russia.

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Via iArarat, news that 24-year-old Armenian-American computer science student Christopher Soghoian has had a run-in with the FBI for highlighting an airline security flaw. Soghoian was responsible for creating a web site that generated fake boarding passes for Northwest Airlines.

BoingBoing reports that Soghoian stopped responding to instant messages after 3.50pm on 27 October when the FBI paid a visit to his home. The visit followed calls for Soghoian’s arrest by U.S. Congressman Edward Markey.

The Bush Administration must immediately act to investigate, apprehend those responsible, shut down the website, and warn airlines and aviation security officials to be on the look-out for fraudsters or terrorists trying to use fake boarding passes in an attempt to cheat their way through security and onto a plane,” Markey said in a statement. “There are enough loopholes at the backdoor of our passenger airplanes from not scanning cargo for bombs; we should not tolerate any new loopholes making it easier for terrorists to get into the front door of a plane.

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State Funeral of Vazgen Sarkisyan, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 1999

RFE/RL reports that the relatives of those slain in the 27 October 1999 terrorist attack on the Armenian National Assembly still believe that there was a high level cover-up to conceal the identity of those behind the assassination of several high level government officials. Among those killed were then Prime Minister, Vazgen Sarkisyan, and Speaker of Parliament, former Soviet era leader of Armenia Karen Demirchyan.

The eight men were shot dead on October 27, 1999 moments after gunmen led by an obscure former journalist, Nairi Hunanian, burst into the National Assembly and sprayed it with bullets. Although all five gunmen were arrested the next day and sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2003, there are still nagging questions about whether they acted alone or had some powerful backers. Military prosecutors that investigated the shootings appeared to believe in the latter theory, arresting but subsequently releasing several other individuals, including President Robert Kocharian’s former chief of staff.

[…]

Friends and relatives of Sarkisian and Demirchian, whose Miasnutyun (Unity) alliance swept to a landslide victory in the May 1999 parliamentary elections, were quick to point the finger at Kocharian, triggering a bitter power struggle that ended in the president’s victory in May 2000. They continue to suspect Kocharian and his chief lieutenant, Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian, of involvement in the crime, citing the authorities’ controversial handling of the criminal inquiry and the ensued trial. Kocharian and his political allies have repeatedly rejected such suggestions.

“The trial only deepened, rather than dispelled the public’s suspicions, and the severe consequences of October 27 continue to be felt today,” Demirchian’s son Stepan, who was Kocharian’s main challenger in the 2003 presidential election, said after laying flowers at his hugely popular father’s grave. “The authorities have done everything not to establish the truth and to cover up the crime,” he told reporters.

Sarkisian’s brother Aram, who leads the radical opposition Hanrapetutyun, was careful not to directly implicate anyone in the bloodbath, but made no secret of his suspicions. “They did nothing to prevent October 27, and they did everything not to solve the crime,” he said.

Anahit Bakhshian, the wife of the assassinated vice-speaker Yuri Bakhshian, went farther, claiming that one should look for the “organizers” of the parliament attack within Armenia’s current leadership.

Prime Minister Andranik Markarian, who had accused the Kocharian camp of obstructing justice before being name prime minister in May 2000, shrugged off the statement. “She repeats the same thing each year,” he said. “If such suspicions had been substantiated, the organizers would have already been identified.”

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It’s the third day of my Mum’s visit to Armenia and British Airways still has no idea where her luggage is. There were about a dozen others on the same flight who are also without their bags, as well as those who came over on the the Air France flight that arrived a few hours earlier. Apparently this is all because of tighter anti-terrorist measures in Europe and less time available to check in bags. Regardless, we can only now wait to see whether anything turns up before my Mum leaves Armenia next week.

Kurdish Demonstration, Istanbul, Republic of Turkey © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 1997

After saying that this year’s Newroz in Turkey seemed to pass more peacefully than it has in the past, the BBC reports that another four people have died in rioting that has spread across the country in recent days.

At least four more people have died in continued violence in Turkey after days of clashes between Kurds and police.

Three were killed in Istanbul after a petrol bomb was thrown at a bus and a Kurdish man was shot dead by troops in the town of Kiziltepe, reports said.

Demonstrators took to the streets in Istanbul as unrest spread following Turkey’s worst riots in several years.

Riots began on Tuesday after funerals for 14 suspected Kurdish militants who were killed last weekend in the east.

Some 200 pro-Kurdish protesters blocked roads in the Bagcilar suburb of Istanbul and threw a petrol bomb at a passing bus.

At least three people died, reportedly run over as the bus driver manoeuvred to escape the rioters.

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Turkish officials have alleged that the week of violence has been orchestrated by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), banned by the government and branded a terrorist group by the European Union.

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British-Armenian Photographer Among World Press Photo Award Winners

The morning of July 7 2005 was the same as any other for Edmond Terakopian, a photographer with the British Press Association (PA), until his cell phone rang during a photo shoot at London’s Natural History Museum. Along with 20 other photographers, Edmond was waiting to photograph the world’s largest uncut diamond.

The voice on the other end of the phone, however, had a new assignment for the British-Armenian photographer. Reports were coming in of an explosion at the Aldgate East Tube (Metro) Station. No other details were known.

According to Edmond’s personal account of that fateful day, it wasn’t long before the full horror that was to bring the London Tube to a halt became apparent. The British capital was under attack. A second phone call from the Press Association reporting another explosion at the Edgeware Road Tube station made that all too clear. “My heart sank. This was no longer an accident,” remembered Edmond in his account published by the Digital Journalist online magazine.

“How can there be two explosions […] in the same morning? I knew it must be terrorism.”

What followed then made headline news across the globe. However, only few people in Armenia knew that one of the most prolific photographers sending images out on the wire that week was Edmond, a friend that I have been fortunate enough to know for 12 years. Tireless in his dedication and commitment to his work, Edmond is a true professional and, unlike most other Armenian photographers, has always spared what little time he has free to encourage others.

I can count myself among the number of photographers that have benefited from his advice over the years.

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The BBC reports that Vladimir Arutyunian, an ethnic Armenian citizen of the Republic of Georgia, has been found guilty and sentenced to life in prison for throwing a grenade during the U.S. President’s much publicized visit to Armenia’s northern neighbor last May.

Vladimir Arutyunian was found guilty on charges including terrorism, treason, attempted assassination and the killing of a police officer, the judge said.

The grenade landed 30m (100ft) from Mr Bush and the Georgian leader, who were standing behind bullet-proof glass.

It failed to go off because of a malfunction, said US officials.

Interfax says that Arutyunian was also found guilty on eight other counts. Obviously, CNN covers the news of Arutyunian’s sentencing, as does USA Today. Other coverage can be found through Yahoo’s news page.

The Chicago Tribune reports that Vladimir Arutyunyan, an ethnic Armenian who threw a grenade during President George W. Bush’s visit to the Republic of Georgia in May has been indicted.

A man who admitted throwing a live grenade toward President Bush during a rally in the former Soviet republic of Georgia was indicted Wednesday by a U.S. grand jury on charges of trying to assassinate the president.

Vladimir Arutyunian already faces terrorism and murder charges in Georgia stemming from the May 10 incident in the capital of Tbilisi and the killing of a police officer in a shootout before his arrest in July.

According to the report, which can be read online here, Artutyunyan could face life imprisonment if convicted.

Howard Dean with ARF-Dashnaksutiun Bureau Member Vicken Hovsepian, Tsitsernakaberd, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia

RFE/RL carries a report from AP on the decision to grant U.S. Citizenship to two Armenians from Lebanon who were convicted of plotting to blow up the Turkish Consulate in Philadelphia 20 years ago. One of the men, Vicken Hovsepian, is an ARF-Dashnaksutiun Bureau Member and was recently in Armenia with Howard Dean, the former Democratic Party presidential nominee and Chairman of the party’s National Committee.

Tuesday’s decision ends a long battle by Viken Hovsepian and Viken Yacoubian, who plotted to bomb the consulate in retaliation for the massacre of Armenians by Turks in 1915. The Turkish government denies a massacre occurred.

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Tuesday’s decision marks the end of a complex case that began almost as soon as the men were released from prison. The men applied for citizenship in 1997 but then sued to have their cases decided by a federal judge when immigration officials didn’t rule on their applications within 120 days, Millen said. In 2001, the same judge who presided at the men’s 1984 trial opted to administer the oath of citizenship after reviewing their files.

The full news item can be read online here.