Assassination of Taha Carım


The assassination of Taha Carım, Turkish diplomat and ambassador to Holy See took place on 9 June 1977 in Rome, Italy.

Background

The fatal attack on Carım took place two years after the assassination of a Turkish ambassador to Austria, Daniş Tunalıgil and assassination of a Turkish ambassador to France, Ismail Erez by Armenian militant organization JCAG. Taha Carım was serving as an Ambassador to Holy See since 2 November 1973. In March 1977, he was already threatened to be killed by Armenian militant groups. Due to earlier attacks on Turkish diplomats resulting in death, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided to send security personnel to Turkish diplomatic missions abroad. Some time later, the Ambassador Carım requested the Italian police to lift the security service. Instead, he began to carry a pistol to protect himself.

The attack

Carım was returning to his residence, and was shot by two unidentified gunmen from front and back having no chance of resistance. The responsibility was claimed by JCAG.

Legacy

In 2016, the papacy finally condemned of the 1977 assassination of Taha Carım in order to resolve a dispute with Turkey about the Armenian genocide.