New image of assassin behind murder of former Turkish diplomat Sarik Ariyak in Australia revealed
An extraordinary new photo has emerged of a killer who is still out on the streets after he assassinated a diplomat in Australia. Police have moved to question sources in Sydney and Melbourne.
Exclusive: The face of the man behind Australia’s first politically-motivated assassination has been revealed for the first time in an extraordinary computer generated image put together by witnesses, as police and ASIO begin to close the net on suspects.
Turkish consul general Sarik Ariyak and his bodyguard Engin Sever were leaving the official residence in Dover Heights in Sydney’s eastern suburbs when two assassins on motorbikes rode up and shot them at close range on December 17, 1980.
The 50-year-old diplomat, who was waving goodbye to his wife and eight-year-old daughter at the time, was killed instantly while his 28-year-old bodyguard died later in hospital.
The extraordinary computer-aged image of the assassin as he would look today aged in his early to mid 60s, has been meticulously put together from review and in some cases reinterviewing of witnesses from the time.
News Corp Australia understands a multiagency taskforce led by NSW Police Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) is rapidly closing the net on a suspect and believe he is still alive, moving between the Armenian communities in Melbourne and Sydney.
ASIO agents as well as the Australian Federal Police, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and Turkish authorities have now joined the probe as new details emerge since the reopening of the cold case murder and the offer of a $1 million reward.
The breakthrough in the case has come after the consul’s daughter Calga Ariyak who witnessed the aftermath of the terrifying slaying, earlier this month flew to Australia from her home in the United States and made an impassioned plea for help to catch her dad’s killers as NSW Police made the reward offer.
Responsibility for the attack was claimed at the time by the Justice Commandos of the Armenian Genocide and was part of a worldwide campaign which claimed the life of almost 80 Turkish diplomats and their family members between 1970 and 1990.
The death of the consul was linked to a November 1986 car bomb explosion in the basement of the Turkish consulate building in Melbourne with one Armenian terrorist killed in the premature detonation. There were at least a third plot by Armenian terrorists in this country against Turkish interests.
It is understood police from Strike Force Esslemont have revisited witnesses including neighbours who saw two men on the motorbike prior to the Sydney assassination as well as now applying fingerprint and DNA evidence to new technology and speaking with sources in the Armenian communities of Sydney and Melbourne.
Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Commander Assistant Commissioner Mark Walton, urged the Armenian community to look at the photo-like image.
“Anyone who may recognise the men depicted in the (Comfit) image, or who has any information about the case, is urged to come forward,” he told News Corp Australia.
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“While we are only in the initial stages of the reinvestigation, we suspect there are people who know exactly what happened that day but have not yet been willing to speak with authorities. We’d like to hear from these people as soon as possible, as well as anyone whose memory may be refreshed by the images we’ve released, no matter how insignificant the information may seem, it could be invaluable to the investigation.”
At the time, the first man was described as having a well-tanned complexion, being between 183-188cm tall, with a solid build and broad shoulders, dark eyes, and full dark beard, which was protruding from the bottom of a white open-faced motorcycle helmet.
The second man was described as having an olive complexion, being between 173-178cm tall, with a thin build, dark, wavy hair, which was parted on the side, and a thick moustache. It is expected he would now be aged in his mid-to-late 60s.
Daughter Ms Ariyak said the death had a devastating effect on her family as she earlier this month joined family and friends to lay wreaths outside her former home.
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