Hagop Hagopian

Hagop Hagopian (or Agop Agopian; Armenian: Յակոբ Յակոբեան ; 1951–28 April 1988) was an Armenian activist and one of the founders and the main leader of the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA).

Hagopian was assassinated outside his home in Athens' Palaio Faliro suburb at 4:30 a.m. on 28 April 1988, while he was waiting for a taxi to take him to the airport for a flight to Belgrade. He was accompanied by his sister-in-law, who was not hurt.

Hagopian was wanted in France for masterminding the Orly Airport attack in July 1983. This attack resulted in a split in ASALA, with the splinter group ASALA Revolutionary Movement led by Monte Melkonian condemning "the murderous deviation" of Hagopian. Hagopian's more militant faction concentrated in the Middle East and Greece. In the aftermath of the split, Hagopian executed two of Melkonian's allies within ASALA in retaliation for the assassination of two of Hagopian's closest aides.

Following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982, Hagopian fled and supposedly set up new bases in Damascus and Athens. He broke with the Palestine Liberation Organization, which had given ASALA training and support, and linked up with the anti-PLO leader Abu Nidal.

According to the unidentified U.S. official quoted by The Washington Post, in the late 1980s ASALA had grown more mercenary due to financial difficulties, and "Hagopian became a gun for hire".

Born in Mosul, Iraq as Harutiun Takoshian, he took the nom de guerre Hagop Hagopian, and moved to Lebanon, where according to some sources he joined the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. In 1975, alongside with writer Kevork Ajemian and others, and with the support from Palestinian groups, he founded in Beirut the ASALA. As leader of ASALA, he directed attacks and assassinations of Turkish diplomats and their families in various countries of the world.