The Armenian Rebellions (1905 - 1909)

11. The Assasination Attempt on Sultan Abdul Hamid (1905)

This attack was also carried out by the Dashnaktsutiun Committee. The assassination attempt occurred on 21 July 1905. The bombs placed under the carriage of the Sultan exploded before he got in. The Sultan pardoned the assailants.

It is worth mentioning this is the first act of Urban terrorism in modern history. The first act of terrorism in the 20th Century!

Dasnabedian tells us about the organization of this attack:

"The final decision (to assassinate the Sultan) was taken during the meeting of the Demonstrative Body in Athens, in the summer of 1904. Kristapor headed the entire operation, which along with the Nzhouyk (steed) mission, had several other aspects (including acts of sabotage in Smyrna, where a number of European interests were present). Along with the appointed members of the Demonstrative Body, other revolutionaries - Armenian and non - Armenian ­were invited to participate. In the following months, nearly all of them went to Constantinople under false names. Only a few remained in Bulgaria, to make arrangements for transporting explosives and other materials to Turkey. "(31)

Kristapor died in an accidental explosion of the bombs in Sofia. Another member of the ARF, Safo, implemented the plan for the assassination. The period starting with the 1890 Erzurum incident and ending with the 1896 Van rebellion is known in the West as the period of "massacres". According to various views the number of Moslems who died during the Armenian rebellions start from 5,000 and exceeds 25,000 (Aghasi claims that 20,000 Turks were killed only in the Zeitun rebellion).

(31) Dasnabcdian, op. cit., p.76

12. Tha Adana Insurrection (1909)

On April 14, 1909 an armed confrontation began between the Moslems and Armenians in Adana. The British Embassy reports the reasons for this development:

''After the proclamation of the constitution (24 July 1908) nearly none in Adana was really satisfied. The Turks hated the idea that they were no longer masters. The Armenians wanted to rush into Home Rule. The Greek mistrusted the constitution because he had not made it himself and because under it he seemed likely to lose certain facilities he had enjoyed under the old venal system ...
Under the constitution all men might bear arms. From the deligiful novelty of the thing, many thousands of revolvers were purchased. Even schoolboys had them and, boy-like, flourished them about. But worse followed. The swagger of the arm-bearing Armenian and his ready tongue irritated the ignorant Turks. Threats and insults passed on both sides. Certain Armenian leaders, delegates from Constantinople, and priests urged their congregations to buy arms. It was done openly, indiscreetly, and, in some cases, it might be said wickedly. What can be thought of a preacher, a Russian Armenian, who in a church in this city where there had never been a massacre, preached revenge for the martyrs of 1895? Constitution or none, it was all the same for him. 'Revenge' he said, 'murder for murder'. Buy arms. 'A Turk for every Armenian of 1895'. An American missionary who was present got up and left the church. Bishop Mushech, of Adana, toured his province preaching that he who had a coat should sell it and buy a gun. "(32)

The British Ambassador, in another report dated May 4, 1909, writes that the Armenian Patriarch was responsible to a great extent for the incidents.(33)

The incidents spread when Armenians killed two young Moslems and refused to hand over the assailant, and Moslems and Armenians fought in the streets for three days.
The clashes stopped after the intervention of the soldiers dispatched to the area by the Government.

(32) F.0.424/220. No. 48.enc.
(33) F.0.424-219. No.83