Incident Summary:

04/08/2006: Two Turkish army conscripts took hostages in a Burger King in Taksim Square, Turkey, while shouting threats to kill himself to police negotiators. The two gunmen were arrested when police climbed on the rooftop terrace to storm the building. No group claimed responsibility for the attack.

GTD ID:
200604080005

When:
2006-04-08

Country:
Turkey

Region:
Middle East & North Africa

Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:

Istanbul

City:
Istanbul

Attack Information
Type of Attack (more) Hostage Taking (Barricade Incident)
Successful Attack? (more) Yes
Target Information (more)
Target Type: Business
Name of Entity Business of Istanbul
Specific Description Fast food outlet in Istanbul
Nationality of Target Turkey
Additional Information
Hostages Yes
Number of Hostages Unknown
US Hostages 0
Hours of Kidnapping 2
Outcome Hostage(s) released by perpetrators
Ransom No
Property Damage No
Weapon Information
Type Sub-type
Firearms Handgun
Weapon Details
Firearm was an air pistol or blank-firing gun.
Additional Information
Suicide Attack?No
Part of Multiple Incident?No
Criterion 1 (more) Yes
Criterion 2 (more) Yes
Criterion 3 (more) Yes
Doubt Terrorism Proper (more) No
Additional Information The perpetrators were wearing identical T-shirts in the colors of the Turkish flag with "Turkey" blazoned across them, an AFP photographer at the scene reported. They shouted "We are Turks" and "They are killing our soldiers" before handing themselves over to police.
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name Claimed Responsibility
Unknown No
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators 2
Number of Captured Perpetrators 2
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties 0 Fatalities / 0 Injured
Total Number of Fatalities 0
Number of U.S. Fatalities 0
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities 0
Total Number of Injured 0
Number of U.S. Injured 0
Number of Perpetrators Injured 0
Sources
“Armed men take hostage at Istanbul Burger King, then release him,” Associated Press Worldstream, April 09, 2006.
Reuters, “Soldiers in Rooftop Protest; Turkish Pair Take Hostages at Istanbul Burger King,” The Toronto Star, April 09, 2006.
“Two Turkish Soldiers 'Protest Recent Clashes' With Hostage Taking at Burger King,” Ankara Anatolia in English, April 09, 2006.