Incident Summary:
11/11/2011: One suspected member of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) hijacked the passenger ferry Kartepe as it was traveling between Izmit and Golcuk in the sea of Marmara off the coast of Turkey. The ferry was carrying at least 24 people, including four crew members, at the time of the hijacking. The assailant, equipped with explosives, demanded that the hijacking be televised; he then directed the ferry to begin to travel southwest. Early the next morning, the assailant was killed by security forces and all hostages were released unharmed. The specific motive behind the hijacking is unknown; however, sources note that the sea of Marmara is where PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan is being held on an island.
Overview
GTD ID:
201111110019
When:
2011-11-11
Country:
Turkey
Region:
Middle East & North Africa
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Kocaeli
City:
Near Izmit
Location Details:
On the sea of Marmara, between Izmit and Golcuk
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Hijacking |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property |
Name of Entity |
Civilians |
Specific Description |
Passengers and crew on board the Kartepe ferry |
Nationality of Target |
Turkey |
Target Type: Transportation |
Name of Entity |
A passenger ferry |
Specific Description |
The passenger ferry Kartepe in the sea of Marmara |
Nationality of Target |
Turkey |
Additional Information
Hostages |
Yes |
Number of Hostages |
24 |
US Hostages |
0 |
Outcome |
Successful Rescue |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
No |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Explosives |
Suicide (carried bodily by human being) |
Weapon Details |
Armed with explosives |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | Yes |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
One source stated that there were 23 passengers, another stated there were 24 passengers, and a third source stated there were 21 passengers. Sources also present differing accounts of the number of hijackers; numbers range between one and five. Finally, it is unclear who killed the hijacker. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
1 |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
1 Fatalities / 0 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
1 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
1 |
Total Number of Injured |
0 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
"Kurdish rebels hijack Turkish ferry: minister," Agence France Presse, November 11, 2011. |
"Ferry hijacked near Izmit, Turkey," CNN, November 11, 2011. |
"Turkish ferry hijacker dead: governor," Agence France Presse, November 12, 2011. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties