2024 Eskisehir mosque stabbing
{{Short description|2024 mass stabbing in Turkey}}
{{Infobox civilian attack
| title = 2024 Eskisehir mosque stabbing
| location = Eskisehir, Turkey
| date = August 12, 2024
| image = Eskisehir mosque stabbing.png
| image_size = 190
| caption = Küçükyetim in his livestream, moments before the attack
| type = Mass stabbing
| weapons = * Camping knife
- Combat axe (unused)
- Pepper spray (unused)
| fatalities = 0
| injuries = 5
| motive = * Far-right extremism
| charges = * Attempted murder (5 counts)
- Creating fear and panic
| perpetrator = Arda Küçükyetim
}}
On August 12, 2024, a mass stabbing attack took place outside of Tepebaşı Cami in Eskisehir, Turkey. The suspect behind the attack has been identified as 18-year-old Arda Küçükyetim. The attack was livestreamed on Kick through a camera attached to the suspect's vest.
Five people were stabbed and injured before Küçükyetim was detained by the police, one of these people was hospitalized in serious condition, but has since then recovered. Küçükyetim's trial is set to proceed in Eskişehir's 6th High Criminal Court. He is charged of five counts of attempted murder and creating public panic, if convicted he may face up to 108 years in prison.{{Cite web |date=January 9, 2025 |title=Neo-Nazi teen in Eskisehir knife rampage faces 108 years, planned a bomb attack |url=https://www.turkiyetoday.com/turkiye/neo-nazi-teen-in-eskisehir-knife-rampage-faces-108-years-planned-a-bomb-attack-103496/ |website=Turkey Today}}
Perpetrator
Arda Küçükyetim (born January 2006){{Citation needed|date=April 2025}} was a self-described national socialist, prior to the attack he created a Telegram chat where he had a friend share the file containing his manifesto, documents written by other killers as well as photos of himself. Küçükyetim claimed in the manifesto that he was motivated by accelerationism, described people as "insects" and praised various white supremacist terrorists as well as other mass murderers, including the perpetrators of the Oklahoma City bombing, 2011 Norway attacks, 2017 Las Vegas shooting, and Christchurch mosque shootings.{{Cite web |last=GPAHE |date=2024-08-14 |title=Turkish Attacker Steeped in Neo-Nazism and Online Gaming Culture |url=https://globalextremism.org/post/turkish-attacker-neo-nazism-gaming-culture/ |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=Global Project Against Hate and Extremism |language=en-US}} The manifesto also contained a warning of an incoming societal collapse and encouraged the reader to help achieve it using violent methods.{{Cite web |date=August 16, 2024 |title=Turkey Attacker Inspired by Accelerationism and Mass Killers, Manifesto Shows |url=https://www.adl.org/resources/article/turkey-attacker-inspired-accelerationism-and-mass-killers-manifesto-shows |website=Anti-Defamation League}}{{Cite web |date=August 13, 2024 |title=Lone wolf or far-right plot: Who is behind mass knife attack in Türkiye? |url=https://www.turkiyetoday.com/turkiye/mass-attack-in-turkiye-lone-wolf-or-far-right-plot-39540/ |website=Turkey Today}} A Telegram chat in which he posted his manifesto was later found to have also been browsed by Natalie Rupnow, the perpetrator of the Abundant Life Christian School shooting.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-21 |title=Murder and Extremism in the United States in 2024 |url=https://www.adl.org/resources/report/murder-and-extremism-united-states-2024 |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=Anti-Defamation League}} Küçükyetim described his attack as a "lone wolf" act that was meant to "motivate future generations."{{Cite web |date=August 14, 2024 |title=Neo-Nazi teen in Eskisehir knife rampage faces 108 years, planned a bomb attack. |url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/more-details-emerge-in-eskisehir-knife-attack-199511 |website=Daily News}}
Stabbing
On August 12, 2024, Arda Küçükyetim formatted all of his devices and arrived at the vicinity of the mosque, once there he went behind a local barbershop and put on a helmet, ski mask and tactical vest, then started a livestream. He walked to the tea garden of the mosque where he pulled out a camping knife and slit a mans throat, leaving him in critical condition before attempting to chase down other people.{{Cite web |date=August 13, 2024 |title=Teen in central Türkiye stabs 5 while dressed as video game character |url=https://www.dailysabah.com/turkiye/teen-in-central-turkiye-stabs-5-while-dressed-as-video-game-character/news |website=Daily Sabah}}{{Cite web |date=August 13, 2024 |title=Wearing a helmet, a skull face covering and bulletproof vest |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkish-police-arrest-masked-man-after-five-people-stabbed-state-media-says-2024-08-13/ |website=Reuters}} He would go on to attack people at random in the surrounding areas of the mosque, inflicting minor injuries to four more people{{Cite web |date=August 13, 2024 |title='Nazi' teenager livestreams knife rampage outside mosque |url=https://metro.co.uk/2024/08/13/nazi-teenager-livestreams-knife-rampage-outside-mosque-21411086/ |website=Metro UK}} before getting chased and subdued by the police.{{Cite web |date=August 13, 2024 |title=Masked attacker stabs five people in Turkey and broadcasts rampage on social media |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/turkey-knife-attack-eskisehir-nazi-b2595568.html |website=The Independent}}{{Cite web |date=August 13, 2024 |title=Teenager wearing a helmet and bulletproof vest randomly stabs 5 people at a cafe in Turkey |url=https://apnews.com/article/turkey-teenager-knife-attack-eskisehir-80d9c10732fff555dcdf9b4f23bee9ac |website=Associated Press}} At the end of the livestream, a policeman was seen taking off his tactical vest as he lied on the ground handcuffed and surrounded by bystanders and police.{{Cite web |date=August 13, 2024 |title=Teen wearing helmet and bulletproof vest livestreams stabbing rampage by mosque in Turkey, authorities say |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/turkey-teenager-stabbing-mosque/ |website=CBS News}}{{Cite web |date=August 13, 2024 |title=Teenager stabs five at outdoor cafe in Turkey |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c24p7mgp2d6o |website=BBC News}} He was also armed with pepper spray and an axe at his waist that he did not use.{{Cite web |title=Turkey arrests teenager for stabbing attack at mosque |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/13/turkey-arrests-teenager-for-stabbing-attack-at-mosque |website=Al Jazeera English}}
Victims
The victims were identified as Tevfik Arslan (73), Cumali Özemek (57), Naşit Özyürek (89), Metin Korkmaz (66) and Cemal Altıntaş (53).{{Cite web |date=2025-03-07 |title=Eskişehir'de 5 kişiyi bıçaklayan sanığın davasında 'kapalı duruşma' kararı |url=https://www.dha.com.tr/gundem/eskisehirde-5-kisiyi-bicaklayan-sanigin-davasinda-kapali-durusma-karari-2596555 |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=DHA {{!}} Demirören Haber Ajansı |language=tr}} Özemek was the most heavily-injured one, suffering a slash to his neck. He recovered after 8 days' hospitalization.{{Cite web |last=Ajansı |first=İhlas Haber |date=2024-08-22 |title=Taburcu oldu, korku dolu anları olay yerinde anlattı |url=https://www.tontv.com.tr/haber/23646393/taburcu-oldu-korku-dolu-anlari-olay-yerinde-anlatti |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=Ton TV |language=tr}}
Investigation
According to authorities, Küçükyetim had initially planned to carry out a bombing attack but changed his mind due to safety concerns at home. Küçükyetim also confessed to investigators that the driving force behind the attack was his hatred for humanity, and not religion. He stated, "I did this because I do not like people and wanted to make a noise". Küçükyetim also claimed that he felt inspired by a 16 year old from Eastern Europe he had contact with, the teenager shared plans to commit a school shooting in their own country and allegedly encouraged Küçükyetim's plot.{{Cite web |date=January 9, 2025 |title=Neo-Nazi teen in Eskisehir knife rampage faces 108 years, planned a bomb attack |url=https://www.turkiyetoday.com/turkiye/neo-nazi-teen-in-eskisehir-knife-rampage-faces-108-years-planned-a-bomb-attack-103496/ |website=Turkey Today}} Cybercrime investigators were unable to identify this person.{{Cite web |date=January 11, 2025 |title=108 years in prison sought for Nazi-inspired knife attacker |url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/108-years-in-prison-sought-for-nazi-inspired-knife-attacker-204570 |website=Daily News}}
A psychiatric evaluation verified Küçükyetim's criminal responsibility, and an investigation found that he was fully aware of his actions. Prosecutors stated that his acts are ideologically motivated violence but not terrorism. Küçükyetim stated that he had no contact with any terrorist organizations and regretted the attack, he also revealed that he had tried to receive help from a hospital's psychiatric service about seven months prior to the attack in an effort to overcome his depression, but had stopped taking his medication afterward for unknown reasons.
Authorities charged Küçükyetim with five counts of “premeditated attempted murder” and “creating fear and panic among the public.”, he faces a maximum sentence of 108 years in prison if convicted (20 for each attempted murder, 8 for creating fear and panic).{{Cite web |date=January 11, 2025 |title=He attacked the believers in a mosque with an ax and a knife, a sentence of 108 years in prison is required for the 18-year-old |url=https://pamfleti.net/english/bota/oi-me-sepate-dhe-thike-besimtaret-ne-nje-xhami-kerkohet-denimi-me-108-v-i261269 |website=Pamfleti News}} A local Turkish court imposed a ban on media coverage of the event until the investigation is completed.{{Cite web |date=August 13, 2025 |title=5-injured in nazi insipred attack in Turkey |url=https://hispanatolia.com/en/5-injured-in-neo-nazi-inspired-multiple-stabbing-in-turkey/ |website=hispanatolia.com}} A 17-year-old high school student was alleged to have been involved in the incident, though due to his status as a minor his charges are not known and he was not put in custody.
In September 2024, two white supremacists from the United States were arrested in connection to encouraging the attack. The two were members of Terrorgram. They were charged with soliciting hate crimes and the murder of federal officials, distributing bomb-making instructions and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists,{{Cite web |last=AFP |first=Daily Sabah with |date=2024-09-10 |title=US arrests white supremacists inspiring Turkish attacker |url=https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/us-arrests-white-supremacists-inspiring-turkish-attacker/news |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=Daily Sabah |language=en-US}} as they had shared writing material with Küçükyetim and encouraged him to carry out his crime. Among the files shared between the three were writings by Juraj Krajcík, the perpetrator of the 2022 Bratislava shooting.{{Cite journal |last=Macklin |first=Graham |date=December 2024 |title=Evaluating ‘Transnationalism’ as an Analytical Lens for Understanding REMVE Terrorism |url=https://ctc.westpoint.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/CTC-SENTINEL-112024.pdf |journal=CTC Sentinel |volume=17 |issue=11 |pages=6-7}} Despite this, the incident is not currently being as a terrorist incident, as there has been no conclusive link made to any organized terrorist militia.
Küçükyetim's trial began on March 7, 2025. During his opening statement, he claimed that at the time of the crime, he had difficulty distinguishing between fiction and reality, and apparently thought he was inside of a videogame. He was denied bond.