“You sons of whores” the chilling words echo in my mind. I stand before the Mykonos-Attentat Plaque a stark reminder of a horrific night. This unassuming plaque on the pavement marks the spot where a brutal act of state-sponsored terrorism unfolded. Here on Prager Strasse in Berlin on September 17 1992 four men were murdered.
The Mykonos-Attentat Plaque commemorates the assassination of Sadegh Sharafkandi Fattah Abdoli Homayoun Ardalan and their translator Nouri Dehkordi. They were leading figures in the Iranian Democratic Party of Kurdistan. Their deaths were not random acts of violence. The German court ruled that the killings were ordered by Iran’s Committee for Special Operations. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hashemi Rafsanjani were implicated.
Imagine the scene Masked gunmen burst into the Mykonos Greek restaurant. They shouted their hateful words before opening fire. The attack was swift and brutal. Three victims died instantly. One died later in hospital. It was a targeted assassination aimed at silencing Kurdish opposition to the Iranian regime. This was not the first such assassination. Similar attacks against Iranian opposition figures had occurred in Geneva London Vienna and Paris. The Mykonos killings however were the first in Germany.
The Mykonos trial was a landmark event. It lasted for years. The court convicted several perpetrators. Kazem Darabi an Iranian grocer in Berlin was among them. He received a life sentence. He was later released and deported to Iran. He even wrote a book denying his involvement. But for many the plaque is a symbol of justice. It is a permanent record of a crime.
The plaque itself is simple. It is a metal plate set into the sidewalk. The inscription details the victims and the date of the atrocity. It serves as a somber reminder of the consequences of political violence. It stands as a testament to the courage of those who fought for freedom. It also symbolizes the international effort to bring those responsible to justice. Despite the release of some of the perpetrators the plaque ensures the memory of the Mykonos-Attentat remains. The victims’ names live on. Their fight for freedom continues to inspire. This plaque ensures that this terrible night is never forgotten. Their sacrifice will not be in vain. This is the Mykonos-Attentat Plaque a permanent tribute in Berlin.