Muhammed Tokcan ( Abkhaz name Tug-ipa), (born 1969, in Gebze), was one of the hijackers arrested for the hijacking of the ''Avrasya'' in 1996. The leader of the militants, Muhammed Tokcan, escaped from the prison in Dalaman on October 6, 1997. Tokcan was arrested again at Atatürk Airport in Istanbul on April 29, 1999, as he tried to flee to

Sochi Sochi ( rus, Сочи, p=ˈsotɕɪ, a=Ru-Сочи.ogg, from – ''seaside'') is the largest Resort town, resort city in Russia. The city is situated on the Sochi (river), Sochi River, along the Black Sea in the North Caucasus of Souther ...

under a false

passport A passport is an official travel document issued by a government that certifies a person's identity and nationality for international travel. A passport allows its bearer to enter and temporarily reside in a foreign country, access local aid ...

. He was

parole Parole, also known as provisional release, supervised release, or being on paper, is a form of early release of a prisoner, prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated ...

d on December 22, 2000. On April 22, 2001, just before midnight, a group of 12 militants led by Tokcan (who was still on parole), seized the Swissotel in

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

and took hostages to draw attention to the new war in Chechnya. The crisis ended again without bloodshed when all gunmen surrendered after 12 hours. Tokan led a group of gunmen who forced their way into the lobby of the luxury hotel firing automatic rifles and pump-action shotguns and demanding an audience with Interior Minister Saadettin Tantan."Chechen Gunmen Take Hostages at Turkish Hotel"
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tokcan, Muhammed 1969 births Hijackers Living people Turkish people of Abkhazian descent