Grey Wolves (organization)

Grey Wolves
Ülkü Ocakları
Logo of the Grey Wolves
Leader(s)	Alparslan Türkeş (1968–1997) Devlet Bahçeli (1997–current)
Dates of operation	1968 (1968)–present
Active region(s)	Currently: Turkey, Northern Cyprus, Western Europe, Syria and China Formerly: Azerbaijan (1992–95; banned), Chechnya and Dagestan (1990s)
Ideology	Turkish nationalism Pan-Turkism Anti-Kurdism Anti-Armenian sentiment Anti-Greek sentiment Anti-communism (historically)
Major actions	Assassinations, bombings
Notable attacks	May 1, 1977: Taksim Square massacre (alleged) March 16, 1978: Beyazıt Massacre October 9, 1978: Bahçelievler massacre December 1978: Maraş massacre May 13, 1981: Pope John Paul II assassination attempt (debated) June 18, 1988: Assassination attempt on Prime Minister Turgut Özal March 12–15, 1995: Gazi Quarter riots (involvement) March 13–17, 1995: Coup d'état attempt in Azerbaijan August 17, 2015: 2015 Bangkok bombing (suspected)
Size	Turkey: 3.6% of the electorate are supporters (2014) ≈ 1.9 million Germany: 10,000+ (2014)
Means of revenue	Illegal drug trade,extortion, people smuggling

The Grey Wolves (Turkish: Bozkurtlar), officially known as Ülkü Ocakları (Turkish: [ylcy od͡ʒɑkɫɑɾɯ]; "Idealist Clubs" or "Idealist Hearths"), is a Turkish nationalist organization. It is variously described as ultra-nationalist or neo-fascist. A youth organization with close links to the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), it has been described as MHP's paramilitary or militant wing. Its members deny its political nature and claim it to be a cultural and education foundation, which is expressed in its full official name: Ülkü Ocakları Eğitim ve Kültür Vakfı (Idealist Clubs Educational and Cultural Foundation).

Established by Colonel Alparslan Türkeş in late 1960s, it rose to prominence in late 1970s political violence in Turkey when its members engaged in urban guerrilla warfare with left-wing activists and militants. Scholars have described it as a death squad, responsible for most of the violence and killings in this period. Their most notorious attack, which killed over 100 Alevis, took place in Maraş in December 1978. They are also alleged to have been behind the Taksim Square massacre on May day, 1977. The masterminds behind the attempt on Pope John Paul II's life in 1981 by Grey Wolves member Mehmet Ali Ağca were not identified and the organization's role remains unclear. Due to these attacks the Grey Wolves have been described by scholars and journalists as a terrorist organization. The organization has long been a prominent suspect in investigations into the Turkish "deep state", and is suspected of having had close dealings in the past with the Counter-Guerrilla, the Turkish branch of the NATO Operation Gladio.