Established by Colonel Alparslan Türkeş in the late 1960s , it rose to prominence during the 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 Pope John Paul II assassination attempt 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 some scholars , journalists , and governments 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
Pope John Paul II assassination attempt
Pope John Paul II assassination attempt
Grey Wolves (organization)