September 11 attacks Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! === Planning === {{Main|Planning of the September 11 attacks}} [[File:911 - FEMA - WTC impacts (graphic).svg|thumb|alt=Ground zero and surrounding area as seen from directly above depicting where the two planes impacted the towers|Map of the attacks on the [[World Trade Center (1973–2001)|World Trade Center]]]] [[File:World Trade Center, NY - 2001-09-11 - Debris Impact Areas.svg|thumb|Diagram of the World Trade Center attacks]] The attacks were conceived by [[Khalid Sheikh Mohammed]], who first presented it to [[Osama bin Laden]] in 1996.<ref>{{cite news |title=Suspect 'reveals 9/11 planning' |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3128802.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=September 22, 2003 |access-date=September 3, 2011 |archive-date=December 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225172402/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3128802.stm%20 |url-status=live }}</ref> At that time, bin Laden and Al-Qaeda were in a period of transition, having just relocated back to Afghanistan from [[Sudan]].<ref name="911-ch5">''9/11 Commission Report'' (2004), Chapter 5, pp. ??{{page needed|date=September 2020}}</ref> The [[1998 United States embassy bombings|1998 African embassy bombings]] and bin Laden's February 1998 ''fatwā'' marked a turning point of Al-Qaeda's terrorist operation,<ref>''9/11 Commission Report'' (2004), p. 67.</ref> as bin Laden became intent on attacking the United States. In late 1998 or early 1999, bin Laden approved Mohammed to go forward with organizing the plot.<ref>''9/11 Commission Report'' (2004), p. 149.</ref> Mohammed, bin Laden, and [[Mohammed Atef]], bin Laden's deputy, held a series of meetings in early 1999.<ref>''9/11 Commission Report'' (2004), p. 155.</ref> Atef provided operational support, including target selections and helping arrange travel for the hijackers.<ref name="911-ch5" /> Bin Laden overruled Mohammed, rejecting potential targets such as the [[U.S. Bank Tower (Los Angeles)|U.S. Bank Tower]] in Los Angeles for lack of time.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lichtblau |first=Eric |title=Bin Laden Chose 9/11 Targets, Al Qaeda Leader Says |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/20/us/threats-and-responses-the-plot-bin-laden-chose-9-11-targets-al-qaeda-leader-says.html |work=The New York Times |date=March 20, 2003 |access-date=September 3, 2011 |archive-date=August 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830215929/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/20/us/threats-and-responses-the-plot-bin-laden-chose-9-11-targets-al-qaeda-leader-says.html |url-status=live }}</ref>{{sfnp|Wright|2006|p=308}} Bin Laden provided leadership and financial support and was involved in selecting participants.{{sfnp|Bergen|2006|p=283}} He initially selected [[Nawaf al-Hazmi]] and [[Khalid al-Mihdhar]], both experienced jihadists who had fought in [[Bosnian war|Bosnia]]. Hazmi and Mihdhar arrived in the United States in mid-January 2000. In early 2000, Hazmi and Mihdhar took flying lessons in [[San Diego|San Diego, California]]. Both spoke little [[English language|English]], performed poorly in flying lessons, and eventually served as secondary "muscle" hijackers.{{sfnp|Wright|2006|pp=309–15}}<ref>McDermott (2005), pp. 191–92.</ref> In late 1999, a group of men from [[Hamburg]], Germany, arrived in Afghanistan. The group included [[Mohamed Atta]], [[Marwan al-Shehhi]], [[Ziad Jarrah]], and Ramzi bin al-Shibh.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bernstein |first=Richard |title=On Path to the U.S. Skies, Plot Leader Met bin Laden |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/10/national/10PLOT.html |work=The New York Times |date=September 10, 2002 |access-date=September 3, 2011 |archive-date=May 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512010444/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/10/national/10PLOT.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Bin Laden selected these men because they were educated, could speak English, and had experience living in the West.{{sfnp|Wright|2006|pp=304–07}} New recruits were routinely screened for special skills and Al-Qaeda leaders consequently discovered that [[Hani Hanjour]] already had a commercial pilot's license.{{sfnp|Wright|2006|p=302}} Mohammed later said that he helped the hijackers blend in by teaching them how to order food in restaurants and dress in Western clothing.{{sfnp|Jessee|2006|p=371}} Hanjour arrived in San Diego on December 8, 2000, joining Hazmi.<ref name="9/11 commission staff statement No. 16">{{cite news|title=9/11 commission staff statement No. 16|date=June 16, 2004|url=http://www.9-11commission.gov/staff_statements/staff_statement_16.pdf|publisher=9/11 Commission|access-date=September 11, 2012|archive-date=March 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200320032738/https://9-11commission.gov/staff_statements/staff_statement_16.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Rp|6–7}} They soon left for Arizona, where Hanjour took refresher training.<ref name="9/11 commission staff statement No. 16" />{{rp|7}} Marwan al-Shehhi arrived at the end of May 2000, while Atta arrived on June 3, 2000, and Jarrah arrived on June 27, 2000.<ref name="9/11 commission staff statement No. 16" />{{rp|6}} Bin al-Shibh applied several times for a visa to the United States, but as a Yemeni, he was rejected out of concerns he would overstay his visa.<ref name="9/11 commission staff statement No. 16" />{{rp|4, 14}} Bin al-Shibh stayed in Hamburg, providing coordination between Atta and Mohammed.<ref name="9/11 commission staff statement No. 16" />{{rp|16}} The three [[Hamburg cell]] members all took pilot training in South Florida at [[Huffman Aviation]].<ref name="9/11 commission staff statement No. 16" />{{rp|6}} In the spring of 2001, the secondary hijackers began arriving in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.9-11commission.gov/staff_statements/911_TerrTrav_Monograph.pdf|title=Staff Monograph on 9/11 and Terrorist Travel|publisher=9/11 Commission|year=2004|access-date=September 3, 2011|archive-date=December 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225172706/https://9-11commission.gov/staff_statements/911_TerrTrav_Monograph.pdf%20|url-status=live}}</ref> In July 2001, Atta met with bin al-Shibh in [[Tarragona]], Catalonia, Spain, where they coordinated details of the plot, including final target selection. Bin al-Shibh also passed along bin Laden's wish for the attacks to be carried out as soon as possible.<ref name="irujo">{{cite news|url=http://elpais.com/diario/2004/03/21/espana/1079823611_850215.html |title=Atta recibió en Tarragona joyas para que los miembros del 'comando' del 11-S se hiciesen pasar por ricos saudíes|work=El País|date=March 21, 2004|last=Irujo|first=Jose María|access-date=April 10, 2012|language=es}}</ref> Some of the hijackers received passports from corrupt Saudi officials who were family members or used fraudulent passports to gain entry.<ref>{{cite web |title=Entry of the 9/11 Hijackers into the United States Staff Statement No. 1 |url=http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/911/staff_statements/staff_statement_1.pdf |publisher=National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon The United States |page=2 |access-date=February 7, 2017 |archive-date=April 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200414204904/https://govinfo.library.unt.edu/911/staff_statements/staff_statement_1.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> There have been a few theories that 9/11 was selected by the hijackers as the date of the attack because it resembled [[9-1-1]], the [[Emergency telephone number|phone number used to report emergencies]] in the United States. However, [[Lawrence Wright]] wrote that the hijackers chose the date when [[John III Sobieski]], the [[King of Poland]] and [[Grand Duke of Lithuania]], began the [[Battle of Vienna|battle]] that turned back the [[Ottoman Empire]]'s Muslim armies that were attempting to capture [[Vienna]] (present-day capital of [[Austria]]) on 11 September 1683. During 1683, [[Vienna]] was the seat of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] and [[Habsburg monarchy]], both major powers in [[Europe]] at the time. For Osama bin Laden, this was a date when the West gained some dominance over Islam, and by attacking on this date, he hoped to make a step in Islam "winning" the war for worldwide power and influence.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Hudson |first=John |title=How jihadists schedule terrorist attacks |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2013/05/03/how-jihadists-schedule-terrorist-attacks/ |magazine=[[Foreign Policy]] |date=May 3, 2013 |access-date=February 9, 2020 |language=en-US |archive-date=April 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200404042748/https://foreignpolicy.com/2013/05/03/how-jihadists-schedule-terrorist-attacks/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page