11 September 2001 is a date that will forever be etched in the collective memory. On that day, the whole world witnessed one of the most devastating terrorist acts in modern history, orchestrated by al-Qaeda, an Islamic extremist group led by Osama bin Laden. The attack was not only an assault against the United States, but represented an assault against the values of freedom and peaceful coexistence. The images of the Twin Towers in flames, the subsequent collapses and the mourning for the nearly 3,000 innocent victims symbolise the blind violence of radical Islamic terrorism.
The ideology that inspired these attacks, rooted in a distorted view of Islam, drove a group of terrorists to commit barbaric acts, sacrificing thousands of lives in the name of a self-declared jihad. This tragic event marked a before and after in the global fight against Islamic terrorism, defining a new landscape of conflicts and tensions that continue to influence international politics.
The Attack: a coordinated act of terror
On the morning of 11 September 2001, 19 terrorists affiliated with al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial planes, turning them into weapons to strike key US symbols. The plan was executed with precision: at 8:46 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, followed at 9:03 a.m. by United Airlines Flight 175, which hit the South Tower. These acts of destruction were accompanied by the attack on the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m., with American Airlines Flight 77, and a fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after its passengers managed to overpower the hijackers.
Behind these attacks was a cold and calculated plan by al-Qaeda, which used the most cowardly methods to sow death and destruction. The terrorists not only targeted innocent civilians, but also chose symbols of US economic, military and political power as their targets. The World Trade Center represented the heart of global finance, the Pentagon the military power, while Flight 93, which was supposedly headed for the White House or the Capitol, aimed to strike at the heart of American democracy.
The Faults of Islamic Terrorism: the Ideology of Al-Qaeda
The heart of the attack lay in the radical ideology of al-Qaeda. Founded in the 1980s by Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda was motivated by an extreme and distorted interpretation of Islam, according to which the West, and in particular the United States, were the main enemies of Islam. Bin Laden and his followers believed it was their duty to fight a ‘holy war’ (jihad) against Western ‘infidels’, whom they considered responsible for the suffering and humiliation of the Islamic world.
This radical ideology was rooted in a mix of geopolitical, economic and religious factors. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the presence of American troops in Saudi Arabia during and after the Gulf War fuelled the resentment of many radical Muslims, who saw these situations as a desecration of Islamic territories and a demonstration of Western domination. Al-Qaeda capitalised on these sentiments, spreading a message of hatred and division, claiming that the only solution was a direct attack against the United States.
However, it is important to emphasise that the ideology of al-Qaeda does not represent Islam as a whole. On the contrary, most Muslims around the world strongly condemn terrorism and extremism. Islam, in its true essence, is a religion of peace, and the acts committed by al-Qaeda and other extremist groups are a distortion of its doctrines. However, the devastating effect of al-Qaeda’s propaganda has led to an increase in Islamophobia, exacerbating tensions between the Islamic world and the West.
The collapse of the Twin Towers and the human toll
The climax of the violence manifested itself in the collapse of the Twin Towers. After being hit by hijacked planes, the two towers, symbols of global economic power, collapsed at 9:59 and 10:28 am respectively. Thousands of people inside had no escape, trapped in the flames or killed by the collapse. The apocalyptic scenes that followed were broadcast around the world, leaving millions of viewers stunned and shocked.
Among the victims were people of over 90 different nationalities: men, women, children, workers, tourists and rescuers. The firemen, policemen and doctors who rushed to the scene showed extraordinary courage, sacrificing their own lives in an attempt to save the lives of others. The total number of victims of the attack was 2,977, not counting the 19 hijackers.
Al-Qaeda and the ‘Holy War’
Al-Qaeda saw these attacks as part of its ‘holy war’ against the West, a war aimed at destabilising Western powers and creating a climate of fear and insecurity. Osama bin Laden, the group’s charismatic leader, not only claimed authorship of the attack, but justified it as a response to US interference in the Middle East and its alliance with Israel.
But bin Laden’s interpretation of jihad was deeply distorted. Jihad, in the traditional Islamic context, refers to a spiritual effort to live a virtuous life and defend Islam in a peaceful manner. Al-Qaeda turned this concept into a call to arms against innocent civilians, misrepresenting religion to justify violence. The 19 hijackers had been indoctrinated with this radical view of Islam, and were willing to sacrifice their lives to carry out what they believed was an act of martyrdom.
The consequences of the attacks and the war on terror
The 11 September attack provoked an immediate response from the United States and its allies. President George W. Bush declared the ‘war on terror’, a military, political and diplomatic campaign aimed at eradicating Islamic terrorism at its roots. The first target was Afghanistan, where al-Qaeda had found refuge under the protection of the Taliban regime.
Within weeks, the US and the international coalition invaded Afghanistan, overthrowing the Taliban regime and forcing al-Qaeda to retreat into the mountainous regions. However, Osama bin Laden managed to escape capture and remained a symbol of resistance for jihadists around the world until 2011, when he was killed in a US special forces raid in Pakistan.
The war on terror, however, was not limited to Afghanistan. The Bush administration, convinced that Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq was involved in international terrorism, launched an invasion of Iraq in 2003. Although allegations of connections between Saddam and al-Qaeda proved unfounded, the war in Iraq led to further destabilisation of the region, fuelling new terrorist groups and prolonging the conflict.
Victims of terrorism and the mourning of families
For the families of the victims, 11 September 2001 remains an open wound. Each year, the commemoration of the lives lost is accompanied by a painful reminder of how Islamic terrorism struck in such a brutal and unpredictable manner. Ground Zero, the site of the Twin Towers, has become a place of pilgrimage for survivors and those who lost loved ones.
In addition to the immediate loss, the consequences of the attack continue to be felt. Many of the rescuers who worked in the rubble still suffer serious health problems today, due to exposure to the toxic dust generated by the collapse. Even for them, the sacrifice is never over.
11 September 2001 changed the world forever. The actions of al-Qaeda, motivated by an ideology of hatred and fanaticism, triggered a chain reaction of events that continue to influence world geopolitics. The fight against Islamic terrorism, which began that day, is still ongoing, and the legacy of that attack is reflected in tightened security measures, wars in the Middle East and the constant fear of new attacks.
Islamic terrorism has demonstrated its ability to strike anywhere, sowing terror among the innocent. However, if there is one lesson we can learn from 11 September, it is that violence and hatred cannot prevail. The values of freedom, tolerance and justice must be defended, because only through unity and understanding can we build a future in which such acts have no place.