Attackers and their background

al-Qaeda

 

al-Qaeda came about because of the Soviet Union invading Afghanistan in 197. during this time Osama bin Laden traveled to Afghanistan  where he helped organise the Arab Mujahideen (Muslims who believe they struggle in the path of God) to resist the invading Soviet forces. Then in 1996 bin Laden issued his first Fatwā (in the Islamic faith is a juristic ruling concerning Islamic law issued by an Islamic scholar) calling for all American troops to leave Saudi Arabia. then in 1998 he issued a second Fatwā in which he outlined his oposition to American Foreign policy with respect to Israel, this was as well as the continued presence of American Troops in Saudi Arabia after the  Fist Gulf War 1990-1991. He also used islamic texts to call upon  Muslim people to attack Americans untill the grievances that he had outlined in his two Fatwā's were reversed.

Osama bin Laden

 

Osama bin Laden originaly denied any involvement in the September 11 Attacks on the twin towers, Al Jazeera  broardcasted  a statement of bin Laden saying "I stress that I have not carried out this act, which appears to have been carried out by individuals with their own motivation" on the 16th of September 2001. But then in 2004 he admited responsibility and said "we are free ... and want to regain freedom for our nation. As you undermine our security we undermine yours". The United States government never formaly accused bin Laden for the September 11 Attacks, but the FBI had him on their most wanted list for  the bombings of two U.S. embassies in Tanzania and in Kenya. Finaly after a 10 year long man hunt bin Laden was killed by American forces on the 1st of May 2011 in Abbottabad Pakistan.
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed

 
it was reported that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed admited his involvement in the September 11 attacks in April 2002 along with his fellow al-Qaeda member Ramzi bin al-Shibh. Khalid was the main architect of the september 11 attacks. It was determind in a 9/11 Commission Report that his bitternes towards the United States came from his "violent disagreement with U.S. foreign policy favoring Israel". Khalid was also an adviser and financier of the previous World Trade Center bombing in 1993 eight years before the September 11 attacks. He was arrested by Pakistani security officials working with the CIA ( Central Intelegence Agency) in Rawalpindi Pakistan on the 1st of March 2003. Later he was taken to the Guantanamo Bay detention camp where he was interrogated using methods like waterboarding. He admited his responsibility for the attacks again in hearings at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in March 2007.

Other al-Qaeda members

Abu Dahdah was sentenced to 27 years in prison by the spanish high court for being a member of the terrorist group al-Qaeda and conspiracy to do with the 9/11 attacks. 17 other members of al-Qaeda at the same time were sentenced to between six to eleven years in prison. In the next year the spanish high court decided to reduce Abu Dahdah's sentence to 12 years because his involvement in the 9/11 conspiracy could not be proven. Another member Moussaoui who people originally thought might have been the 20th hijacker assigned to the 9/11 attacks was convicted of conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism and air piracy, he is currently serving a life sentece in prison with out parole. Mounir el-Motassadeq who was an associate of the hijackers that were based in Hamburg Germany  was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role of helping the hijackers to prepare for the September 11 attacks.