German President Johannes Rau watched in shock as the World Trade Center collapsed on September 11, 2001, when nearly 3,000 people were killed by Islamist terrorists. Eleven Germans were among the victims, and it was later confirmed that three of the four suspected hijackers had recently lived in Hamburg. Mohammed Atta, a key figure behind the attacks, became radicalized at Hamburg's Al-Quds Mosque before leading the so-called Hamburg terrorist cell, which included six men, including Mounir al-Motassadeq, who was sentenced to 15 years for aiding and abetting thousands of murders. The article does not provide specific numbers on how many Germans were involved in investigations or detentions related to the attacks.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-10,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
"This day has changed the world," German President Johannes Rau said.
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Rau → change → world
He had watched in shock as the burning Twin Towers of the World Trade Center collapsed in New York.
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Towers → watch → York
Nearly 3,000 people were killed on September 11, 2001, when Islamist terrorists hijacked four passenger planes and turned them into deadly weapons.
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terrorists → kill → weapons
Eleven Germans among the victims
Germany’s head of state struggled to find the right words: "We do not know what political or social consequences what happened today will have — what we have watched unfold on our television screens in shock, barely able to comprehend or even reflect on it."
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we → struggle → it
It soon emerged that the victims include people from 92 countries, among them 11 Germans.
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victims → emerge → Germans
The following day, a rapidly spreading rumor was confirmed: Three of the four suspected hijackers had recently lived in Hamburg.
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Three → spread → Hamburg
The Islamist terrorists were thought to have been led by Egyptian-born Mohammed Atta, who had come to the northern German city in the early 1990s to study.
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who → think → 1990s
Mohammed Atta becomes radicalized at a mosque
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Atta → become → mosque
At some point, the young man became radicalized, particularly at Hamburg's Al-Quds Mosque, which was later closed by German security authorities.
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which → become → authorities
He spent the final three years of his life in an apartment shared with two other suspected attackers in the Harburg district.
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He → spend → district
The so-called Hamburg terrorist cell was believed to have included six men, among them Moroccan national Mounir al-Motassadeq.
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cell → call → them
He was charged as an accomplice in the world's first trial related to the September 11, 2001, attacks.
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He → charge → attacks
In 2003, the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court sentenced him to the maximum 15-year prison term for aiding and abetting thousands of murders and for membership in a terrorist organization.
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Court → sentence → organization
A man from Bremen at Guantanamo
After serving his sentence, al-Motassadeq was deported to his native Morocco.
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Motassadeq → serve → Morocco
Another suspected attacker from the circle around pilot Mohammed Atta was Ramzi Binalshibh, who was born in Yemen and had been held without trial at the US detention facility at Guantanamo Bay since 2006.
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who → suspect → 2006
The United States detained hundreds of suspects at the prison, which human rights groups and international bodies have described as contrary to international law.
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groups → detain → law
Among them was Murat Kurnaz, who was born in Bremen.
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who → bear → Bremen
He was released in August 2006 after nearly five years without evidence establishing his involvement in the terrorist attacks.
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He → release → attacks
Kurnaz later recounted his experience in a book that was adapted into a film in 2013.
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that → recount → 2013
Frank-Walter Steinmeier before investigative committee
Meanwhile, investigative committees in the German Bundestag sought to determine why Kurnaz and other suspects had wrongly come under the scrutiny of American and German intelligence agencies.
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Kurnaz → seek → agencies
Among those called to testify was then-Foreign Minister and current German PresidentFrank-Walter Steinmeier.
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Steinmeier → call → those
At the center of the inquiry was the question of why German security authorities rejected the possible return in 2002 of the German-born detainee, who held a Turkish passport.
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who → reject → passport
"No one doubts, and neither do I, that Mr. Kurnaz suffered terribly in Guantanamo," Steinmeier said.
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Steinmeier → doubt → Guantanamo
"That is why we also sought to ensure that he was treated in accordance with the rule of law.
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he → seek → law
But at the same time, please understand that we were also obliged to ensure security in our own country."
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we → understand → country
Gerhard Schröder voiced 'unconditional solidarity'
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Schröder → voice → solidarity
The Kurnaz case illustrated the pressure on German policymakers in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in the US.
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case → illustrate → US
Chancellor Gerhard Schröder addressed parliament the following day.
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Schröder → address → parliament
"Yesterday, September 11, 2001, will go down in history as a dark day for all of us," the Social Democrat said.
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Democrat → go → us
He said he had expressed to the American president the deeply felt condolences of the entire German people.
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he → say → people
"I also assured him of Germany's unconditional — I emphasize: unconditional — solidarity," Schröder said.
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Schröder → assure → solidarity
Germany, he added, would offer the US any assistance they requested, "of course, also by identifying and pursuing those responsible for and behind these despicable attacks.
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they → add → attacks
"
Bundestag passes anti-terror laws
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Bundestag → pass → laws
Schröder's remarks set the tone and opened the door for a series of tougher laws.
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remarks → set → laws
Just weeks after the attacks, the governing coalition of Social Democrats and Greens unveiled its first so-called security package, involving more funding, more personnel as well as greater powers for police and intelligence agencies.
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coalition → govern → police
Religious organizations that had previously been granted special protection could now be banned like other associations if their activities were directed against the Basic Law, Germany's constitutional order based on freedom and democracy, or if they pursued other criminal aims.
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they → grant → aims
Less than four months after the terrorist attacks in the US, Germany's Anti-Terrorism Act took effect.
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Act → take → effect
Intelligence agencies were given access to personal data held by banks, airlines and telecommunications companies.
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agencies → give → banks
Immigration laws were tightened.
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laws → tighten → ?
Through data-mining searches, in which large amounts of data were cross-checked without any specific suspicion, authorities sought to identify so-called sleeper agents — people like Mohammed Atta from the Hamburg terrorist cell, who had not been identified by security agencies in time.
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who → cros → time
…and 12 more, not listed.
