Mohammed Atta was born in a Cairo suburb on September 1, 1968, and died on September 11, 2001, when he flew a hijacked American Airlines passenger jet into one of the towers of the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan. The son of a lawyer, Atta graduated with a degree in architecture from Cairo University. He then moved to Germany, where he registered as a student at the Technical University of Hamburg and was employed part-time at a Hamburg consulting firm. Devoted to Islam, he made a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1995, and on his return to Hamburg began an Islamic prayer group. In July 2000 Atta attended a flight school, Huffman Aviation International, in Venice, Florida, and in December went to the Miami area to practice on a Boeing 707 simulator. In 2001 he briefly visited Germany and Spain, then returned to Florida, where he took additional flying lessons. On the morning of September 11 he and another conspirator drove from their motel in South Portland, Maine, to Portland International Airport, flew to Boston, and boarded American Airlines Flight 11.It was later discovered that Atta had left behind a bag containing airline uniforms, flight manuals, and a four-page document in Arabic, copies of which were also found in the effects of two of the other terrorists. The document is a list of instructions for the terrorists to review on the night of September 10. Excerpts from these instructions can be read by clicking here.
After reading the document, I would like you to reflect on and discuss the following: How, according to Atta, should the participants prepare themselves for what lies ahead of them? Is Atta totally confident about the success of the mission? What might go wrong, and what can be done to prevent failure? What rewards can the participants expect from their anticipated martyrdom? What feeling does Atta express about the victims of their actions? On the basis of this document, what conclusions can be drawn about Atta’s, and by extension, the other participants’ motives? Your thoughts…
14 comments:
To prepare for the mission ahead, they pray alot and prepare mentally more then anything. They also checked their weapons and sharpened the knife so that the pain would be quick.. unique document
Atta is saying that when a person is going to go they should be clean physically and spiritually. They should remember God, read the Koran frequently, and the rewards that lie ahead for them because they are doing a deed for God. He says they should feel happy and at peace because they are close to eternal bliss. He even tells them how to dress and to make sure to check there weapons before and long before you arrive.
There is a second step and third step. The day of the attack. They pray basically everywhere they go and they think that they will come back unharmed.
It seems corrupt to me because the people with the bombs are going to die but the leaders are telling them that God will keep them safe. This process is in such great detail that I'm surprised at how precise everything is.
the second sentence from the first step sounds like he is getting ready for a date...which i guess is fitting because they use the word 'marriage' for heaven later on. he is promised basically to be with God. its like being the teacher's pet in kindergarten. or at least thats how it came off to me, like if he did this one thing by taking his life then he would be with god.
That is a powerful document. I can understand whre the terrorists [freedom fighters] were comming from. Not tosay that it was rightor that i agree with what they did, but reading thatrovided a more complete background into what it's like to think like a terrorist. It said be calm and pray constantly, knowing that god will give you victory and will welcome you into heaven.
These men were not fighting just out of anger or revenge, they were fighting for their people, for their god, and for what they thought was their role in society. And as to the specific instructions it gave, from getting into the taxi to getting to the airport and to finally boarding and taking over the plane, there are steps to all of it. And in every one , they pray. Atta firmly believed that they would have success because it was right and what god wanted them to do. There were solutions to getting distracted, and to distracting their fellow hijackers. They said dont do it, and recite prayers. The document even went on to list how to dress. Shave excess hair, tighten clothes, sharpen their weapons. This document truly give the other half of the story that most people dont even bother to pay attention to.
i find it kind of ironic about being spiritually clean and about god keeping them safe. and checking the weapons before hand reminds me of scary movie four when the guy jumps out screaming death to america and his bomb won't work.
it sounds sketchy, but atleast they died for something they believe in.
I thought the entire concept was so contradictory, but then again I’m sure that they could say the same about our opinion on their religion. We think that they are evil and malicious when they do things such as what happened on 9/11, but what have we done to them to force them to those extremes? Of course, it’s not to say that we have brought this on ourselves entirely, but it’s just that we knew what would set them off and we didn’t back down. The poetry and the 15 points were majorly creepifying, but it just goes to show their true levels of dedication. It’s also annoying that the F.B.I. kept this from the general populous. We all have had friends and loved ones affected by the tragedy, and I think the people have a right to know.
I don't even think the bible memtions god as much as they did. Most of the focus of the document was on that of mental preparation and pray so that all intentions are done with god in mind.
Atta believes that the way to prepare for what lies ahead is to spiritually prepare, with prayers and religious readings. He believes that the attacks will be successful because he believes that God supports their cause. What might go wrong is that the people would be nervous or suspicious to guards at the airport and how they prevent this is by believing that they are doing the work of God and will be rewarded. He believes that they will have a place in heaven for them. He seems to think that the victims are just variables in the equation and should be killed.
I think that it's kind of like the leaders brain wash these people into thinking that this is what God wants them to do. After reading this I can understand more of why they would be willing to kill themselves. They pray a lot to get mentally ready for the attacks.
You can see that they don't hate the people they are going to kill- they make sure that their deaths are as painless as possible. The only reason is to prove a point and to further their religion which they are obviously devoted to. They think that since this is supposedly a good act in God's eyes, they will be more revered when they get to heaven.
How, according to Atta, should the participants prepare themselves for what lies ahead of them? Is Atta totally confident about the success of the mission?
Yeah it seems like the terrorists need to be prepared. They are still humans right? They still have a conscience believe it or not, and they need preparation to do something traumatizing or whatever. It said for them to shave and shower, cool. Then it's religious brainwashing after that. I think so... really... I think it's the head of the organization who's the loco guy here. The fellow terrorists were tricked since they were young and taught that ever since they were young, or if they didn't listen push "God" in there and they'll follow you. "God" will protect us for sure... yeah that's just B.S.(Baloney Sandwich) right there.
To get ready for their suicide mission, the terrorist has to get in "the zone." He will pray multiple times to ask God that the mission is successful. He is supposed to be mentally aware of all that could happen and knnow how to counter the reactions of the enemy. They justify there every move with a quote from the Quran and are ready to die in the name of God. As a result of their action, there will be a spot in heaven where they can live in peace with God.
It seems ironic because the the people with the boms and weapons are likely to die but these leaders are saying that they will be fine with God. The men are not fighting out of vengence and revenge but what they are expected to do and their role in society. he tells them many things to do to be highly devoted and to be spiritually clean. Atta firmly believed that they would have success because it was right and what god wanted them to do.
Wow that was something. I dont want to think what looking into their eyes would be like. They pray, they concentrate, sharpen weapons, wash, ect... These people knew what they were doing.
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