What were the motives of the terrorists who carried out the 9/11 attacks on the USA?

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What are the motives of the terrorists who carried out the 9/11 attacks on the USA?

Terrorism is the use of pre-meditated, unlawful violence by an organised group against a person or place with the objective of intimidating, coercing and threatening governments or societies, often for political or ideological reasons.

One of the most well known terrorist organisations is an Islamic group called Al Qaeda. Lead by Osama Bin Laden, Al Qaeda’s objectives include the end of foreign influence in Muslim Countries and the creation of a new Islamic caliphate.

During the morning rush hour of September 11th 2001, four American planes were hijacked by the terrorist group Al Qaeda. The hijackers intentionally impacted two of the four planes into the World Trade Centres Twin Towers. Another of the planes flew into the Pentagon, headquarters of the department of defence. The final airliner crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, destination unknown.

At one minute to eight, the morning of the attacks, American Airlines Flight 11 departed Boston Logan Airport heading for Los Angeles International Airport, however only 47 minutes after departure, 08:46am, the plane hit the World Trade Centres North Tower between the 94th and 98th floors. Minutes later New York’s Fire Fighting department arrived and tried to rescue those on higher floors. However, with the sheer amount of equipment they had to carry it would take a minute to climb only 1 floor, the fire fighters soon discovered they needed another plan. Many had already died and those above the inferno, surrounded by fire and heat, realising they would also die, jumped from the tower.

Meanwhile in Boston Logan Airport, Flight 175 had departed at 08:14am with the objective of going to Los Angeles International Airport, however at 09:03am, less than an hour later, Flight 175 crashed into the World Trade Centre’s south tower between the 78th and 84th floors. The plane crashing into the tower caused debris to fall and hit many by-passers. Until now, onlookers believed that the first plane to impact was a horrific accident, yet it soon became apparent that this was not the case when the second plane hit the south tower only 17 minutes after the first.

43 minutes previous, American Airlines Flight 77 departed from Washington Dulles Airport heading for Los Angeles. At 09:38am the aeroplane impacted on the west wall of the Pentagon. The area attacked was shut off by metal doors to prevent the fire from spreading.

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The final plane United Airlines Flight 93 departed Newark, New Jersey Airport at 08:42am, 41 minutes late, heading for San Francisco international airport. After being informed about the disaster in New York passengers of flight 93 realised the plane had been hijacked. They then re-took control of the plane from the hijackers, however as none of the passengers had flying experience the plane crashed at 10:03am in a field in Shanksville. The fourth airlines destination is unknown however as Al Qaeda had already attacked the World Trade Centre, Americas main place for Business and trade, the pentagon, Americas defence, the ...

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