Understanding Mohamed Atta: The Mastermind Behind September 11

(1968-2001)

Who Was Mohamed Atta?

Mohamed Atta was a notorious terrorist born in Egypt in 1968. His academic journey began at Cairo University, where he earned a degree in 1990. He later moved to Germany to study at Hamburg Technical University for several years, completing his education in 1999. During his time as a student, he traveled to Afghanistan, where he underwent training with al Qaeda. In 2001, Atta relocated to the United States to pursue flight training in Florida. He is infamously known for piloting American Airlines Flight 11, which crashed into the World Trade Center during the September 11 attacks.

Early Life

Born on September 1, 1968, in Kafr el Sheikh, Egypt, Atta was the youngest son of a lawyer. He was raised in a suburb of Cairo and was described as a shy and polite child. His father believed that Atta was being spoiled by his mother, as noted in an interview with The New York Times. Mohamed al-Amir Atta Sr. expressed concerns, saying, "I used to tell her that she is raising him as a girl."

Atta came from a modern Muslim family, with his older sisters pursuing careers in medicine and academia. He pursued an engineering degree at Cairo University and graduated in 1990. Pressured by his father, he continued his education in Germany at Hamburg Technical University.

Making of a Terrorist

While in Germany, Atta worked part-time for an urban planning company. His religious beliefs strengthened over time, leading him to follow certain Muslim dietary laws, such as abstaining from alcohol. Reports indicate that he voiced concerns about the Egyptian government's treatment of fundamentalist groups and expressed anti-Semitic and anti-American sentiments.

During his university years, Atta insisted on having a prayer room for himself and fellow Muslims. He lived with fellow September 11 hijackers, Marwan al Shehhi and Ziad Jarrah, during his time in Germany. In the late 1990s, he is believed to have trained at an al Qaeda camp in Afghanistan and was linked to an al Qaeda terror cell in Hamburg by 1999. While still in Germany, he began researching flight schools in the United States, as documented in the 9/11 Commission Report.

September 11 Attacks

Mohamed Atta entered the United States on June 3, 2000. He and fellow hijacker Abdulaziz al Omari soon enrolled in a flight school in Venice, Florida. Atta dedicated six months to earning his pilot's license. In January 2001, he traveled back to Germany to provide an update to an al Qaeda official, and later went to Spain for a crucial meeting with al Qaeda operatives in July.

In the days before the attacks, the hijackers conducted several "surveillance" flights to Las Vegas. On the morning of September 11, Atta and al Omari departed from Boston on American Airlines Flight 11, which was carrying 81 passengers. They were joined by fellow hijackers Satam al Suqami, Wail al Shehri, and Waleed al Shehri. Atta is believed to have piloted the plane that crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m., resulting in the deaths of everyone on board.

Atta's plane struck the North Tower, causing casualties in the offices there on impact, as stated in the 9/11 Commission Report. Shortly after, another plane crashed into the South Tower, contributing to a tragic toll of over 2,700 fatalities from the attacks.

One of Atta's bags did not make it onto Flight 11, leaving investigators with limited clues about the planning of this deadly attack. Among the items discovered was a letter outlining the steps to be taken prior to the attack, revealing the meticulous planning Atta had undertaken.

Key Takeaways