Motives for the September 11 attacks

al-Qaeda

Company type	Militant Islamist organization
Industry	Terrorism, Jihadist activities
Founded	1988
Founder	Osama bin Laden
Area served	Worldwide (primarily Middle East)
Key people	Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri

The September 11 attacks were carried out by 19 operatives affiliated with the Islamist extremist organization al-Qaeda. During the 1990s, al-Qaeda's leader Osama bin Laden proclaimed a militant jihad targeting the United States, issuing two declarations in 1996 and 1998. These pronouncements condemned U.S. financial backing of the Saudi monarchy and American military involvement in the Arab world.

In his November 2002 Letter to the American people, Bin Laden detailed al-Qaeda's rationale, referencing Western military interventions against Muslims in Somalia, support for Russian campaigns in Chechnya, Indian governance in Kashmir, and the presence of U.S. forces in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the letter highlighted U.S. backing of Israel, sanctions imposed on Iraq, and Israeli actions during the Second Intifada as significant motivations behind the assaults.

After these events, the Bush administration portrayed al-Qaeda’s motives as rooted in animosity toward American liberties. In a congressional address nine days post-9/11, President Bush declared, "They hate what we see right here in this chamber — a democratically elected government... They hate our freedoms — our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble." Conversely, al-Qaeda’s leadership asserted that their attacks were driven by U.S. imperialist policies in Muslim countries. In a 2004 address, Bin Laden refuted Bush’s assertions by stating: "free men do not forfeit their security... If so, then let him explain why we don’t strike—for example—Sweden?"

Sources

Prior to the attacks, Al-Qaeda disseminated declarations outlining their motivations, notably the fatwā issued in August 1996 and a subsequent shorter statement in February 1998. Both were initially published in the Arabic London-based newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi. In bin Laden's 1998 fatwā, he proclaimed:

"The obligation to kill Americans and their allies—both civilians and military personnel—is an individual duty incumbent on every capable Muslim in any country, aimed at liberating the al-Aqsa Mosque and the holy mosque [Mecca], and expelling their forces from all Islamic lands, which remain powerless and unable to threaten any Muslim."

Additionally, it condemned the deployment of US troops in Saudi Arabia and accused the United States of attempting to fragment and destabilize the Arab world to safeguard "Israel's survival":

"For more than seven years, the United States has occupied Islamic lands in the holiest sites, plundering wealth, controlling rulers, humiliating populations, terrorizing neighbors, and transforming bases into launching points against Muslim communities."

Following the attacks, bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri produced multiple video and audio recordings clarifying their motives. Significant among these are bin Laden's 2002 Letter to the American people and a 2004 video message, both elaborating on the justification for the attacks. Alongside direct communications from bin Laden and Al-Qaeda, political analysts have also delved into the underlying reasons behind these actions.

U.S. backing of Israel

In his Letter to the American people, bin Laden identified American support for Israel as a principal cause:

The expansion of Israel represents one of the gravest offenses, with you as its leading perpetrators. It is unnecessary to detail the extent of U.S. assistance to Israel. The establishment of Israel constitutes a crime that must be reversed. All parties involved must face severe consequences.

Bin Laden reiterated this connection between the September 11 assaults and U.S. support for Israel during broadcasts in 2004 and 2010, stressing that attacks would persist as long as such backing continued. The 1998 Al-Qaeda fatwā also underscored American objectives to aid Israel by undermining Arab nations to ensure its continued existence:

[T]he objective [of the United States] is to serve the Jewish state's interests and divert focus from its occupation of Jerusalem and the killing of Muslims there. Their determination to destroy Iraq, the strongest neighboring Arab nation, and fragment regional states secures Israel's survival and ongoing occupation.

Bin Laden’s plan to escalate the Al-Aqsa Intifada

The outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000 motivated bin Laden to hasten the September 11 operations. He directed Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Mohamed Atta on at least two occasions to move up the timeline: initially during Ariel Sharon's contentious visit to Al-Haram al-Sharif, which ignited the intifada, and later when Sharon visited the White House in March 2001. Throughout this timeframe, Al-Qaeda condemned Israeli measures against Palestinians while accusing the U.S. of facilitating Israeli oppression.

Extensive coverage by Arab media of the Second Intifada, broadcasting Israeli actions worldwide, significantly enhanced Al-Qaeda’s influence. Leaders within Al-Qaeda issued calls for all Muslims to engage in Jihad aimed at liberating Palestine. Bin Laden argued that American security was endangered due to its involvement in suppressing Palestinians.

In an interview conducted on October 21, 2001 with Tayseer Allouni, bin Laden declared:

"Jihad is an obligation to free Al-Aqsa, support the oppressed in Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon, and all Muslim nations. Undoubtedly, freeing the Arabian Peninsula from infidels is also a duty... Last year’s blessed intifada propelled us further towards addressing Palestinian issues. This momentum supports other causes as well. Attacking America advances Palestine's cause just as much as vice versa... Bush and Blair proclaimed that 'the time has come to establish an independent Palestinian state.' Before these attacks, that moment had not arrived. They only comprehend forceful actions and violence."

Sanctions imposed on Iraq

On 6 August 1990, merely four days after Iraq invaded Kuwait, the United Nations Security Council enacted Resolution 661, enforcing economic sanctions against Iraq. These measures included a comprehensive trade embargo that exempted only medical equipment and strictly controlled food imports under humanitarian provisions. After the conclusion of the Gulf War and Iraq's retreat from Kuwait, the continuation of sanctions was contingent upon the elimination of weapons of mass destruction as stipulated by Resolution 687.

In a 1998 fatwa, al-Qaeda cited these sanctions as a rationale for targeting American interests:

despite the devastation inflicted on the Iraqi people by the crusader-Zionist alliance, and despite over one million killed ... despite this, the Americans are trying to repeat horrific massacres ... we issue the following fatwa: The ruling to kill the Americans and their allies—civilians and military—is an individual duty for every Muslim ...

Osama bin Laden, in a 2004 statement, characterized the sanctions as "the greatest mass slaughter of children mankind has ever known."

U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia

Following Iraq’s defeat in the Gulf War, the United States stationed approximately 5,000 troops within Saudi Arabia. This contingent was tasked with Operation Southern Watch, which enforced no-fly zones over southern Iraq, while the US Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, safeguarded vital shipping lanes essential for regional oil exports.

Saudi Arabia, home to Islam’s two holiest cities (Mecca and Medina), faced internal resistance against a permanent U.S. military footprint. Osama bin Laden was a prominent critic of this presence. Prior to the Gulf War, bin Laden had proposed that Saudi Arabia could rely on Afghan Arab fighters for its defense; however, these suggestions were rejected. In 1992, after failing to persuade Saudi leaders to expel American forces, bin Laden denounced Prince Nayef as a traitor, prompting King Fahd to declare him persona non grata. Subsequently, bin Laden advocated for overthrowing the Saudi regime and predicted future terrorist operations within the kingdom.

The ongoing U.S. military deployment was cited as a driving factor behind major attacks such as the September 11th assaults and the Khobar Towers bombing. Notably, the 1998 United States embassy bombings occurred exactly eight years after U.S. troops were first stationed in Saudi Arabia. Bin Laden invoked Islamic principles forbidding "a permanent presence of infidels in Arabia" to legitimize his opposition.

By 1996, operating from Afghanistan, bin Laden issued a fatwa declaring war against the United States and demanding American troop withdrawal from Saudi soil. The 1998 Al-Qaeda fatwa accused the U.S. of occupying Islamic territories on the Arabian Peninsula for over seven years, exploiting natural resources, controlling rulers, humiliating populations, and using bases to launch attacks against neighboring Muslim communities. In a 1999 interview, bin Laden emphasized that American military proximity to Mecca constituted an affront to Muslims globally.

Environmental degradation

In his Letter to the American People, bin Laden reproached the United States for being among the leading contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions and for its refusal to endorse the Kyoto Protocol:

Your nation has inflicted greater harm on the environment through industrial waste and emissions than any other in history. Yet, you decline to ratify the Kyoto agreement, prioritizing the profits of your avaricious corporations and industries.

Ayman al-Zawahiri described global warming as a reflection of

the ruthless greed characteristic of the Western Crusader world, with America at its forefront.

Bin Laden further advocated for undermining the American economy as a strategy to address global warming.

Perceived American immorality

Within the same correspondence, bin Laden denounced what he termed "immoral" conduct prevalent in the United States, citing it as justification for his assaults:

Our second call is for you to cease your oppression, deceit, immorality, and widespread debauchery. (a) We urge you to become a society grounded in manners, principles, honor, and purity; to reject immoral behaviors such as fornication, homosexuality, intoxicants, gambling, and interest-based trading.

Conflicts in Somalia, Chechnya, Kashmir, Lebanon, and the Philippines

Clauses 1B, 4, and 5 of Osama bin Laden's manifesto assert:

"You have attacked us in Somalia; you have supported Russian atrocities against us in Chechnya, Indian oppression in Kashmir, and Jewish aggression during the Lebanon conflict. ... We advise you to cease backing Israel, halt your support for India in Kashmir, withdraw support from Russia against the Chechens, and stop assisting the Manila government against Muslims in Southern Philippines. ... We also urge you to pack your belongings and leave our lands. We wish you well, guidance, and righteousness—do not compel us to return you home in coffins."

Restoration of Muslim territories

Al-Qaeda strongly condemned America's dominant role in global affairs, arguing that US policies—such as endorsing Zionism, engaging in military interventions throughout the Muslim world, and supporting oppressive governments—rendered America a justifiable target. The organization sought partnerships with nations uninvolved in Muslim issues or American imperialism.

In a 2004 address, Osama Bin Laden declared:

"Free individuals do not sacrifice their security, contrary to Bush’s assertion that we despise freedom.

If that were true, then why do we refrain from targeting—for instance—Sweden? Those who hate freedom lack the defiant spirit exemplified by our ancestors of the 19th century—may Allah have mercy on them.

No; we fight because we are free men who refuse to live under tyranny. We aim to reclaim freedom for our people just as you have devastated ours. Thus, we shall bring devastation upon yours.

Only a foolish thief gambles with others' security expecting safety for himself. Thoughtful individuals seek out causes of calamity to prevent their repetition."

Implied motivations

Political commentators have suggested underlying reasons for the assaults beyond those openly declared by Al-Qaeda, including resistance to globalization and an intent to provoke the United States.

Elliot Neaman challenges the historical accuracy of linking 9/11 to Israel, as proposed by Walt, Mearsheimer, and others. He highlights that Palestinians have frequently experienced abandonment by Arab governments since Israel's establishment, while bin Laden initially showed minimal interest in their struggle until influenced by Ayman Al-Zawahiri. Bin Laden exploited the Palestinian issue primarily to rally militant Muslim support. The relationship between Al-Qaeda and Hamas remains complex and tense, with divergent objectives concerning the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

Religious impetus

In The Age of Sacred Terror, Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon argue that the 9/11 attacks were fundamentally religious acts—"a sacrament ... meant to restore a moral order to the universe corrupted by Islam’s enemies." They interpret these events not as political maneuvers but as an "act of redemption" designed to "humiliate and massacre those who defied God's supremacy."

Library of Congress scholar Raymond Ibrahim has observed a notable distinction between Al-Qaeda’s English-language communications aimed at Western audiences and Arabic messages directed at Muslims. The former stresses grievances justifying retaliation, employing a "language of 'reciprocity,'" whereas the latter centers on theological rationales without citing Western provocations.

Globalization

Prominent historian Bernard Lewis advocates the view that globalization has deeply "humiliated" the Islamic world. In his 2004 work The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror, he connects Western hostility to the Ottoman Empire’s decline and the impact of Western ideologies such as Arab socialism, Arab liberalism, and Arab secularism.

Over three centuries, Islamic civilization has lost its preeminence and fallen behind both the modern West and rapidly advancing East. This widening gap presents significant practical and emotional difficulties for Islamic leaders, intellectuals, and insurgents.

In his essay "The spirit of terrorism," Jean Baudrillard characterized 9/11 as a worldwide event that "challenges the entire process of globalization."

Intent to incite conflict with the United States

Several experts, including Michael Scott Doran and Peter Bergen, propose that 9/11 was deliberately orchestrated to trigger U.S. military intervention, thereby igniting a pan-Islamist uprising. Doran interprets the attacks as part of an internal religious struggle, with bin Laden’s faction perceiving themselves as a pure minority surrounded by corruption. He argues bin Laden sought to unify Muslims against the West through provoking American retaliation, anticipating revolutions within Arab nations.

Bergen asserts that the assaults aimed to expand U.S. military forces in the Middle East, compelling Muslims to face governance by non-Muslims and bolstering conservative Islamic regimes.

In response to 9/11, President George W. Bush initiated a War on Terror, which led to the overthrow of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan after nearly twenty years of conflict. Although Iraq was not directly involved in 9/11, it was included in this campaign through the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The resulting instability contributed to the emergence of the Islamic State, which briefly established a caliphate across Iraq and Syria before losing ground due to military defeats.

Studies on suicide terrorism

Robert Pape documented 315 cases, almost all connected to 18 distinct campaigns that shared two primary characteristics and, with one exception, a third: 1) foreign military presence; 2) imposed by a democratic state; 3) involving a different religious group. Research conducted by Mia Bloom, involving conversations with families of suicide attackers, corroborates Pape's conclusions, highlighting the significant role of foreign occupation in motivating individuals to carry out suicide operations.

See also

• Planning of the September 11 attacks