September 11 attacks | History, Summary, Location, Timeline, Casualties, & Facts – Britannica

Report on the Planning and Execution of the September 11 Attacks in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Strategic Motivation and Miscalculation

The September 11, 2001 attacks were precipitated by the strategic view of Osama bin Laden, leader of the al-Qaeda organization. His assessment was that the United States was fundamentally weak and would not withstand a significant attack, a belief that stands in stark opposition to the principles of SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. This perspective was reportedly informed by several past events where the U.S. withdrew military forces following casualties.

• 1983 Beirut Barracks Bombing: The withdrawal of U.S. Marines from Lebanon after the death of 241 servicemen.
• 1993 Somalia Engagement: The withdrawal of U.S. forces from Mogadishu after 18 servicemen were killed.
• 1970s Vietnam War: The eventual American pullout from Vietnam.

Bin Laden’s strategy was to attack the “far enemy” (the United States) to destabilize and induce regime change in the Middle East. This approach sought to dismantle existing institutions through violence, directly undermining the core tenets of SDG 16, which promotes peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development.

2.0 Key Personnel and Radicalization

The operational planning was led by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM), whose background highlights factors that can obstruct progress toward the SDGs.

2.1 Khalid Sheikh Mohammed

KSM’s journey involved international education and subsequent radicalization, illustrating a failure to achieve the inclusive aims of SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities.

1. Joined the Muslim Brotherhood at age 16.
2. Attended college in the United States, graduating in 1986.
3. Traveled to Afghanistan to participate in the jihad against the Soviet Union.

In 1996, KSM presented his proposal to bin Laden to use hijacked airplanes as weapons against U.S. buildings. This collaboration combined KSM’s tactical innovation with al-Qaeda’s resources, creating a partnership dedicated to undermining global security, a direct antithesis to SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

2.2 The Hamburg Cell

The radicalization of key operatives in Hamburg, Germany, underscores how social alienation can fuel extremism, a challenge directly addressed by SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, which aims to make communities inclusive and safe.

• Operatives, including lead hijacker Mohammed Atta, became more militant while living in Germany, reportedly due to experiences of alienation and discrimination.
• This group isolated itself and mutually reinforced radical ideologies, eventually traveling to Afghanistan in 1999 to join al-Qaeda.
• Bin Laden appointed Atta, a Western-educated individual, to lead the operation, recognizing his suitability for operating within Western countries.

3.0 Global Coordination and Logistics

The execution of the plot demonstrated a globally coordinated effort that weaponized international systems, fundamentally opposing the cooperative spirit of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

• Planning Meetings: Held in Malaysia.
• Operational Coordination: Managed by leaders based in Hamburg, Germany.
• Financial Transfers: Routed through Dubai.
• Operative Training: Flight lessons were undertaken in the United States.
• Recruitment: Suicide operatives were sourced from various Middle Eastern countries.
• Oversight: Al-Qaeda leadership in Afghanistan maintained ultimate control.

This network exploited global interconnectedness for destructive purposes, threatening international peace and security and thereby impeding progress on all Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, which was severely impacted by the subsequent global economic disruption.

4.0 Final Preparations and Communication

The final phase of the plot involved covert communication and precise timing, culminating in a direct assault on civilian life and infrastructure, a flagrant violation of SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

1. The majority of the 19 hijackers, mostly from Saudi Arabia, entered and established themselves in the United States.
2. Mohammed Atta communicated progress to planner Ramzi Binalshibh via coded emails. One message referred to “Nineteen certificates for private education and four exams,” signifying the 19 hijackers and four target locations.
3. On August 29, 2001, Atta conveyed the date of the attack—September 11—to Binalshibh using a riddle: “Two sticks, a dash and a cake with a stick down.”
4. Binalshibh traveled from Germany to Pakistan on September 5 to relay the final details to al-Qaeda leadership in Afghanistan.

SDGs Addressed in the Article

1. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • The article is fundamentally about the breakdown of peace and the proliferation of violence. It details the activities of a militant organization, al-Qaeda, and its execution of terrorist attacks. The text describes “the bombing of the Marines base,” the “deaths of 18 U.S. servicemen in Mogadishu,” and the overarching plot to “crash planes into buildings in the United States.” These events are direct contradictions to the goal of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies. The article also mentions the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the desire to wage “jihad,” further highlighting themes of conflict and violence over peace.

2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • The article suggests that inequality and social exclusion were contributing factors to the radicalization of some of the perpetrators. It states that for the plotters in the “Hamburg cell,” a “combination of perceived or real discrimination, alienation, and homesickness seems to have turned them all in a more militant direction.” This directly connects the issue of social exclusion and discrimination to the motivation for joining a violent extremist group, which runs counter to the goal of reducing inequalities and promoting social inclusion.

3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • The goal of the terrorist plot was to attack major cities, specifically “New York and Washington.” The plan involved crashing “planes into buildings in the United States,” which represents a direct assault on the safety, security, and infrastructure of urban communities. Terrorism makes cities unsafe and disrupts the social and economic life within them, which is antithetical to the goal of making human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

1. Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.

   • This target is directly relevant as the article is centered on the planning of extreme violence. It explicitly mentions past violent events and their death tolls, such as the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing which “killed 241 American servicemen” and the events in Somalia “following the deaths of 18 U.S. servicemen.” The entire September 11 plot was designed to cause mass casualties and is a prime example of the violence this target aims to reduce.

2. Target 16.a: Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, to build capacity at all levels… to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime.

   • The article highlights the global nature of the terrorist plot, which “played out across the globe with planning meetings in Malaysia, operatives taking flight lessons in the United States, coordination by plot leaders based in Hamburg, Germany, money transfers from Dubai, and recruitment… overseen by al-Qaeda’s leaders in Afghanistan.” This demonstrates a failure of international cooperation to prevent terrorism. The subsequent creation of the “9-11 Commission… to investigate the attacks” is a direct example of a national institution being strengthened in response to terrorism, aligning with the objective of this target.

3. Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices.

   • The article implies a failure to meet this target by noting that “perceived or real discrimination” was a factor in the radicalization of key plotters in Hamburg. This suggests that a lack of equal opportunity and the presence of discrimination created an environment where extremism could flourish, directly opposing the aim of this target.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

1. Number of deaths, and injuries from intentional homicide, conflict, and terrorism (Relates to Target 16.1)

   • The article provides specific numbers that can be used as indicators of violence. It mentions “241 American servicemen” killed in Beirut and “18 U.S. servicemen” killed in Mogadishu. The description of the 9/11 plot, involving “Nineteen… hijackers” and four “targets,” implies a large-scale attack with a high intended death toll, which serves as a qualitative indicator of the severity of violence.

2. Existence of independent national human rights institutions in compliance with the Paris Principles (Relates to Target 16.a)

   • While not a human rights institution, the creation of the “9-11 Commission… set up in 2002 by U.S. Pres. George W. Bush and the U.S. Congress to investigate the attacks” is an implied indicator of institutional response. The existence and effectiveness of such investigative and preventative bodies can be measured as progress toward strengthening institutions to combat terrorism.

3. Proportion of population reporting having personally felt discriminated against or harassed (Relates to Target 10.3)

   • The article implies this indicator by stating that the Hamburg plotters were influenced by “perceived or real discrimination, alienation, and homesickness.” Measuring the prevalence of these feelings within populations could serve as an indicator of social inclusion and the success or failure of policies aimed at reducing discrimination.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: britannica.com