Updated Sept. 5, 2024 at 09:40 a.m
The Munich Olympics terrorist attack happened on this day in in 1972.
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What was the Munich Olympics terrorist attack?
The Munich Olympics terrorist attack was a tragic event that began in the early morning hours of September 5, 1972, when eight Palestinian militants entered the Olympic Village in Munich, West Germany. Palestinian militants from the group known as Black September took 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team hostage, leading to a standoff with German authorities and a subsequent rescue attempt.
What were the motives behind the Munich Olympic attack?
The primary motivation of Black September was to demand the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails and to draw international attention to the Palestinian cause.
How did the Munich Olympics attack end?
Negotiations between the German authorities and the terrorists reached a deadlock. The militants demanded the release of Palestinian prisoners and threatened to kill the hostages if their demands were not met. On September 6, a rescue attempt known as “Operation Wrath of God” was launched by German authorities. However, the operation ended in tragedy at a nearby military airfield, where a firefight broke out between the terrorists and the German police. In the ensuing chaos, all nine remaining hostages were killed, along with one German police officer and five of the terrorists.