It's 1972 and Germany is eager to show the "new" Germany by hosting the Olympic Games in Munich, the first time since the Nazi Berlin Games of 1936.



What they do not know is their games will be used as a showpiece by Islamic extremists whose fanatacism will one day surpass that of even that nazis. While Munich prepares to show a kinder, gentler Germany with lax and unarmed security in non threatening powder blue uniforms Palestinians train in Libya.





On Sept. 5, 1972 five terrorists known as Black September siezed hostages and killed another. They demanded the release of 200 arab prisioners in exchange for the athletes. The image of hooded terrorists would be forever associated with the 1972 Games.







One athlete who tried to make a move was shot and left to die slowly in the same room with the terrorists and other athletes. He was left on the floor with the body of another killed during the hostage taking.





Alarmingly the IOC decided to continue with the games despite protest. Cynics suggested they wanted to capitalize on ratings. Regardless of their true motivation they provided a international platform for the terrorists to draw attention to their cause.



Security was finally heightened and the Germans brought out real police with real guns. This is also where the HK MP5 was debuted to the world.

As a result of the terms of WW2 the Germans were not permitted to use their military in reply and amazingly had no police special response team of any kind. Ordinary police officers with no special training, and often chosen solely for their familiarity with firearms, were pressed into service as assault team members and snipers.

When the 5 pm deadline approached these "volunteers" took positions around the Olympic village and prepared to assault the room where the hostages and terrorists were.


















The assault was called off when it was learned East German TV cameras filmed the preparations and broadcast them on live TV. Palestinians had watched police move into positions on a TV in the room.

Palestinians then demanded to be flown by helicoptor to the airport where a plane was to be made available to them. Police set up an ambush of 5 snipers and a decoy crew of police officers on the waiting plane.



In one of the most botched operations in history seconds before the terrorists and hostaged arrived the decoy flight crew decided they were not qualified for the operation and left the plane. Police were alarmed to learn there were actually 9 terrorists (not 5 as previously believed) but NOBODY advised the 5 snipers of the new number. The snipers had no communication between themselved.

Soon after it was announced that all the hostages were rescued.



Thw world celebrated but it was premature. The truth was absolutely terrible.

5 terrorists were killed, a police sniper and a helo pilot injured when they were fired upon by German police. And all Israeli hostages were executed. One terrorists tossed a grenade into a helicoptor and another fired his AK47 into the other.

At 3 a.m., a drawn and teary-eyed Jim McKay, who had been reporting the drama throughout the day as part of ABC's Olympic coverage, announced: "They're all gone."













What is important to be learned is terrorists are not soldiers in war. They kill innocent civilians because of the acts of governments. They are bound by no rules of conduct and deserve no consideration of any kind. They should be exectuted immediately so that they cannot be the goal of future hostage takers.

This is the kind of people they kill.



This is the result they seek.



The bodies of the 5 dead terrorists were flown to Libya where they received a hero's funeral.



To make matters worse the German government shamefully orchestrated a Lufthansa hijacking with the terrorists. A plane with only 12 male passengers was hijacked and the Germans released the 3 terrorists in custody to meet the demands. The Germans hoped to conceal their incompletence with regard to the failed rescue and to insulate themselves from further terrorism.

The three suriving terrorists are regarded as hero's in the Muslim world.





2 of the 3 and several planners were hunted down and executed by MOSSAD. Only Jamal Al-Gashay remains alive.



In his only known interview he remains proud of his actions.



Screen shots from the documentary "One Day In September"

www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000059H77/qid=1092864946/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/002-1335945-6926403?v=glance&s=dvd&n=507846

As a direct result of these events the Germans created the counter terrorism unit GSG9 patterned after and with the assistance of the British SAS.

Quoted: I read the book about the Mossad actions against these guys.  I hadn't remembered that there was one left.  It just goes to show that some guys are HARD TO FIND.  If the Mossad could never catch up to this guy it's no wonder we've had a hard time finding Osama.  When you pointedly kill civilians you make the point that you are anarchist at best and racist to boot.

They know he lives in Africa with his wife and 2 kids. It is offensive to humanity that he lives at all, let alone enjoys a family after the tragedies he has personally inflicted upon so many.

Terrorists should never be excused, pardoned or forgiven. They should ALL be executed, even those who didn't actually participate in executions themselves.

No exceptions.

Fuck Islam!

And Fuck Allah!

Quoted: I did a loooong college paper on the Munich Olympic massacre...the incompetence and lack of preparation in the German police was astounding.

If you have not seen it, I cannot more strongly recommend One Day in September (1999).



It is the most detailed accounting I have seen. Simply incredible and does a great job of making a complicated scattering of events understandable.

great post, stery!

i watched it all unfold. it was terrible then and just as offensive, now.

Quoted: How many hostages were killed?

10 total. 1 Israeli fled when they were being taken to the helos and got away. It is from his testimony that we know most of the events inside the room.

Quoted: Quoted: What is important to be learned is hostages are not soldiers in war. Uh, is a correction needed? I would like to second this......... AKASL

Fixed before you even posted.

Quoted: SteyrAUG, Do I have your permission to repost this on a private forum I'm a member of? it's very well assembled and your sentiments mirror my own. It's a forum for a small group of A/C, History and Flight sim freaks, and I'm sure they would find this very interesting.

Granted.

Quoted: What are the unlearned lessons? Every major country now has an anti-terrorists unit. All the terrorists and it's planners but one were hunted down and killed. What next? Are you going to post a "The unlearned lessons of September 11th?"

The unlearned lessons is we still arrest and treat hostages like POWs or criminals. The ACLU advocates giving them all the tights of a US citizen.

All the BS terrorists except 1 were nunted down BUT it was the 200 in custody that promted the terrorism in the first place. We are still making that mistake. How long before a bunch of US citizens are captured and terrorists demand we release all the inmates of Abu Gray? Oh wait that is happening now, only they cut their heads off on video.

LEAVE NO LIVE TERRORISTS TO ATTRACT HOSTAGE TAKERS. That is the lesson.

I honestly didn't think I needed to point that out, it should be obvious.

And to answer your question, yes there are also unlearned lessons of 9-11. The borders are still wide open, INS is still not deporting known illegals.

Quoted: Quoted: Did you see all those sideburns? It was the early '70s after all.   The other burpgun carried in the pix look to be a Walther MPL <????? I'm sure SteyrAug will correct me>

Looked like Walthers to me.

Quoted: Thank you SA. Sly

NP.

Quoted: Lots of things piss me off about this..... these are some of the ones which piss me off the most: "Alarmingly the IOC decided to continue with the games despite protest. Cynics suggested they wanted to capitalize on ratings. Regardless of their true motivation they provided a international platform for the terrorists to draw attention to their cause." Certainly *this* couldn't have been part of their motivation!?!  Not sure what the makeup of the IOC looked like in '72, but......

Never suggested it was, but that was the result of their poor decision. They should have ended the games so the terrorists would have less of a spotlight to operate under and the international community would have blamed the terrorists for destroying the games. Few countries who would have to bring their athletes home would be sympathetic to their cause.

Quoted: "The assault was called off when it was learned East German TV cameras filmed the preparations and broadcast them on live TV. Palestinians had watched police move into positions on a TV in the room." Knowing East Germany at the time..... that was the equivalent of what we'd call "state action" on this side o' the pond.  And that, my friends, would have bought E. Germany a smackdown from this SOB.

They fucked us on purpose and it is no secret.

Quoted: "....seconds before the terrorists and hostaged arrived the decoy flight crew decided they were not qualified for the operation and left the plane" WTF?

In one way I don't blame them. Ask a couple traffic cops to take on a group like the IRA and it is about the same thing. I personally think Germany should have accepted the offer from Israel to let MOSSAD deal with it.

Quoted: "The bodies of the 5 dead terrorists were flown to Libya where they received a hero's funeral." Four words for you on this one: Who motherfucking authorized this?!?

Small potatoes in light of everything else.

Quoted: "Jamal Al-Gashay remains alive." For what purpose?

People have been trying to change that, not easy to find and protected by sympathetic countries.