Mohamed Atta
Lead hijacker in September 11 attacks
Mohamed Mohamed el-Amir Awad el-Sayed Atta (September 1, 1968 – September 11, 2001) was an Egyptian engineer and al-Qaeda terrorist who served as the lead hijacker and pilot of American Airlines Flight 11 during the September 11 terrorist attacks. Born in Kafr el-Sheikh, Egypt, Atta studied architecture and urban planning before moving to Germany to pursue further education. He became radicalized while living in Hamburg, where he met other future hijackers and began planning the coordinated attacks against the United States. On September 11, 2001, Atta piloted Flight 11 into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing 2,606 people in the towers and surrounding areas. His actions precipitated the deaths of thousands and fundamentally changed global security policies, military interventions, and international relations. Atta remains one of history's most infamous terrorists, representing the threat of radicalized individuals able to access commercial aviation.
Historical Figure
Egyptian
1968
2001
Thinking about the name
Atta
Sanskrit/African origin
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