All but three of the terrorists were killed as well . Although arrested and imprisoned pending trial , they were released by the West German government on October 29 , 1972 , in exchange for a hijacked Lufthansa jet . Two of those three were supposedly hunted down and assassinated later by the Mossad . Jamal Al-Gashey , who is believed to be the sole survivor , is still living today in hiding in an unspecified African country with his wife and two children . The Olympic events were suspended several hours after the initial attack , but once the incident was concluded , Avery Brundage , the International Olympic Committee president , declared that " the Games must go on " . A memorial ceremony was then held in the Olympic stadium , and the competitions resumed after a stoppage of 34 hours . The attack prompted heightened security at subsequent Olympics beginning with the 1976 Winter Olympics . Security at Olympics was heightened further beginning with the 2002 Winter Olympics , as they were the first to take place after the 2001 September 11 attacks
hijacked Lufthansa jet
Lufthansa Flight 615
1972 Summer Olympics