Before the attacks , Al-Qaeda issued proclamations that provide insight into the motivations for the attacks : one was the '' fatwā '' of August 1996 , and a second was a shorter fatwa in February 1998 . Both documents appeared initially in the Arabic-language London newspaper '' Al-Quds Al-Arabi '' . Three years before the September 11 attacks , Al-Qaeda released a Fatwa , stating " We -- with God 's help -- call on every Muslim who believes in God and wishes to be rewarded to comply with God 's order to kill the Americans and plunder their money wherever and whenever they find it . We also call on Muslim ulema , leaders , youths , and soldiers to launch the raid on Satan 's U.S. troops and the devil 's supporters allying with them , and to displace those who are behind them so that they may learn a lesson . " The Fatwa also complains against the presence of the US in Saudi Arabia and support for Israel . After the attacks , bin Laden and al-Zawahiri have published dozens of video tapes and audio tapes , many describing the motivations for the attacks . Two particularly important publications were bin Laden 's 2002 " Letter to America " , and a 2004 video tape by bin Laden . In addition to direct pronouncements by bin Laden and Al-Qaeda , numerous political analysts have postulated motivations for the attacks
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Motives for the September 11 attacks