Twenty-five years after the devastating 9/11 attacks, a sobering reflection on Berlin extremist views reveals disturbing parallels with the ideologies that fueled that day’s horror. A witness to the unfolding tragedy of September 11, 2001, now highlights a disturbing trend in the German capital. He urges citizens to confront these sentiments at the ballot box.
The day began innocently for the author, a journalist. He planned a sunrise photography session in Washington D.C. with a German friend. Their early start on Interstate 395 meant passing the Pentagon in pitch darkness. The flight destined for that building was still hours away from its horrific impact.
An early morning walk with his dog near the Lincoln Memorial presented a scene of tranquil beauty. However, this peace quickly dissolved. The first signs of terror emerged with the hijacking of American Airlines flight 11 over Massachusetts. Its passengers had mere minutes left to live. Shortly after, United Airlines flight 175 was also seized.
The unfolding events escalated rapidly. As the first plane struck the World Trade Center, the author began contacting his radio stations in Germany. American Airlines flight 77 was hijacked next. Meanwhile, United Airlines flight 93 was seized over Ohio, as he raced home to Virginia.
His previous research into Al Qaeda’s intentions proved chillingly accurate. Intelligence agencies had, in fact, uncovered plans for terrorists to commandeer passenger aircraft. They aimed to crash them into significant buildings. This foreknowledge allowed him to name Al Qaeda during his live broadcasts, even before the Pentagon strike.
The airspace over the United States was unprecedentedly shut down at 9:45 a.m. This decision came minutes before the South Tower collapsed. It also preceded the brave downing of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. The North Tower would fall later, at 10:28 a.m.
Personal concern permeated the region. His neighbor worried for her husband in Washington; cell networks were overwhelmed. Many lives were lost at the Pentagon, including a commentator he recognized from television. Fortunately, his own family was safely in Europe, far from the escalating crisis.
Decades later, a new kind of alarm sounds in Berlin. Segments of the far-left now openly align with Islamists. They support, and even celebrate, ideologies akin to those behind the 9/11 and October 7th attacks. The political party “Die Linke” particularly concerns him. Many of its members, he argues, accommodate terror supporters.
Recently, for example, members of “Die Linke” were seen dancing to a rapper’s music. The lyrics included calls for “Yallah Yallah intifada” and “Death to the IDF.” The party’s leading candidate, Elif Eralp, expressed dismay over the incident. However, she has taken no significant steps to address this concerning tendency within her party. This is not an isolated incident. There is a pattern of demonstrated hatred towards Israel and support for terror within the party ranks. Such Berlin extremist views cannot be ignored.
The Islamist terror attacks of September 11th and October 7th stand as two of the worst in recent memory. Yet, their perpetrators find “useful idiots” who champion their quest for destruction. Some of these individuals are actively campaigning in Berlin elections. Therefore, citizens must actively defeat them at the ballot box.
