Jamal Al-Gashey
Encyclopedia
Jamal Al-Gashey (born 1953?) was a member of the Black September
offshoot of the Palestine Liberation Organization
and is believed to be the last surviving member of the group of eight terrorists who carried out the massacre of eleven Israeli athletes
during the 1972 Munich Olympics. He is visible several times in videos of the event, identifiable by his blue and white striped jacket. During the abortive rescue attempt by Bavaria
n border guards and Munich police which resulted in the deaths of nine hostages and five of the terrorists, Al-Gashey was shot in the wrist
attempting to aid a fellow terrorist.
. His family was displaced in the 1948 war between the Arab
s and Israel
, but always harbored a desire to return. Al-Gashey claimed that what he viewed as the unfairness of his having to live in squalor and rely on handouts while the "intruders" were living on his land fostered his hatred for Israel. This led to his joining the PLO
in 1967. He said that during his initial training he felt, for the first time, "truly Palestinian … not just a wretched refugee, but a revolutionary fighting for a cause."
Role in the Munich massacre
In July 1972, Al-Gashey was one of several young terrorists recruited for what he referred to as "special training," without having any idea what their target might be. He flew to Munich at the end of August 1972, staying in a hotel and even attending a couple of Olympic events. On the night of September 4, Al-Gashey met for dinner with the other members of the strike team, along with a senior Black September operative (believed to be Abu Daoud
), who briefed them on their upcoming mission and drove with them in taxis to the Olympic Village. Al-Gashey claims that until that dinner meeting, he had no clue that the team's target was to be the Israel
i Olympians.
Although charged with multiple crimes related to the massacre, Al-Gashey and his surviving compatriots never stood trial. Nearly eight weeks after the massacre, a Lufthansa
jet was hijacked by Black September, who demanded the release of the three Munich survivors. The jailed fedayeen were quickly released by the West German
government (It has been subsequently claimed by ranking West German officials that the whole hijacking episode was a sham, concocted by the West Germans and Black September so that the Germans could be rid of the three Munich perpetrators. When they landed in Libya, the three surviving hostage takers were interviewed. Footage of this press conference is shown in the film One Day in September
and Jamal Al-Gashey is seen seated in the middle of the three, between his cousin Adnan (who was believed to be the hostage-taker who shot and killed five of the hostages tied up in one of the helicopters.
) and Mohammed Safady. When asked directly if he had killed any of the Israelis, Adnan Al-Gashey simply replied, "It's not important for me to say if I killed Israelim (sic) or not."
. Since Al-Gashey believed that Israeli agents were still trying to kill him, he was disguised and his face shown only in blurry shadow as a precaution. Director Kevin Macdonald
noted Al-Gashey's edgy, almost paranoid behavior throughout the interview, but was able to convince him that the film he was working on would only be truly authentic if Al-Gashey gave his side of the story. During the 1999 interview, he explained,
Black September (group)
The Black September Organization was a Palestinian paramilitary group, founded in 1970. It was responsible for the kidnapping and murder of eleven Israeli athletes and officials, and fatal shooting of a West German policeman, during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, their most publicized event...
offshoot of the Palestine Liberation Organization
Palestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
and is believed to be the last surviving member of the group of eight terrorists who carried out the massacre of eleven Israeli athletes
Munich massacre
The Munich massacre is an informal name for events that occurred during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Bavaria in southern West Germany, when members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage and eventually killed by the Palestinian group Black September. Members of Black September...
during the 1972 Munich Olympics. He is visible several times in videos of the event, identifiable by his blue and white striped jacket. During the abortive rescue attempt by Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n border guards and Munich police which resulted in the deaths of nine hostages and five of the terrorists, Al-Gashey was shot in the wrist
Wrist
In human anatomy, the wrist is variously defined as 1) the carpus or carpal bones, the complex of eight bones forming the proximal skeletal segment of the hand;...
attempting to aid a fellow terrorist.
Youth
In interviews, Al-Gashey has said that he was brought up in conditions of great poverty, mostly in the Shatila refugee camp in LebanonLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. His family was displaced in the 1948 war between the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
s and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, but always harbored a desire to return. Al-Gashey claimed that what he viewed as the unfairness of his having to live in squalor and rely on handouts while the "intruders" were living on his land fostered his hatred for Israel. This led to his joining the PLO
Palestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
in 1967. He said that during his initial training he felt, for the first time, "truly Palestinian … not just a wretched refugee, but a revolutionary fighting for a cause."
Role in the Munich massacreMunich massacreThe Munich massacre is an informal name for events that occurred during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Bavaria in southern West Germany, when members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage and eventually killed by the Palestinian group Black September. Members of Black September...
In July 1972, Al-Gashey was one of several young terrorists recruited for what he referred to as "special training," without having any idea what their target might be. He flew to Munich at the end of August 1972, staying in a hotel and even attending a couple of Olympic events. On the night of September 4, Al-Gashey met for dinner with the other members of the strike team, along with a senior Black September operative (believed to be Abu DaoudAbu Daoud
Mohammad Daoud Oudeh , commonly known by his nom de guerre Abu Daoud or Abu Dawud was a Palestinian militant known as the planner, architect and mastermind of the Munich massacre...
), who briefed them on their upcoming mission and drove with them in taxis to the Olympic Village. Al-Gashey claims that until that dinner meeting, he had no clue that the team's target was to be the Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i Olympians.
Although charged with multiple crimes related to the massacre, Al-Gashey and his surviving compatriots never stood trial. Nearly eight weeks after the massacre, a Lufthansa
Lufthansa
Deutsche Lufthansa AG is the flag carrier of Germany and the largest airline in Europe in terms of overall passengers carried. The name of the company is derived from Luft , and Hansa .The airline is the world's fourth-largest airline in terms of overall passengers carried, operating...
jet was hijacked by Black September, who demanded the release of the three Munich survivors. The jailed fedayeen were quickly released by the West German
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
government (It has been subsequently claimed by ranking West German officials that the whole hijacking episode was a sham, concocted by the West Germans and Black September so that the Germans could be rid of the three Munich perpetrators. When they landed in Libya, the three surviving hostage takers were interviewed. Footage of this press conference is shown in the film One Day in September
One Day in September
One Day in September is a 1999 documentary film directed by Kevin Macdonald examining the 5 September 1972 murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany...
and Jamal Al-Gashey is seen seated in the middle of the three, between his cousin Adnan (who was believed to be the hostage-taker who shot and killed five of the hostages tied up in one of the helicopters.
) and Mohammed Safady. When asked directly if he had killed any of the Israelis, Adnan Al-Gashey simply replied, "It's not important for me to say if I killed Israelim (sic) or not."
Post-massacre life
It is believed that Al-Gashey has spent the subsequent time since his release in hiding in North Africa. He married and has two daughters. He is the only participant in the Munich massacre to consent to interviews, having given a brief statement in 1992 to a Palestinian journalist. In 1999, Al-Gashey emerged from hiding to give a more in-depth interview in the film One Day in SeptemberOne Day in September
One Day in September is a 1999 documentary film directed by Kevin Macdonald examining the 5 September 1972 murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany...
. Since Al-Gashey believed that Israeli agents were still trying to kill him, he was disguised and his face shown only in blurry shadow as a precaution. Director Kevin Macdonald
Kevin MacDonald (director)
Kevin Macdonald is a Scottish director, best known for his films One Day in September, State of Play, The Last King of Scotland and Touching the Void.-Personal life:...
noted Al-Gashey's edgy, almost paranoid behavior throughout the interview, but was able to convince him that the film he was working on would only be truly authentic if Al-Gashey gave his side of the story. During the 1999 interview, he explained,
"I'm proud of what I did at Munich because it helped the Palestinian cause enormously … before Munich, the world had no idea about our struggle, but on that day, the name of Palestine was repeated all around the world."