He left professional football as a promising young man to join Al Qaeda and plan the attack on the Twin Towers.
Al Qaeda is a global terrorist network that became infamous for the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York, where he destroyed the Twin Towers. This attack, which was broadcast live on television, killed more than 3,000 people and one of the alleged terrorists who planned the attack was on a football player.
Among those involved in this organization was Nizar Trabelsiwho left professional sport to join Al Qaeda. His involvement with the group led him to plan terrorist attacks and to directly associate with Osama Bin Laden, the organization’s leader. Trabelsi’s story is an extreme example of how radicalization can derail the life of anyone, even an athlete with a promising career.
Nizar Trabelsi.webp
The incredible story of Nizar Trabelsi, the footballer who left football and joined Al Qaeda terrorism
Trabelsi, born in Tunisia, had a brief career in the Bundesligaplaying in teams like Düsseldorf and Wuppertaler SV between 1989 and 1994. At the age of 25, the young man left football and, four years later, joined Al Qaeda. During his time in the organisation, the former footballer met Osama Bin Ladenwhom he came to see as a father figureHis first mission was in Afghanistan, where he participated in the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan in 2001. From this moment on, Trabelsi showed his willingness to commit terrorist acts, even at the cost of his life. His commitment led him to be part of a group that planned an attack on Belgium against the military base of Kleine-Brogel, an attack that ultimately did not come to fruition.
Two days after the attacks of September 11, 2001 in New York, Trabelsi was arrested in Belgiumas part of a police operation that dismantled an Al Qaeda cell. Sentenced in 2003 For planning an attack on US soil, the former athlete was extradited to the United States In 2013, despite objections fromThe European Court of Human Rights. During his detention in the US, he was held in isolation and extreme conditions, according to reports from the UN.
After years of trials and appeals, a jury in Washington DC acquitted him in 2022 of the charges of conspiracy and use of weapons of mass destruction. Trabelsi was found not guilty and his case highlighted the legal and ethical complexities of the justice system. At 53, he is to be compensated by Belgium with 10,000 euros for every year spent in prison. Today, his future is uncertain as he tries to rebuild his life after decades of imprisonment and accusations.
Source: Ambito
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
