BBC - After 9/11 Scotland's Story (2021)

On 11th September 2001, 19 al-Qaeda hijackers snatched control of four passenger jets and committed an act of terrorism, the like of which had never been seen before. As television images of the burning twin towers in New York spread around the globe, normal life ended for many people as a series of events unfolded that would change the world forever.

Using first-hand testimony, this documentary pieces together the seismic consequences that have been keenly felt in Scotland over the last 20 years, from the moment when the first plane impacted in New York, to the present day.

Among those in Scotland whose lives were immediately affected were those in the Asian communities. As early reports suggested that those behind the attack were ‘Islamic' and ‘extremist', acts of racism became more common, more violent, and religious in nature. Muslims were suddenly faced with a very real and frightening backlash as they came under suspicion, were physically attacked, and their mosques were fire-bombed.

Yasmine Chaudhry was attacked on a bus only two days after 9/11, with her attacker smashing a glass bottle over her head after making it clear that he was doing it because of the attack.

Amjid Bashir was verbally attacked at McDonalds the next day. He had just attended Scotland's biggest vigil for the victims when another customer suggested that a bullet should be added to his burger so his head ‘would be blown off'.

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