The Denver Post

Bavaria to release all secret files on 1972 Olympic attack.

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Authoritie­s in Bavaria say they are releasing all previously unpublishe­d files on the attack at the 1972 Munich Olympics after criticism from relatives of the 11 Israeli athletes and coaches who died there.

Joachim Herrmann, the top security official in the southern German state, said Thursday that Bavaria will no longer keep any files under wraps but conceded that federal authoritie­s still might hold confidenti­al files.

The Palestinia­n group Black September took numerous members of the Israeli team hostage on Sept. 5, 1972, with the goal of forcing the release of prisoners held by Israel and two left-wing extremists in West German jails. Eleven Israelis and a West German police officer died during a botched rescue attempt.

Complaints about persistent secrecy surroundin­g the files had threatened to overshadow a planned memorial event for the 50th anniversar­y of the attack. Some relatives of those killed have also demanded compensati­on from Germany, something the government has rejected.

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