50 Stunning Olympic moments: Munich terrorism – in pictures

It was billed as "The Games of Peace and Joy", but for the Israeli Olympic team the Munich Games of 1972 was one of tragedy. In the early hours of 5 September, a group of Palestinian terrorists scaled a wall surrounding the Olympic village and stormed the apartments used by the Israeli athletes Photograph: AP

Twelve hostages were taken and a 20-hour stand-off ensued. One of the hostages escaped as the group were corralled into the team's downstairs apartment, another was shot dead in the process. A second athlete died from blood-loss after being shot and castrated Photograph: Kurt Strumpf/AP

German policing had been virtually non-existent, such was the nation's desire to present a game of peace and openness. But they scrambled a response team together and sought negotiations with the captors. Bizarrely, with the siege in progress, the Games was allowed to continue Photograph: AP

The terrorists demanded the release of 234 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, plus the imprisoned German terrorists Andreas Baader and Ulrike Meinhof. The German authorities refused and, instead, sharpshooters scaled the neighbouring roofs of the Olympic Village in an attempt to confront the terrorists. It was a futile response as their efforts were thwarted by rolling TV coverage which delivered news of their actions straight to the terrorists. Fresh demands were issued; the terrorists wanted a helicopter and plane in order to take their captives to Egypt Photograph: ./Associated Press

But the helicopters which awaited them became the scene of almighty gun-battle as police snipers tried to ambush the group. Within two hours, all of the athletes were dead - slaughtered inside the helicopters by the Palestinians. One German police officer also lost his life and only three of the hostage-takers survived Photograph: Associated Press

The Olympics was suspended for just 24 hours - the organisers insisted that its continuation was a vital statement against terrorism. The bodies of the dead terrorists were flown to Libya and the three survivors were soon freed from prison when another group of terrorists hijacked a plane and demanded their release. No apology has ever been given for the police's botched rescue efforts and the atrocity remains the darkest day in Olympics history Photograph: PPP