Former New York Gov. George Pataki is speaking out forcefully as his new Ground Zero documentary prepares to premiere this week.
Pataki, 79, who led the Empire State during the September 11 attacks, has funded “Out of the Darkness” through his Albany-based nonprofit, the George Pataki Center. The film traces the rebuilding process after the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people and will screen for free on the center’s website following its Thursday premiere.
“9/11 wasn’t some sort of an accident. It was a terrorist attack carried out by radical Islamists who wanted to take away our freedom and force us to live in fear,” Pataki told The Post.
The former three-term Republican governor has framed the documentary as both a historical record and a reminder for younger Americans who may not remember the day itself. The project arrives as the nation approaches the 25th anniversary of the attacks.
“Everybody, not just in New York, but around the country had an opinion as to what should be done,” Pataki said.
“And we had to cut through all those emotions, which was hard to do and just keep our eye on the vision as to what we wanted to end up with there. And it worked out extremely well.”
The rebuilding effort Pataki oversaw transformed the sixteen-acre site in Lower Manhattan from a devastation zone into a memorial complex and commercial center. The documentary chronicles that transformation and the political and emotional challenges that accompanied it.
Billionaire John Catsimatidis, owner of the Gristedes supermarket chain, will honor Pataki with “The Leadership Crisis Award” at an upcoming memorial gala. The recognition highlights Pataki’s stewardship during and immediately after the attacks.
The documentary’s title references both the literal clearing of the wreckage and the broader emotional recovery of a city and nation. Pataki’s involvement extends beyond funding through his center; he appears in the film discussing decisions made in the aftermath.
The free online release strategy aims to maximize access as anniversary commemorations begin. The Pataki Center has positioned the film as educational material for schools and institutions seeking firsthand accounts of the rebuilding.
Pataki’s blunt characterization of the attacks as Islamist terrorism rather than an unspecified tragedy reflects his longstanding rhetorical approach to the subject. During his governorship from 1995 to 2006, he frequently emphasized the ideological nature of the threat.
The memorial gala where Catsimatidis will present the leadership award is scheduled for September 11 in New York City.