9/11 Terrorists Attack

With the anniversary coming up I figured it would be a good time to tell you about the events of that day. I also wanted to talk about the events leading up to it and the aftermath. I also want to say that I mean no disrespect to the family of the victims or the victims themselves, I just believe people need to remember what happened that day.

What a lot of people don't know is there was a lot of things that lead up to 9/11 attacks. One of the major things that happened that people believe led to the attacks happened on February 26, 1993. On this date a truck bomb went off in the parking garage under the world trade center. Six people were killed and injured more than 1,000 people. A group of Islamic extremists were convicted for the act. Two bombs went off at the United States-Saudi military facility in Riyadh on November 13, 1995, seven people (five were Americans). On June 25, 1996 Bin Laden followers detonated a bomb at the United States military base in Saudi Arabia, it killed 19 American soldiers and injuring hundreds of Americans and Saudi Arabians. In September 1996 the Taliban was accused of giving Bin Laden refuge in Kabul, Afghanistan. He completed his take over there. On August 7, 1998 the US embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania were bombed, more than 250 people were killed (12 Americans in Kenya) and 5,000 people were injured. Because of these attacks America launched an air strike on suspected terrorist group camps in Sudan and Afghanistan. On August 28, 1998 the FBI accused Osama Bin Laden of declaring "Jihad" ( fight against the enemies of Islam) against the United States. They also claimed that Bin Laden also began Al Qaeda that same year to promote Islamic fundamentalism and drive non-Muslims out of Muslim countries. Bin Laden was charged for the bombings of the United States embassies on November 4, 1998.

In December 1999 a CIA agent Mark Rossini finds out two Al Qaeda members (Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar) traveled to Malaysia to attend a terror summit to better plan attacks on America. The CIA had them on their radar and yet they still have passports and visas. In 2000 they also took flying lessons in America, the FBI still didn't know. After 9-11 the government found out that the two terrorist were renting a place to stay from an FBI informant. Some of the calls that went to other Al Qaeda members were being recorded but the terrorist were using codes. Nawaf, Khalid and five others were on the flight that crashed into the pentagon. Two other hijackers lived in Florida and also went to flying classes in Florida. Fifteen of the seventeen hijackers had connections to Florida. One of the alleged hijackers moved out of his house with his family suddenly months before the attacks. He now lives in Saudi Arabia and has been cleared of all charges.

On October 2,000 suicide bombers attacked the United States Navy destroyer, USS Cole, blowing a hole on the outside. The attack killed 17 sailors. US officials suspected that Bin Laden was involved. The Taliban refused to turn over Bin Laden for trial so on January 15, 2001 the UN inflicts new economic sanctions against the Taliban.

Now Tuesday September 11, 2001 started off as any normal Tuesday in America. At 7:59 AM American Airlines Flight 11 takes off from Boston’s Logan International Airport heading to Los Angeles. The flight had 92 people aboard. United Airlines Flight 175 took off at 8:14 AM from Boston going to Los Angeles, 65 people were on board. By 8:19 AM the flight attendants on flight 11 alert ground crew that the plane was hijacked, American Airlines notified the FBI. At 8:20 AM American Airlines Flight 77 takes off from Washington, DC to Los Angeles with 64 people on board. One of the hijackers on flight 11 accidentally called ground control. By 8:40 AM the Air traffic controllers at The Federal Aviation Administration alert North American Aerospace Defense Command’s Northeast Air Defense Sector about the hijacking of flight 11. The air defense tried to get fighter jets to tail the flight but they weren't even in the air when flight 11 hit the north tower which happened at 8:46 AM. United Airlines Flight 93 took off from Newark International Airport headed to San Francisco it was late at 8:41 AM. By 8:47 AM NYPD and FDNY forces dispatch units to the World Trade Center, while the North Tower was evacuated. The president was alerted at 8:50 AM about what was going on. At 9:02 the south tower was evacuated, a minute before flight 175 crashed into it. Between 9:08 AM and 9:24 AM all take offs were banned going in or out of New York, all bridges and tunnels were closed and the FAA notified NEADS of the suspected hijacking of Flight 77, family was alerted as well.

At 9:31 AM President Bush called the events in New York City an “apparent terrorist attack on our country.” At 9:37 AM Flight 77 crash the plane into the western façade of the Pentagon in Washington, DC, killing 59 aboard the plane and 125 military and civilian personnel inside the building. Between 9:42 and 9:45 AM all flights were grounded and the white house and capital building were evacuated . At 9:59 AM the South Tower of the World Trade Center collapses. The other tower collapsed at 10:28 AM.

After passengers and crew members aboard the hijacked Flight 93 contact friends and family and learn about the attacks in New York and Washington they attempted to retake the plane. The hijackers deliberately crash the plane into a field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, killing all 40 passengers and crew aboard.

At 11 AM Mayor Rudolph Giuliani calls for the evacuation of Lower Manhattan south of Canal Street. Through out the afternoon they searched for survivors. Around 1 PM President Bush announces that US military forces are on high alert worldwide. By 2:51 PM the US Navy dispatches missile destroyers to New York and Washington, DC. At 5:20 PM the 47-story Seven World Trade Center collapses, but the building had been evacuated in the morning so there are no casualties. President Bush returns to the White House at 6:58 PM after stops at military bases in Louisiana and Nebraska. At 8:30 PM President Bush addresses the nation declaring that America and allies would “stand together to win the war against terrorism.”

After the attacks September 11th was named “Patriot Day.” We went to war three months after the attacks. There was added security at the airports. There were also other terrorists who tried to blow up plans but none were successful. Sadly Muslims whether they were extremist or not were viewed as the enemy. Since the attacks there were hate crimes done to Muslims and Mosques.

So remember those who died and those who helped in clean up and recovery.