On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, the U.S. is attacked by terrorists in
New York City and Washington, and the world changes forever.
Sept. 11: Hijacked jetliners hit the World Trade Center in New York
and the Pentagon outside Washington. A fourth hijacked plane crashes into a
field in Pennsylvania. Trading on Wall Street is stopped. The Federal Aviation
Administration halts all flight operations at the nation's airports for the
first time in U.S. history. U.S. military is placed on high alert. President
Bush addresses the nation and vows to "find those responsible and bring
them to justice." Hundreds of New York City firemen and policemen sent to
rescue WTC workers are lost when the WTC Twin Towers collapse. Reaction from
international leaders is swift as world leaders react with outrage over the
attacks.
Sept. 12: New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani warns death toll will be in
the thousands at the trade center. Firefighters continue to douse flames in New
York and Washington. Bush labels attacks "acts of war" and asks
Congress to devote $20 billion to help rebuild and recover.
Sept. 13: Fighting back tears, Bush vows that America will "lead
the world to victory" over terrorism in a struggle he termed the first war
of the 21st century. Secretary of State Colin Powell identifies Osama Bin Laden
as the prime suspect. The United States will respond with a sustained military
campaign, not a single strike, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz says.
Air travel resumes.
Sept. 14: Bush declares national emergency and gives military
authority to call 50,000 reservists to active duty. Justice Department releases
names of the 19 hijackers. Afghanistan's Taliban militia warns of
"revenge" if United States attacks it for harboring bin Laden. Bush
leads four former presidents and nation in prayer at National Cathedral and
visits trade center.
Sept. 15: President Bush says U.S. troops will hunt down terrorists
in a long, unrelenting war; cites desire by American people not only for
revenge, but to end "barbaric behavior." The State Department warns
governments will be isolated if they tolerate or assist terrorist groups.
Pakistan agrees to the full list of U.S. demands for a possible attack on
neighboring Afghanistan.
Sept. 16: President Bush pledges "crusade" to "rid the
world of evil-doers," brushes off reported Osama bin Laden denial. U.S.
Vice President Dick Cheney warns that those who harbor terrorists face
"the full wrath of the United States." Pakistani official says senior
delegation sent to Afghanistan to deliver U.S. message: hand over Osama bin
Laden or risk massive assault.
Sept. 17: The supreme leader of Afghanistan's hardline Taliban says a
grand council of Islamic clerics will decide whether to hand over bin Laden.
The Federal Reserve cuts its key interest rate to try to keep the economy from
plunging into a recession. Investors send stocks reeling on Wall Street's first
day of trading since the attacks. The list of people FBI wants detained in the
United States and abroad grows to nearly 200.
Sept. 18: Taliban leaders call on Muslims to wage holy war on America
if it attacks. U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says administration
preparing sustained offensive against terrorists and countries that support
them. Bush leads nation in moment of silence. Authorities say federal grand
jury in New York has opened investigation.
Sept. 19: Pentagon orders combat aircraft to bases in Persian Gulf.
Bush continues push to enlist global support in the battle against terrorism,
meeting with the Indonesian president and calling leaders of South Africa and
South Korea; foreign ministers of Russia and Germany meet with Powell.
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf seeks to reassure his country the war
against terrorism does not target Islam or people of Afghanistan. Thousands of
Afghans flee toward borders.
Sept. 20: In national address, Bush announces creation of a
Cabinet-level Office of Homeland Security and names Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge
to coordinate efforts to prevent terrorism. Bush directs U.S. military forces
to "be ready" for the gathering battle: "The hour is coming when
America will act and you will make us proud." Islamic clerics urge bin
Laden to voluntarily leave Afghanistan. Pentagon announces that 5,131 members
of the Air Force National Guard and Air Force Reserve ordered to active duty.
Go to President Bush's address to Congress.
Sept. 21: Taliban rulers refuse to hand over bin Laden and warn that
any U.S. attacks could plunge region into crisis. Taliban troops take up
positions in the jagged mountain peaks on Afghanistan's border with Pakistan.
Thousands demonstrate in Pakistan's major cities. Pentagon commits more
aircraft to the Persian Gulf. German authorities say they believe a terrorist
group based there began planning the U.S. attacks as far back as 1999.
Sept. 22: The Taliban say they shot down unmanned spy plane in
northern Afghanistan. United Arab Emirates cuts diplomatic relations with
Taliban for refusing to surrender Osama bin Laden. President Bush meets with
advisers at Camp David, Md., as Pentagon orders ships and planes
to Middle East.
Sept. 23: U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell promises to lay out
evidence against Osama bin Laden. Donald Rumsfeld confirms the United States
lost contact with an unmanned spy plane over Afghanistan. Taliban leadership
says it can't find bin Laden to advise him to leave the country. U.S. officials
dismiss the claim. President Bush returns the American flag to full staff at
Camp David, symbolically ending the period of national mourning.
Sept. 24: President Bush signs an order freezing the assets of 27
people and organizations, calling it a strike at financial foundation of
terrorists. He demands foreign banks follow the U.S. lead. Osama bin Laden
calls on Pakistan's Muslims to fight "the American crusade." The
ruling Taliban say they are dispatching 300,000 fighters to defend
Afghanistan's borders. The United Nations says the Taliban threaten to kill
U.N. relief workers in Afghanistan.
Sept. 25: The United States and six of the world's richest nations agree to
produce coordinated plan to freeze the assets of all terrorist organizations.
Saudi Arabia cuts ties with the Taliban government. Osama bin Laden's
organization makes a fresh call to arms, saying "wherever there are
Americans and Jews, they will be targeted." The Pentagon calls nearly
2,000 more reservists to active duty, bringing to 14,318 the number of Reserve
and National Guard members called so far.
Sept. 26: U.S. and Pakistani officials end two days of talks in Islamabad, with
Pakistani leader saying nations agree on military preparations for combating
bin Laden's terrorist network in Afghanistan. Thousands storm abandoned U.S.
Embassy compound in Afghan capital of Kabul. United Nations agency says assault
on Afghanistan could send up to 1.5 million refugees into Pakistan and other
neighboring countries.
Sept. 27: Taliban acknowledge they can communicate with bin Laden, saying they
have given him a week-old message from clerics that he leave the country
voluntarily. Bush announces plan to bolster airline security, including
expanded use of federal marshals on airliners. At Bush's urging, governors
around the nation plan to use the National Guard troops for airport security.
Sept. 28: Bush says United States "in hot pursuit" of terrorists.
Administration official says U.S. special forces have conducted scouting
missions in Afghanistan. Pakistani delegation fails to persuade leader of
Afghanistan's ruling Taliban to surrender terrorist suspect bin Laden. The U.N.
Security Council unanimously approves a U.S.-sponsored resolution demanding all
nations take sweeping action against terrorism. Attorney General John Ashcroft
says authorities have arrested or detained more than 480 people.
Sept. 29: In national radio address, Bush says nation's defense against more
attacks will be to "aggressively and methodically" disrupt and
destroy terrorism. Thousands rally in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and
Barcelona, Spain to discourage armed retaliation. Anti-war protests draw
hundreds in Austin, Texas, and Athens, Greece. The United Nations resumes food
shipments to prevent starvation in Afghanistan.
Sept. 30: The Taliban say explicitly for the first time that Osama bin Laden
is still in Afghanistan and is being kept in a secret location. Pakistani
president says even under threat of U.S. military strikes, hopes "very
dim" bin Laden would be surrendered. Afghanistan opposition says territory
gained and hundreds of Taliban soldiers defected during three days of fighting
in northern mountains. Foreign aid workers in Iran stockpile emergency rations
for possible waves of Afghan refugees.
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