A News Story on the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center Attack

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.	America is Attacked
	World Trade Center
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.	George W. Bush
	National Cathedral
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.	NYC Skyline Sept 16
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.	NYSE Opens Again
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. 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.	Donald Rumsfeld
	Homeland Security
	Speech to Congress
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.	NYC Wall of Posters
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.	Manhattan Apt. Dust
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.	WTC Site Sept. 24
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.	USS Enterprise
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.	WTC Priest Prayers
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.	Taliban Ambassador
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. Source: http://www.september11news.com/DailyTimeline.htm	Osama bin Laden