September 11, 2001, the U.S. was attacked by terrorists: Timeline

by nirajan | September 10, 2008 at 10:32 am

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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.

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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