The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 , 2001 , were a crossroads for masses all across the globe . After that fateful day came and went , political and military policies shifted seismically , touch , and continue to strike , masses at every level of society . These change come about not only in the United States but in land throughout the humankind . Many of the strongest memories of September 11 are carry in the heart and minds of those instantly confronted with the aftermath of the attacks in New York City , the Pentagon and Pennsylvania . 1000 lost family , ally and loved ones in the flack , which killed around 3,000 mass , mostly in downtown Manhattan . The precipitance with which their life changed made the cataclysm that much more unforgettable .
But the foursuicide attacksweren’t random violence born of impetus or spontaneity . They were the result of years of preparation and prep , all targeting weak golf links in American security systems . In this timeline , you ’ll see how the attacks were believe and executed – and how on an ordinary day in September , the book of human history turned to a unexampled chapter of conflict .
1988 – al-Qaida’s Foundation
In 1979 , the administration of Afghanistan request military intervention from the Soviet Union , in hope of quelling Afghani maverick . At about the same time , Osama bin Laden , a extremity of a flush kinsfolk from Saudi Arabia , leaves college to aid Afghani rebels push the invading Soviet Union . The rebels come after in driving out the Soviets , and bin Laden returns to Saudi Arabia , energized by the victory . In 1988 or 1989 , he forms a group called al - Qaida ( in Arabic , " The Foundation " ) dedicate to driving Western influence and military forces out of the Middle East and to opposing the United States ' support of Israel .
1996 – The Taliban Can
In 1996 , the state of war - deplumate state of Afghanistan is undergoing a raw round of tumult . The Taliban , an ultra group bent on imposing a beastly brand of key Islamic principle , hold control of the administration and induct sweeping changes . The political leanings of the Taliban are a good match for bin Laden ’s wild ideologies . He accept advantage of the Taliban ’s receptiveness and sets up a foundation of operations , includingterroristtraining nitty-gritty , in Afghanistan . Both al - Qaida and the Taliban collectively profit from the opium trade to fund their military and political missions . Al - Qaida grows larger , gaining impulse and attract more following .
1996 – The Kuwaiti’s Aims
In 1996 , Khalid Sheikh Mohammed , a Kuwait - put up Muslim extremist and influential penis of al - Qaida , pitches an idea for an blast on America to bin Laden . He proposes pirate 10 commercialairplanesand guiding them into targets around the country . Bin Laden likes the idea . In 1998 or 1999 , he gives Mohammed the go - ahead to begin design and provides scheme , as well as funding , for Mohammed ’s tactical and operational expertness . He also scales back Mohammed ’s aspirations by limiting the flack to just four plane , think that 10 would make the plan overly complicated and more potential to fail . Al - Qaida leaders get down block out recruits for their readiness to infiltrate the United States . They cautiously select humanity who could potentially flee – or trail to vanish – commercial-grade aircraft .
2000 – al-Qaida in America
Bin Laden helps choose the lead highjacker , an Egyptian diagnose Mohamed Atta . In 2000 , Atta travel to the United States . Like the 18 otherterrorists , he begins assimilating into society , undertake to avoid drawing undue attention to himself . Like a few of the other terrorists , Atta begin takingflying lessons , including a stretch at an accelerated training program located in Florida . In 2001 , the rest of the hijackers begin arriving in America . These secondary terrorist are n’t slate to fly the hijackedplanes . Instead , they plan to back up the primary fender - highwayman and assist them reach their ultimate destination . The terrorists dwell break up around the country , look for the cue to start out their operation .
Sept. 11, 2001 – The Ominous Beginning
On Sept. 11 , 2001 , Mohamed Atta and four other hijackers come at Portland ( Maine ) International Airport before 6 a.m. From there , they take a smallplaneto Boston ’s Logan International Airport . Then they get on American Airlines Flight 11 . Flight 11 charter off from Boston at 8 ante meridiem , bound for Los Angeles . Meanwhile , the 17 otherterroristsare busy boarding their own flight . Five road agent room United Airlines Flight 175 in Boston , which read off for Los Angeles at 8:14 a.m. Six minutes afterwards , American Airlines Flight 77 leaves Washington Dulles International Airport , in Dulles , Va. , with five terrorists aboard .
At 8:19 a.m. , two meeter on Flight 11 tell land personnel that the plane had been hijacked . They relay key selective information , such as the hijackers ' seat numbers , that helps federal agency begin their investigation forthwith as the morning ’s event unfold . Within 20 minutes , theFederal Aviation Administration(FAA ) has notified theNorth American Aerospace Defense Command(NORAD ) about the distrust highjacking . At about the same time , the 4th and net woodworking plane , United Airlines Flight 93 , departs Newark International Airport , in Newark , N.J. , and heads toward San Francisco . Four hijacker train to make their moves .
September 11, 8:45 a.m. – America Under Attack
As Flight 11 f number toward New York City , strain traffic controllerstry to piece together what ’s happening in the skies . They catch a homo in the cockpit announcing to the passenger , " We have someplanes . Just remain quiet and you will be OK . " Not only does the statement support that the plane ’s been commandeer , but the man ’s purpose of the password planes , in the plural form , also seems a harbinger of thing to follow . More planing machine will be – or already have been – hijacked .
At 8:45 a.m. , Atta and his squad by design crash Flight 11 into the North Tower of theWorld Trade Centerin New York City . At 9:03 , Flight 175 belt into the South Tower .
Within five minutes , theFAAhalts all takeoff schedule to take flight to New York City or through New York City air space . By 9:17 a.m. , all New York City aerodrome are shut out down .
At 9:26 a.m. , the FAA hold back takeoffs for all civilian aircraft throughout the country . Five proceedings later , President George W. Bush calls the planer incidents an " apparentterroristattack on our rural area . "
At 9:43 a.m. escape 77 crash into the Pentagon , in Virginia . Two minutes later , the White House is evacuate .
September 11, 9:45 a.m. – Shut Down the Skies
At 9:45 , theFAAcommands allaircraftalready in the skies to land as presently as potential . That meansair traffic controllersmust somehow coordinate the unscheduled , and unprecedented , land of nearly 4,500 planes .
At 10:05 a.m. , the outrageousness of the attacks becomes much clearer as the South Tower of theWorld Trade Centercollapses . Five minutes later , part of the Pentagon caves in as well .
At the same time , passenger aboard Flight 93 , having learned of the other attack viacell phones , essay to wrest control condition of the plane from the hijackers , who crash the woodworking plane into a field of operations in Pennsylvania . It ’s the only plane to have neglect its objective , which was presumptively the U.S. Capitol .
At 10:28 a.m. , with the now fully rattling world watching ontelevision , the North Tower of the World Trade Center comes crashing down . Now - iconic video footage and still photos beguile many outcome of the day , from the planes rack up the tug to the billowing backwash of their collapse into the street of the urban center .
Although it ’s not even twelve noon yet , all 19 hijackers are already dead , along with thousands of American victim , and a raw era in account has begin .
At 8:30 p.m. on the evening of September 11 , President Bush plow the hoi polloi of the United States and put forward that the nation will win the war onterrorism .
October 2001 – The Invasion Begins
Immediately after the attack , United States intelligence agencies and political leaders begin preparations for a counterattack . Less than a calendar month later , America invades Afghanistan , attacking Taliban and al - Qaida target throughout the land . The Taliban is drive out of power , and al - Qaida group are demolish and scattered . The United States finds another foe in Saddam Hussein , the leader of Iraq , who supposedly has links to al - Qaida . Although Hussein had fix contact with bin Laden ’s chemical group and nothing to do with the September 11 attacks , America invades Iraq and removes Hussein from big businessman . The United States Armed Forces continue to interest both Iraq and Afghanistan .
2004 – Bin Laden’s Admission
In October 2004 , a video of bin Laden breeze on Arabictelevision . In the tapdance message , al - Qaida ’s drawing card , who had for years refuse his involvement in the September 11 attack , finally fink that he played a lead character in the plot . The United States continues to propose a $ 25 million amplitude to anyone who helps them catch or kill bin Laden . In spite of the unprecedented reward , al - Qaida ’s drawing card continues to evade detection for years .
2011 – Bin Laden’s Death
On May 2 , 2011 , the United States military conducts a occult operation at a compound located in Abbottabad , Pakistan , not far from a Pakistani military floor . Teams made up of 12Navy SEALsflying in twohelicoptersenter the home and find bin Laden , along with several other hoi polloi , including some of bin Laden ’s relation . The SEALs shoot and kill bin Laden and bury his body at an unrevealed location in the North Arabian Sea . With bin Laden dead , the hunt for the world ’s most want world is over , but the force and dispute he helped actuate continue .
