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Timeline of the September 11 attacks

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The September 11 attacks timeline is a chronological list of all the major events leading up to, during, and immediately following the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington that day. The timeline starts with the completion of the first World Trade Center tower in 1970 through the first anniversary of the attacks in 2002.

Contents

Background history

  • 1970: One World Trade Center completed.
  • 1973: Two World Trade Center completed.
  • c. 1988: Osama bin Laden founds al-Qaeda.
  • 1993: World Trade Center bombing.
  • 1995: Operation Bojinka is discovered by Manila police on a laptop computer in an apartment after a fire.
  • 1996: The Taliban, a radical Islamic movement, takes control of Afghanistan.
  • 1998: The 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania occur.
  • 1999: Indian Airlines Flight 814 hijacked. One passenger dies while the others are released.
  • 2000: The USS Cole is bombed in Yemen.
  • Planning

  • 1992 - Mohamed Atta arrives in Germany.
  • 1994 - Planning on Operation Bojinka begins in the Philippines.
  • 1995 - Operation Bojinka foiled, Said Bahaji and Ramzi bin al-Shibh arrive in Germany.
  • 1996 - Marwan al-Shehhi and Ziad Jarrah arrive in Germany.
  • 1997 - Zakariyah Essabar arrives in Germany.
  • 1998 - Recruitment of terrorists in Germany starts.
  • 1999 - Hamburg cell is fully formed.
  • 2000 - 2000 al-Qaeda Summit in Malaysia, pilots head to the United States and train in flying schools.
  • 2001 - Remaining hijackers go to the United States, Zacarias Moussaoui goes to the United States and is arrested, other cell members flee Germany.
  • 2001 - Financial support.
  • September 11, 2001

    All times are in local time (EDT or UTC − 4).

  • 7:59 AM: American Airlines Flight 11 takes off from Boston Logan International Airport, bound for Los Angeles International Airport.
  • 8:14 AM: Flight 11 is hijacked.
  • 8:14 AM: United Airlines Flight 175 takes off from Boston Logan, also bound for Los Angeles.
  • 8:20 AM: American Airlines Flight 77 takes off from Washington Dulles International Airport, also bound for Los Angeles.
  • 8:42 AM: United Airlines Flight 93 takes off from Newark International Airport, bound for San Francisco International Airport.
  • 8:42-46 AM: Flight 175 is hijacked.
  • 8:46:40 AM: Flight 11 crashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center between the 93rd and 99th floors.
  • 8:50-54 AM: Flight 77 is hijacked.
  • 9:03:02 AM: United Airlines Flight 175 crashes into the South Tower of the World Trade Center between the 77th and 85th floors.
  • 9:28 AM: Flight 93 is hijacked.
  • 9:37:46 AM: American Airlines Flight 77 crashes into The Pentagon.
  • 9:58:59 AM: The South Tower collapses.
  • 10:03:11 AM: United Airlines Flight 93 crashes into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
  • 10:28:22 AM: The North Tower collapses.
  • Rest of September

  • September 13: On the personal orders of Queen Elizabeth II, The 'Star-Spangled Banner' is played during the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, marking the first time a foreign national anthem was played outside Buckingham Palace on an occasion other than a state visit. Russia observes a minute's silence.
  • September 14 to September 21: Worldwide stock markets plummet.
  • September 15: CIA director George Tenet presents the Worldwide Attack Matrix.
  • September 20: George W. Bush announces that the US is at war.
  • October

  • October 1: Rudy Giuliani speaks to the United Nations General Assembly.
  • October 7: U.S. Attack on Afghanistan commences.
  • Beyond October

  • March 2002: The Tribute in Light project begins.
  • September 11, 2002: First anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks commemorations are held throughout the world, particularly the U.S.
  • References

    Timeline of the September 11 attacks Wikipedia