911 Important Facts and Timeline of Events

The 9/11 attacks were a pivotal moment in modern history, and understanding the events that unfolded is crucial for appreciating their significance.

On September 11, 2001, four commercial airplanes were hijacked by terrorists affiliated with al-Qaeda, resulting in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people.

The first plane, American Airlines Flight 11, crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City at 8:46 a.m.

The impact and subsequent fires caused the collapse of the South Tower at 9:59 a.m.

The collapse of the South Tower sent massive plumes of smoke and debris into the air, causing widespread panic and destruction.

The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, was also attacked when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into it at 9:37 a.m.

The hijackers intentionally crashed the planes into their targets, resulting in catastrophic damage and loss of life.

The 9/11 attacks led to a significant shift in global politics and international relations, with the United States launching the War on Terror in response.

Four commercial airliners were hijacked on September 11, 2001, by nineteen hijackers.

The hijackers targeted large planes with long flights, such as Boeing 757s and 767s, which had more fuel.

American Airlines Flight 77, a Boeing 757, crashed into the west side of the Pentagon military headquarters at 9:45 a.m., killing 125 military personnel and civilians.

The impact caused a devastating inferno that led to the structural collapse of a portion of the giant concrete building.

The four hijacked flights were:

The attacks resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people, with 2,996 fatalities reported.

The targets of the 9/11 attacks were four landmark buildings in the United States. Two planes were used as guided missiles to crash into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York.

The first plane, American Airlines Flight 11, hit the North Tower at 8:46 a.m. Eastern Time. The second plane, United Airlines Flight 175, crashed into the South Tower at 9:03 a.m.

The third plane, American Airlines Flight 77, destroyed the western face of the Pentagon, the headquarters of the US military, at 9:37 a.m. The fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed in a field in Pennsylvania after passengers fought back.

Here's a breakdown of the planes and their targets:

The four commercial airliners hijacked on September 11, 2001, were American Airlines Flight 11, United Airlines Flight 175, American Airlines Flight 77, and United Airlines Flight 93.

The first plane to crash was American Airlines Flight 11, which hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m.

The second plane to crash was United Airlines Flight 175, which hit the South Tower of the World Trade Center at 9:03 a.m.

American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the west wall of the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m.

United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, at 10:03 a.m.

Here's a breakdown of the four flights and their crash sites:

Osama bin Laden orchestrated the September 11 attacks, initially denying involvement before later admitting foreknowledge and eventually acknowledging al-Qaeda's involvement.

Bin Laden's motives for the attacks were rooted in his anger towards the US for permitting Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1982 and the subsequent suffering of civilians. He stated that the attacks were a form of retaliation for the US's actions.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the principal architect of the 9/11 attacks, admitted his involvement in 2002, citing his violent disagreement with US foreign policy favoring Israel as the reason for his actions.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was the principal architect of the 9/11 attacks. He admitted his involvement in the attacks in April 2002, along with Ramzi bin al-Shibh.

Mohammed's animosity towards the United States stemmed from his "violent disagreement with U.S. foreign policy favoring Israel". He was also an adviser and financier of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the uncle of Ramzi Yousef, the lead bomber in that attack.

Mohammed and Yousef planned a new terrorist attack called the Bojinka plot, which was influenced by the later 9/11 attacks. Despite a failure and Yousef's capture, the Bojinka plot would later influence the 9/11 attacks.

Five people were completely aware of the operation's details: bin Laden, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Ramzi bin al-Shibh, Abu Turab al-Urduni, and Mohammed Atef.

Here's a list of the key players involved in the 9/11 attacks:

These individuals played a crucial role in the planning and execution of the 9/11 attacks, which resulted in the loss of thousands of lives.

Racial profiling was a significant issue in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

Many people, including Arab-Americans and Muslim Americans, reported experiencing acts of bias or discrimination. In a poll of Muslim Americans in July 2002, 57% of respondents said they had experienced an act of bias or discrimination since the attacks.

Pakistani Americans, in particular, were affected by racial profiling. Some identified themselves as Indians to avoid potential discrimination and obtain jobs.

The US Department of Transportation investigated 111 complaints from airline passengers who claimed they were singled out at security screenings due to their religious or ethnic appearance.

By May 2002, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission had received 488 complaints of employment discrimination, including 301 complaints from people who were fired from their jobs.

Women wearing hijab were also targeted, with many experiencing harassment and other forms of bias.

After the attacks, many mosques and Islamic centers began holding open houses and participating in outreach efforts to educate non-Muslims about the faith.

This led to an increase in interfaith community service, which rose from 8 to 20 percent in the first 10 years after the attacks.

The percentage of U.S. congregations involved in interfaith worship doubled from 7 to 14 percent during this time.

These efforts demonstrate a positive response to the attacks, showing that people were willing to come together and learn from each other.

The CIA's role in the lead-up to 9/11 is a complex and troubling issue. In 2004, John L. Helgerson, the Inspector General of the CIA, conducted an internal review that was harshly critical of senior CIA officials.

Their failure to stop two of the 9/11 hijackers, Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar, as they entered the United States was a major oversight. This was due to their failure to share information on the two men with the FBI.

In 2007, senators from both major U.S. political parties drafted legislation to make the review public. The report was released in 2009 by President Barack Obama.

The Saudi government's role in the 9/11 attacks has been a topic of controversy.

In July 2016, the Obama administration released a document called "File 17", which lists three dozen people, including suspected Saudi intelligence officers attached to the Saudi embassy in Washington, D.C., connecting Saudi Arabia to the hijackers.

The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act was passed by Congress in September 2016, allowing a civil lawsuit to continue against Saudi Arabia for its alleged role in the attacks.

A U.S. judge formally allowed a suit to move forward against the government of Saudi Arabia in March 2018, brought by 9/11 survivors and victims' families.

Two videos and a notepad seized from Saudi national Omar al-Bayoumi by the British courts in 2022 showed him hosting a party for hijackers and greeting a cleric blamed for radicalizing Americans.

According to a 2017 FBI memo, al-Bayoumi was a paid cooptee of the Saudi General Intelligence Presidency from the late 1990s up until the 9/11 attack.

As of April 2022, al-Bayoumi is believed to be living in Saudi Arabia, which has denied any involvement in 9/11.