|
9/11/01 EVENTS (Updated): 8:45 a.m. EDT: A commercial jet that authorities suspect was hijacked by terrorists whose identity remains unknown crashes into one of the two 110-story towers at the World Trade Center in New York. 8:48 a.m.: NPR is now reporting that a Palestinian group is claiming responsibility. The Pentagon is reporting that a 737 was hijacked from Boston this morning - an American Airlines flight. Please bear in mind that the Pentagon has a history of disinformation and this information may not be correct. 8:51 a.m.: NPR is also now reporting that both the White House and parts of the Pentagon are being evacuated due to possible fires and smoke. 8:55 a.m.: NPR and others now reporting Capitol building is being evacuated and that a plane has crashed into the Pentagon. Reuters is reporting that the DFLP - the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine is taking credit. FAA has shut down all take-offs across the nation. A spokesman in the DFLP has denied responsibility - the original report was an anonymous claim of responsbility. 9:00 a.m.:NPR now reporting the State Department is being evacuated. 9:03 a.m.: A second commercial jet, also thought hijacked, crashes into the second World Trade Center tower. 9:05 a.m.: President Bush, visiting Sarasota, Fla., to promote his education program, is informed about the two crashes by Chief of Staff Andrew Card. 9:16 a.m.:An entire tower (110 stories) of the World Trade Center has now collapsed. The Pentagon apparently has had a floor or two collapse following an apparent plane crashing it. NPR is calling it a "major" attack. American Airlines is reporting that flight 11 from Boston from L.A. and apparently was the one that crashed into the World Trade Center. 9:20 a.m.: Bush, preparing to leave Florida, acknowledges that the crashes likely are the result of a terrorist attack and vows it ''will not stand.'' He boards a plane that carries him to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. 9:21 a.m.: Tunnels leading into New York are closed. 9:38 a.m.:Arafat has condemned the actions. 9:40 a.m.: Federal Aviation Administration grounds all domestic flights and orders all planes in the air to land at the closest facility. 9:45 a.m.: A third commercial plane, also hijacked, crashes into the Pentagon in Arlington, Va. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who is in the building, escapes unhurt. 9:50 a.m.: The White House and the Capitol are evacuated after bomb threats are received. Other federal buildings in Washington are shut down. 9:54 a.m.:The second plane that crashed into the World Trade Center has been identified as the plane that was hijacked out of Boston (flight 11). Apparently, police forces across the country are going on high alert. 10:00 a.m.:The Pentagon has a "huge fire" according to NPR. Both towers of World Trade Center have collapsed. 10 a.m.: The South Tower of the World Trade Center crumbles to the ground. 10:05 a.m.:IDS tower in Minneapolis, the tallest
building MN has been evacuated. Gov Jesse Ventura will be giving a
response evidently. All flights out of MSP airport are grounded.
There is apparently another plane down in Pittsburgh and another
hijacked plane may still be flying toward the Pentagon. 10:10 a.m.: A section of the Pentagon collapses. 10:10 a.m.: A fourth plane crashes near Somerset, Pa., southeast of Pittsburgh. A passenger, using a cell phone, contacts an emergency dispatcher shortly before the crash and says, ''We've been hijacked. We've been hijacked.'' Officials believe that plane was headed toward Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland. 10:29 a.m.: The second World Trade Center tower falls. 10:31 a.m.:Much of the United States is on high alert as people brace for further terrorist attacks. Apparently American Airlines has identified flight 77 as being another plane that was hijacked and was one of the planes that has crashed. 10:37 a.m.:Mall of America has closed with many downtown buildings. Public schools in California (San Fran) have been closed. The flight that crashed in Pittsburgh as evidently a United Airlines 757, flight 93, from Newark to San Fran. 11:01 a.m.:The section of the Pentagon that took the most damage was evidently a new, recently renovated section and therefore many of the offices were unoccupied which lowered the number of casualties. 11:04 a.m.: The United Nations building in New York is ordered evacuated 11:18 a.m.: American Airlines confirms that two of its planes have been hijacked and presumed crashed. 11:32 a.m.:While NBC keeps showing some Palestinian groups applauding the attacks, the Taliban and Arafat have both condemned the attacks. Bear in mind that Arab groups were scape-goated in aftermath of the Oklahoma City Bombing but were in no way involved. 11:38 a.m.:Ana, from NYC IMC has reported that NYC Transit is largely shut down, everything is being evacuated, and there are lines outside of hospitals to donate blood. 11:59 a.m.: United Airlines reports that two of its planes have been hijacked and presumed crashed. 1:04 p.m.: Bush makes a second appearance and vows to ''hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly acts.'' He proceeds to Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha. 1:12 p.m.:According to NPR, the U.S. borders remain open. All flights out of MSP are cancelled until tomorrow morning. 1:27 p.m.: A state of emergency is declared in Washington, D.C. 1:44 p.m.: Two aircraft carriers are deployed off the coast of New York while five battleships are sent out to sea. 3:47 p.m.: Karen Hughes, counselor for the president, says Bush has convened a meeting of the National Security Council. 4:30 p.m.: White House announces Bush is returning to Washington. 5:00 p.m.:World Trade Center Building #7 has collapsed. The World Trade Center is apparently comprised by 7 buildings and 3 of them have now collapsed (including the two tallest ones). 5:21 p.m.:Kabul, Afghanistan being bombed. CNN reports that the White House has denied responsibility.
|