September 11, 2001 was the day of the biggest military attack suffered by the United States since World War II. This morning, four passenger planes were hijacked by members of the Islamic fundamentalist organization al Qaeda and set off towards civilian and military targets.
Two of these planes hit the World Trade Center, also known as the Twin Towers - the tallest buildings in the United States at the time. The third plane crashed into the Pentagon and the last crashed into a field in Pennsylvania before reaching its target.
The Twin Towers at the time of the attack.
It is believed that the motivation of this attack is the political interference of the United States in the Arab countries, which has at its roots the North American interest in the oil reserves of the region.
One of the main consequences of this attack was the tightening of aviation rules, such as the prohibition of entry into aircraft with certain objects and stricter inspection in all luggage. After the attack, fear and hostility against immigrants grew in several countries, but especially in the United States.
The attack left about 3 thousand dead, among passengers, people who were at the scene of the attack, firefighters, police, crew and the terrorists themselves. In addition to the fatalities, it is estimated that around 6,000 people were injured.
How were the attacks?
The September 11 suicide attack began that Tuesday morning, when 19 terrorists linked to theal Qaedaboarded 4 different planes and took control of the aircraft.
First plane: Flight 11, from American Airlines. Hit the north tower of the World Trade Center at exactly 8:46 am, between floors 93 and 99, and it collapsed at 10:28.
Second plane: Flight 175, from United Airlines. It hit the south tower at 9:03 am, which because it was hit in the middle, took less time to collapse - at 9:59 the building was already on the ground.
Both aircraft left Boston and were destined for the city of Los Angeles.
Third plane: Flight 77, from American Airlines. He left Dulles, Virginia and also headed for Los Angeles. This plane has hit the Pentagon - US Department of Defense headquarters - at 9:37 am.
Pentagon after bombing.
Fourth plane: Flight 93 of the United Airlines. It targeted the Capitol - home of the American Legislative Branch. This flight delayed take-off, this allowed the information of the attacks that had just taken place. reached the crew and passengers, who tried to prevent the terrorists from taking control of the aircraft.
Unable to complete the action, the terrorists opted to shoot down the plane during its journey, which crashed into a field in Pennsylvania, killing all of its occupants.
Found part of the plane from United Airlines in the countryside, Pennsylvania.
Watch the video of the attacks:
The motivations for the attack
The action was planned and carried out by members of the Islamic fundamentalist groupal Qaeda, commanded by Osama bin Laden.
It is believed that the motivations for such an attack are the result of US political interference in the Arab world from the 20th century. The region is made up of large oil reserves and the United States - the biggest consumer of this energy source - has economic interests in the region.
To maintain its power in the Arab world, over the past few decades, the United States has supported wars and dictatorial regimes. THE al Qaeda, who did not look favorably on the United States' actions in the region, had already assumed responsibility for the explosions of American embassies in Africa, among other attacks.
Osama bin Laden, wanted over the next few years, was found and murdered only in 2011 by US troops.
The aftermath of 9/11
In addition to the lost lives and huge financial losses, the September 11 attack motivated the United States, governed by Republican George W. Bush, to initiate the war on terror, a counter-terrorism strategy whose main outcomes were the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan.
The United States, like other countries, tightened anti-terrorist laws after the attack. A controversial law was implemented in the North American country, the Patriotic Act. Under this act, phone calls and e-mails from organizations and people allegedly related to terrorism can be intercepted without authorization from the courts.
September 11th Memorial
In the place where the Twin Towers were, a memorial dedicated to the victims of the attacks was built. In this memorial there is a museum where visitors can learn about the history of the attack and also see objects found in the rubble. In addition, there is a mural with a photo of all the people who lost their lives at the time and information about them.
The new World Trade Center
On November 3, 2014, 13 years after the attack, the One World Trade Center, in the same complex where the Twin Towers were located.
With 104 floors and 541 meters, it is the tallest building in the United States and the third largest in the world. It is only behind the Makkah Royal Clock Tower, 601 meters, located in Mecca and the Burj Khalifa, 828 meters, located in Dubai.
One World Trade Center photo.
See also the meaning of terrorism.