The 9/11 Attacks | What actually happened?

Greetings, my friends!

September 11, 2001, a date etched in infamy, reverberating through the very core of America, potentially altering the course of the world indefinitely. Even two decades later, the reverberations of

this fateful day continue to manifest in your daily existence. It may astound you to comprehend the profound impact it has had on your life. So, join me in unraveling the enigma of this pivotal day in today's discourse.

"On this day, our fellow citizens, our cherished way of life, and the bedrock of our liberty came under assault. Oh my, what an astounding moment! In a sequence of deliberate and fatal acts of terrorism. Now, observe this... this is the scene as it unfolded a mere while ago."

The narrative unfolds on the morning of September 11th when American Airlines Flight 11 took off from Boston's international airport, bound for Los Angeles, bearing approximately 92 souls, comprising 11 crew members and 81 passengers. A mere 15 minutes into the flight, it was revealed that five of these passengers were, in fact, hijackers who seized control of the aircraft, overpowering passengers and breaching the cockpit. Among them was Mohamed Atta, an Egyptian national of 33 years, trained as a pilot. With audacious precision, he wrested control from the pilot and co-pilot, steering the plane inexorably toward the majestic World Trade Center, a symbol of historical eminence and, at one point, the world's loftiest architectural marvel.

The hijackers, with chilling audacity, directed the plane into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, eliciting awe and shock across the nation. "My, what is this?" - the world collectively gasped. At 8:46 a.m., in New York, Bryant Gumbel on the airwaves reported a plane's ominous collision with the southern tip of Manhattan and the indelible imagery of the World Trade Center.

Simultaneously, the then President of the United States, George Bush, was engrossed in a classroom in Florida during an elementary school visit. As this cataclysmic event unfolded, his Chief of Staff urgently conveyed the news. Remarkably, President Bush, initially incredulous, postulated that the pilot must have suffered a heart ailment, offering no other explanation for the calamity. "Indeed, it seems a minuscule twin-engine crop plane collided with one of the World Trade Center towers in New York City," was the consensus among the bewildered populace. Their collective response was a resounding lament over what was presumed to be a lamentable accident, such as pilot incapacitation.

Only 17 minutes later, a harrowing revelation unfurled: United Airlines Flight 175 had suffered a similar fate, hijacked by five individuals who overpowered the pilots and wrested control of the aircraft. Without hesitation, they redirected the plane towards the World Trade Center's South Tower, consummating the ominous symmetry of two catastrophic strikes.

During this tumultuous period, President Bush, having arrived at the school, found himself amidst second-grade students, engrossed in a reading exercise called "The Pet Goat." His Chief of Staff, Andrew Card, ventured into the classroom and discreetly imparted the chilling revelation: "America is under attack." To the astonishment of many, President Bush chose to remain with the children, continuing the exercise and engaging with them for the ensuing seven pivotal minutes. A contentious decision that would later draw criticism, questioning why immediate action was not taken, especially given the knowledge of two hijacked planes causing mayhem.

Moments after the second plane's impact, news of two more hijacked flights, American Airlines Flight 77 and United Airlines Flight 93, further exacerbated the crisis. The former, en route from Washington's international airport to Los Angeles, was seized by five hijackers. The latter, traveling from New Jersey to California, was under the control of four hijackers. Both flights were diverted towards Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, where the iconic U.S. Department of Defense, known as The Pentagon, stands as a sentinel on the outskirts of the city. Flight 77 was ruthlessly piloted into this edifice, engendering unparalleled shock and apprehension.

In the words of the astounded newscasters, "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness! We're observing live footage from Washington, and there is an effusion of smoke from The Pentagon. It appears that yet another significant explosion has transpired in the nation's capital."

Following the third calamity at 9:37 am, the United States enacted a complete shutdown of its airspace, compelling all airborne flights to make emergency landings at the nearest available airports. The Pentagon suffered substantial damage as a significant portion succumbed to the relentless assault. At 9:59 a.m., the North Tower of the World Trade Center, ablaze and structurally compromised, succumbed to the inferno, culminating in its catastrophic collapse.

As this horrendous morning transitioned into the noonday sun, the grim toll of the day's events came to light, with over 3,000 lives tragically lost and more than 6,000 individuals bearing the scars of injury. The orchestrators of this macabre symphony were none other than the notorious terrorist organization Al Qaeda.

A mere few days after the 9/11 onslaught, Osama bin Laden released a statement disavowing responsibility. However, in a public address during the 2004 U.S. Elections, approximately three years later, he publicly admitted culpability for the attack, thereby affirming his role. Bin Laden rationalized this abominable act as a response to several grievances harbored by Al Qaeda: U.S. involvement in the Middle East, support for Israel, actions against Muslims in Lebanon, collaboration with Saudi Arabia, and sanctions imposed on Iraq, to name but a few. The overarching theme of these grievances was the perceived oppression of Muslims, a motive that looms large in the subsequent chapter of this narrative.

The 9/11 Commission Report identified Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a Pakistani terrorist, as the Principal Architect of these attacks. He had been previously linked to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and was among a group of accused individuals detained at Guantanamo Bay. Osama bin Laden, however, met his demise in May 2011, a watershed moment in the war on terror.

Crucially, the impact of these attacks on the lives of ordinary citizens, not just in America but across the globe, cannot be overstated. In the wake of 9/11, the U.S. Congress hastily passed the PATRIOT Act just six weeks after the attacks, legislation that bestowed boundless powers upon the U.S. government, allowing for the clandestine surveillance of its citizens and the unfettered access to personal records and documents. Simultaneously, it curtailed the judiciary's authority, casting a wide net over the populace. Many critics argue that the PATRIOT Act was exploited by the government to stifle dissent, an ominous shadow cast over the constitutional rights of Americans.

It was not until 12 years later, in a startling exposé, that whistleblower Edward Snowden unveiled the extent of government surveillance. The National Security Agency (NSA) was revealed to be collecting daily phone records of citizens without warrants, evidence, or disclosure, a shocking intrusion on privacy that the populace had unwittingly endorsed in the name of national security.

Post-9/11, airport security underwent a seismic transformation. Previously, most global airports had conducted perfunctory security checks, often limited to basic identification verification and metal detectors akin to those at shopping malls. The practice of arriving at the airport mere minutes before a flight was commonplace. However, 9/11 precipitated a paradigm shift in air travel. Today, it entails comprehensive security measures, including full-body scans, obligatory identification checks, and passport scrutiny, along with the meticulous inspection of carry-on items. Restrictions on the quantity of liquids permitted and several other minute regulations have been instituted.

In December 2002, explosive detection systems were deployed nationally and subsequently worldwide. Pilots were furnished with arms for self-defense, while cockpit doors were fortified to resist intrusion, even against small firearms and grenades. The 9/11 attacks offered a pretext for U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq, as the nation sought to confront these terrorist entities. The consequences of these protracted conflicts continue to unfold, with the apprehension of terrorists balanced against the human and financial toll exacted by these endeavors.

Ironically, the attacks that Osama bin Laden claimed were retaliatory measures for the mistreatment of Muslims only exacerbated the persecution of Muslims and South Asians. Hate crimes surged, with many mistakenly targeting Sikhs due to their attire's superficial resemblance to the hijackers. Balbir Singh Sodhi, who had compassionately donated to 9/11 victims, tragically became the first such victim. Such atrocities catalyzed a wave of fear among Muslims and South Asians, leading some to abandon traditional attire for security reasons.

The fear and anguish that permeated American society post-9/11 led to the arrest of numerous individuals without concrete evidence, culminating in widespread human rights abuses and state-sanctioned torture. This grim chapter was, disconcertingly, met with popular support under the guise of safeguarding national security.

In the annals of history, it is imperative to acknowledge that extremism begets extremism, and the cycle of revenge perpetuates itself indefinitely. As we bear witness to this saga, let us not forget that an eye for an eye merely blinds the world. Osama bin Laden's quest for vengeance ultimately sowed the seeds for further acts of terror, and the story of reprisal upon reprisal unfolds as an endless spiral with no discernible terminus.

In reflection, it is incumbent upon us to remain vigilant against the exploitation of acts of terrorism by governments, ensuring that our rights and freedoms are preserved even in the face of fear. The lessons of 9/11 resonate not only as a historical episode but as a cautionary tale for the perpetuity of human resilience in the face of adversity.