Chronology for Sep 2001

September 2001

9	10	11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19	20	21	22
23	24	25	26	27	28	29
30	1	2	3	4	5	6

SEPTEMBER 12, 2001
New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani warns death toll will be in the thousands. Firefighters continue to douse flames in New York and Washington

Bush labels the attacks "acts of war" and asks Congress to devote $20 billion to help rebuild and recover

Officials say that a car believed to belong to the hijackers was confiscated in Boston, where two of the hijacked planes took off, and that it contained an Arabic-language flight manual.

SEPTEMBER 13, 2001
Investigators locate critical "black boxes" from two of the hijacked planes -- at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania

Secretary of State Colin Powell identifies Osama bin Laden as the prime suspect in the Sept. 11 attacks

Jetliners return to the nation's skies for the first time in two days, carrying nervous passengers who face strict new security measures

Pentagon official says the United States will launch sustained military strikes against those responsible for the attacks, as well as their support systems

The National Football League calls off all weekend games, as do major college football conferences, and major league baseball postpones all games through Sunday. Several car racing circuits also call off competition

SEPTEMBER 14, 2001
Bush declares national emergency and gives military authority to call 50,000 reservists to active duty. The president leads the nation in prayer at National Cathedral.

Congress approves $40 billion in emergency aid to help victims and hunt down culprits. It also gives consent for the president to use force against those responsible for the attacks.

Afghanistan's Taliban militia warns of "revenge" if the United States attacks for harboring terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden

Searchers at Pentagon find flight data and voice recorders of American Flight 77. Near Shanksville, Pa., investigators find the cockpit voice recorder of United Flight 93. Federal officials reopen skies to most private planes

SEPTEMBER 15, 2001
Bush orders U.S. troops to get ready for war and braces Americans for a long, difficult assault against terrorists. "Those who make war against the United States have chosen their own destruction," he declares

Continental Airlines lays off 12,000 employees and cuts its flight schedule by 20 percent because of an expected drop in air travel

International carriers resume flights to the United States. Articles such as knives are banned; searches of passengers and luggage are intensified.

Nasdaq, New York and American stock exchanges finish successful tests of their computer and communications systems, clearing the way for trading to resume Monday, Sept. 17

SEPTEMBER 16, 2001
Bush pledges "crusade" to "rid the world of evil-doers," brushes off reported Osama bin Laden denial; Vice President Dick Cheney warns that those who harbor terrorists face "the full wrath of the United States.

Pakistani official says senior delegation sent to Afghanistan to deliver U.S. message: hand over Osama bin Laden or risk massive assault

Number missing at Trade Center reaches 4,957; 190 confirmed dead, 115 identified. Pentagon death toll 188; New York Fire Department promotes 168 firefighters to fill void left by nearly 300 firefighters still missing

SEPTEMBER 17, 2001
Wall Street trading resumes, ending the stock market's longest shutdown since the Depression; Dow plummets, airline stocks are hard hit and the Federal Reserve cuts interest rate by half percent

The Taliban's top leader says a grand Islamic council in Afghanistan should decide the fate of Osama bin Laden. The council was scheduled to convene in Kabul, the capital, on Tuesday, Sept. 18

Number missing at Trade Center reaches 5,422; 201 confirmed dead, 135 identified. Pentagon death toll 188

Synagogues nationwide work closely with local police for the start of the 10-day Jewish High Holy Days

New York's Legislature convenes in a special session to pass a package of bills that would bolster the state's anti-terrorism laws

SEPTEMBER 18, 2001
President Bush leads nation in moment of silence at 8:48 a.m. EDT to mark the beginning of the attacks one week earlier

Death toll at Trade Center climbs to 218; 5,422 still missing.

Hundreds of Islamic clerics gather in Kabul, Afghanistan, to discuss conditions for extraditing bin Laden to country other than the United States. Taliban leaders call on Muslims to wage holy war on America if it attacks

Attorney General John Ashcroft says new rules will allow suspected illegal immigrants to be detained for 48 hours, instead of 24 hours.

SEPTEMBER 19, 2001
Pentagon orders combat aircraft to bases in Persian Gulf as part of "Operation Infinite Justice

Stocks plummet for the second time in three days, with a late burst of buying saving the Dow from its worst three-day point loss ever.

American and United airlines announce 40,000 layoffs as the U.S. aviation industry sinks deeper into a crisis touched off by the terrorist attacks

Thousands of Afghans flee toward borders, Islamic clerics in Afghanistan urge bin Laden to voluntarily leave Afghanistan, the Taliban news agency said

SEPTEMBER 20, 2001
Islamic clerics urge terrorist suspect Osama bin Laden to voluntarily leave Afghanistan. White House criticizes the move as insufficient and demands action. Clerics also say they are prepared to call for a holy war against the United States if U.S. troops attack

Pentagon announces that 5,131 members of the Air Force National Guard and Air Force Reserve ordered to active duty. Army Special Forces, Air Force fighter jets, bombers and supply planes mobilize across the country

More than two-dozen religious leaders give blessing to Bush's campaign to eradicate terrorism, saying it is justified to protect life

Stocks fall sharply on fears of economic repercussions, with Dow plunging 382 points. Bush asks Congress to give airlines $5 billion in cash and help with lawsuits filed against them. He also appeals to Americans for "continued participation and confidence" in the economy

Number of missing and feared dead at World Trade Center climbs to 6,333. Death toll at Pentagon believed to be 189. Crash in Pennsylvania killed 44

The government bans all aircraft from flying within 3 miles of major professional and college sporting events and other large gatherings

In a national address, President Bush announces creation of a Cabinet-level office to coordinate efforts to prevent terrorism, names Pennsylvania's Gov. Tom Ridge to head newly created Office of Homeland Security. Bush directs U.S. military forces to "be ready" for the gathering battle: "The hour is coming when America will act, and you will make us proud

SEPTEMBER 21, 2001
Afghanistan's Taliban rulers refuse to hand over alleged terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden and warn that any U.S. attacks could plunge region into crisis

Thousands demonstrate in Pakistan's major cities, burning effigies of President Bush and criticizing their government's support of the U.S. campaign against terrorism

Northwest Airlines announces it will cut 10,000 jobs, bringing number of layoffs in industry to more than 100,000 in past week

Congress approves a $15 billion relief package for the airline industry in a 356-54 vote hours after the Senate approved the same bill 96-1.

Wall Street stocks fall again. Dow posts biggest one-week point decline in history (1,369.70).

In Washington, the Justice Department release documents charging 33 of the 80 people taken into custody by immigration authorities, Anti-terrorist police in Britain arrest four people in connection with U.S. terrorism attacks, French authorities arrest seven people in alleged plot against U.S. interests in France

SEPTEMBER 22, 2001
United Arab Emirates cuts diplomatic relations with Taliban for refusing to surrender suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden. Saudi official said his kingdom was considering doing the same.

Authorities say box-cutting tools like those used by the hijackers were found on airliners grounded by the attacks

In New York, residents return home to Battery Park City, near World Trade Center ruins. Mayoral candidates resume campaigns. Number of missing at Trade Center remains at 6,333, confirmed dead at 252.

First full weekend of sporting events since disasters, though aircraft are banned from within three miles of major sporting events and spectators are barred from taking backpacks or containers to games

Taliban leadership says it can't find bin Laden to advise him to leave the country. U.S. officials dismiss claim

Tens of thousands of people gathered in New York's Yankee Stadium to pray for the missing and dead.

Federal Aviation Administration imposes a one-day ban on crop-dusting from airplanes in domestic airspace over concerns about possible chemical weapons attacks.

Number of missing at World Trade Center at 6,453, confirmed dead at 261. Death toll at Pentagon: 189. Pennsylvania crash: 44

SEPTEMBER 24, 2001
President Bush signs order freezing assets of 27 people and organizations, calling it a strike at financial foundation of terrorists. He demands foreign banks follow America's lead.

Government extends grounding of crop-dusting planes through Monday amid fears of biological or chemical attack and indications that suspected hijacker showed interest in crop dusting

Government says all airport workers with access to planes and secure areas must submit to new criminal background checks; wants to reissue IDs

Suspected terror mastermind Osama bin Laden calls on Pakistan's Muslims to fight "the American crusade

Russian President Vladimir Putin says his nation will intensify support of Afghan opposition forces and is prepared to supply them with weapons and military equipment.

Ruling Taliban say they are dispatching 300,000 fighters to defend Afghanistan's borders. United Nations says Taliban threaten to kill U.N. relief workers in Afghanistan

Death toll at World Trade Center rises to 276, missing number 6,453. Death toll at Pentagon remains 189, Pennsylvania crash 44

Attorney General John Ashcroft says 352 people have been arrested or detained in the investigation; another 392 people sought for questioning.

U.S. government lifts ban on crop-dusting flights; the planes had been grounded amid fears of biological or chemical attack.

SEPTEMBER 25, 2001
Saudi Arabia cuts all ties with Afghanistan's Taliban government, saying Afghan leaders were defaming Islam by harboring and supporting terrorists.

Osama bin Laden's organization makes fresh call to arms, saying "wherever there are Americans and Jews, they will be targeted

European Union delegation in Pakistan promises to help the nation cope with a flood of refugees expected to stream in from Afghanistan if the United States attacks

SEPTEMBER 26, 2001
Thousands protest at abandoned U.S. Embassy compound in the Afghan capital of Kabul, burning cars and tearing down the U.S. seal.

Pakistani officials say nation and U.S. officials reach broad accord on a plan that includes attacks on camps in Afghanistan. Sticking points remain, and Pakistan warns against assisting alliance trying to overthrow Afghanistan's ruling Taliban.

Iran's supreme leader rules out Iranian help for any U.S.-led attack on Afghanistan, saying the U.S. is not competent to lead a global campaign and calling U.S. behavior "disgusting.

Crews work to dismantle last standing remnant of the World Trade Center; pieces of the seven-story facade are preserved for possible memorial. Area is declared a crime scene off limits to cameras

Attorney General John Ashcroft warns of additional terrorist attacks that could include trucks carrying hazardous chemicals.

Stocks fall after a two-day advance, with investors wary about the economy and awaiting the U.S. response to the attacks

Pentagon calls nearly 2,000 more reservists to active duty, bringing to 14,318 the number of Reserve and National Guard members called so far. President Bush has authorized the Pentagon to call as many as 50,000.

U.N. refugee agency says an assault on Afghanistan could send up to 1.5 million refugees into neighboring countries; $252 million sought to care for them

Delta Air Lines announces it will cut up to 13,000 jobs, adding to more than 100,000 job cuts in the industry since the attacks

SEPTEMBER 27, 2001
President Bush announces plan to bolster airline security, including expanded use of federal marshals on airliners, putting federal government in charge of airport security and spending $500 million on aircraft modifications, including making cockpits more secure.

Pentagon officials say two Air Force generals have been authorized to order the military to shoot down civilian airliners that appear to be threatening U.S. cities

Afghanistan's Taliban government acknowledges it can communicate with terrorist suspect Osama bin Laden, saying it has given him a week-old message from clerics that he leave the country voluntarily.

Attorney General John Ashcroft releases photographs of all 19 suspected hijackers to the public for the first time, hoping for more tips.

Number of missing at World Trade Center drops from 6,347 to 5,960, while confirmed dead rises to 305, including 238 identified.

British Airways, Britain's biggest airline, says it will cut 10 percent of flights after announcing earlier that it will trim 7,000 jobs. Stocks mixed on Wall Street, with Dow and Standard & Poor's 500 index posting gains as Nasdaq slips.

SEPTEMBER 28, 2001
President Bush says United States ``in hot pursuit'' of terrorists. Administration official says U.S. special forces have conducted scouting missions in Afghanistan

Pakistani delegation fails to persuade leader of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban to surrender terrorist suspect Osama bin Laden.

Authorities say hijackers left behind documents in Arabic showing step-by-step instructions for their suicide mission and preparing them spiritually for death.

Prosecutors say Algerian pilot arrested in London instructed four of the hijackers. Records show Lofti Raissi, 27, lived in Arizona in the late 1990s and was in the state as recently as June, Attorney General John Ashcroft says authorities have arrested or detained more than 480 people

Officials say cleaning up the estimated 1.2 million tons of rubble at the World Trade Center site could take up to a year and cost $7 billion

U.N. Security Council lifts 5-year-old sanctions against Sudan, which has rounded up as many as 30 extremists since the attacks.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2001
Officials say entire cost of recovery from World Trade Center attacks could reach $39 billion. That includes debris removal, overtime pay and subway and skyscraper rebuilding.

The National Guard takes to airports in response to President Bush's recommendation to ensure airline safety

New York police tally of missing at World Trade Center drops to 5,641, confirmed dead rises to 309. Death toll at Pentagon remains 189, Pennsylvania crash 44

Thousands rally in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Barcelona, Spain, to discourage armed retaliation. Anti-war protests draw hundreds in Austin, Texas, and Athens, Greece

The United Nations resumes food shipments to prevent starvation in Afghanistan

Trial of eight foreign aid workers accused by Taliban of spreading Christianity in Afghanistan put off for a day until Sunday

A day after the U.N. Security Council unanimously approves a U.S.-sponsored resolution demanding that all countries crack down on terrorism, Pakistan shuts down a militant organization. The Harakat ul-Mujahedeen, or Movement of the Holy Warriors, has been fighting Indian soldiers in the disputed Kashmir region.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2001
Taliban say explicitly for the first time that Osama bin Laden is still in Afghanistan and is being kept in a location secret from the outside world, Pakistani president says even under threat of U.S. military strikes, hopes ``very dim'' bin Laden would be surrendered

New York police tally of missing at World Trade Center drops to 5,219; confirmed dead rises to 314. Death toll at Pentagon remains 189, Pennsylvania crash 44.

Foreign aid workers in Iran stockpile emergency rations for possible waves of Afghan refugees. United Nations food shipments to Afghanistan's capital resume as a convoy of trucks carrying more than 200 tons of wheat leaves Pakistan for Kabul.

Trial resumes in Afghanistan for eight foreign aid workers accused by Taliban of spreading Christianity. The top judge told the workers, who include two Americans, that the threat of U.S. military action would not affect their case.

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