The Official Report
On the morning on the 11 September 2001, the people of New York traveled to work like it was just another normal day. At the time they were doing this 19 Islamic hijackers, trained by the terrorist group al Qaeda, were preparing to take over 4 different planes. The official story was compiled by the ten members of the commission, who interviewed over 1,200 people, including 160 witnesses and viewed over 2 million pages of evidential documents. This is called the 9/11 Commission Report.
According to the commission report, between 6.45 and 7.40am, five of the terrorists, Atta, Omari, Suqami, Shehri and Shehri, boarded American flight 11, destined for Los Angeles. At the same time five more (Shehhi, Banihammad, Shehri, Ghamdi and Ghamdi) boarded United Airlines flight 175, which was also bound for Los Angeles. At a third airport, Mihdhar, Moqed, Hanjour, Hazmi and Hazmi, boarded American Airline flight 77. This flight was also destined for Los Angeles. The last flight to be boarded by terrorists was the United Airlines flight 93. The four men, Ghamdi, Jarrah, Nawi and Haznawi, boarded their plane. All 19 of the terrorists managed to evade the systems used by airports to detect and prevent weapons, explosives and hijackers getting onto the planes.
On flight 11 there were 92 people on board, including staff and terrorists. Its is believed that the first of the hijackings started on board flight 11 at 8.14am or shortly after. The terrorists stabbed two flight attendants and then forced their way into the cockpit. They claimed they had a bomb and also sprayed mace into the air to keep the passengers at the rear of the plane. One of the flight attendants contacted the American Airlines operation center in Texas and relayed the events that were unfolding on the plane. At 8:46am the terrorists flew flight 11 into the North World Trade Centre Tower. There were no survivors from this flight.
United Airlines flight 175 departed Logan Airport at 7:58am carrying 56 passengers. About 40 minutes later the terrorists began their attack, using knives, mace and a bomb threat. A flight attendant was killed, as were the pilots. Calls were made by the passengers on board to family members and the Boston Police Department. At 9:03am the plane was crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Centre. There were no survivors.
At 8:10am American Airlines flight 77 departed; carrying 2 pilots, 4 flight attendants and 58 passengers. Just after 8:50am the hijackers used knives to gain dominance and force the passengers to the back end of the plane. At this time ground control ordered all other American Airlines flights to stay grounded, after communications from two of its flights had reported serious trouble on board. The plane was then angled towards the ground and began accelerating. At 9:37am it was crashed into the Pentagon (US Department of Defense headquarters), killing everyone on board, as well as civillians and workers of the Pentagon.
The United Airlines Flight 93 departed at 8:42am for Los Angeles, carrying 44 people on board. At 9:23am the hijackers began their strike. The plane sent out a "Mayday". It is believed that a female flight attendant was being held in the cockpit, but after screaming was silenced in some way. The passengers at the back of the plane collectively decided to attempt to take back control of the plane. They stormed the cockpit, trying to break the door down. Before they were able to do this, the terrorists dove the plane into an empty field in Pennsylvania, killing everyone on the flight.
This was one of America's most shocking days. Over 3000 people were killed when the twin towers collapsed. This included people working in the buildings, people aboard the air crafts that crashed into them, people on the street, and firefighters and paramedics that were attempting to rescue people from the burning buildings before they fell. According to the Defense studies series Pentagon 9/11, 568 people were killed because of the attack on the Pentagon. This includes 58 passengers on flight 77, 60 civilians on the street or working in the building and military personnel working in the Pentagon.
According to the commission report, between 6.45 and 7.40am, five of the terrorists, Atta, Omari, Suqami, Shehri and Shehri, boarded American flight 11, destined for Los Angeles. At the same time five more (Shehhi, Banihammad, Shehri, Ghamdi and Ghamdi) boarded United Airlines flight 175, which was also bound for Los Angeles. At a third airport, Mihdhar, Moqed, Hanjour, Hazmi and Hazmi, boarded American Airline flight 77. This flight was also destined for Los Angeles. The last flight to be boarded by terrorists was the United Airlines flight 93. The four men, Ghamdi, Jarrah, Nawi and Haznawi, boarded their plane. All 19 of the terrorists managed to evade the systems used by airports to detect and prevent weapons, explosives and hijackers getting onto the planes.
On flight 11 there were 92 people on board, including staff and terrorists. Its is believed that the first of the hijackings started on board flight 11 at 8.14am or shortly after. The terrorists stabbed two flight attendants and then forced their way into the cockpit. They claimed they had a bomb and also sprayed mace into the air to keep the passengers at the rear of the plane. One of the flight attendants contacted the American Airlines operation center in Texas and relayed the events that were unfolding on the plane. At 8:46am the terrorists flew flight 11 into the North World Trade Centre Tower. There were no survivors from this flight.
United Airlines flight 175 departed Logan Airport at 7:58am carrying 56 passengers. About 40 minutes later the terrorists began their attack, using knives, mace and a bomb threat. A flight attendant was killed, as were the pilots. Calls were made by the passengers on board to family members and the Boston Police Department. At 9:03am the plane was crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Centre. There were no survivors.
At 8:10am American Airlines flight 77 departed; carrying 2 pilots, 4 flight attendants and 58 passengers. Just after 8:50am the hijackers used knives to gain dominance and force the passengers to the back end of the plane. At this time ground control ordered all other American Airlines flights to stay grounded, after communications from two of its flights had reported serious trouble on board. The plane was then angled towards the ground and began accelerating. At 9:37am it was crashed into the Pentagon (US Department of Defense headquarters), killing everyone on board, as well as civillians and workers of the Pentagon.
The United Airlines Flight 93 departed at 8:42am for Los Angeles, carrying 44 people on board. At 9:23am the hijackers began their strike. The plane sent out a "Mayday". It is believed that a female flight attendant was being held in the cockpit, but after screaming was silenced in some way. The passengers at the back of the plane collectively decided to attempt to take back control of the plane. They stormed the cockpit, trying to break the door down. Before they were able to do this, the terrorists dove the plane into an empty field in Pennsylvania, killing everyone on the flight.
This was one of America's most shocking days. Over 3000 people were killed when the twin towers collapsed. This included people working in the buildings, people aboard the air crafts that crashed into them, people on the street, and firefighters and paramedics that were attempting to rescue people from the burning buildings before they fell. According to the Defense studies series Pentagon 9/11, 568 people were killed because of the attack on the Pentagon. This includes 58 passengers on flight 77, 60 civilians on the street or working in the building and military personnel working in the Pentagon.
America immediately pointed the blame towards the middle Eastern terrorist group al Quaeda, for the attacks, and their leader Osama Bin Laden confirmed that they were responsible in a video released in 2004.