Hijacked planes destroy World Trade Centre, strike Pentagon in coordinated attacks

President George W. Bush told the United States that thousands had lost their lives after hijacked airliners destroyed New York's World Trade Centre and smashed into the Pentagon in the most brutal terrorist attacks in the nation's history.

In a televised address to the nation, Mr Bush condemned the "despicable" attacks, saying: "These acts shattered steel but they cannot dampen the steel of American resolve". The statement came as his top security team put the nation on a war footing from secure crisis bunkers.

Sequence of devastating strikes

The first hijacked plane struck the World Trade Centre, and then millions around the world watched in horror as a second struck just 18 minutes later. Two hijacked planes destroyed the World Trade Centre, leaving thousands dead and a nation in shock.

Within 30 minutes another airliner had smashed into a wall of the Pentagon, America's defence headquarters. The coordinated nature of the attacks, three commercial aircraft turned into weapons within a half-hour span, marked an unprecedented assault on American soil.

Afghan capital hit as crisis deepens

As the crisis unfolded, officials denied the US was responsible for what initially appeared to be missile strikes on Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. The denial came amid confusion over simultaneous military developments in the region.

The article was first published on September 12, 2001.

Source: South China Morning Post