If terror is what the intent was, Hollywood wouldn't have scripted it better.
The attacks were planned parallely in New York and Washington. Two planes crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre, within a span of 18 minutes in New York, early Tuesday morning between 8:45 and 9:03(US time; EDT), converting both buildings into infernos; soon after another plane crashed into the Pentagon, headquarters of the defence department and seat of US military power while the White House was evacuated and the US President, in a televised address to the country, declared that it was a terrorist attack and that the government would spare no effort to bring the perpetrators to book.
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"It is a national tragedy and an apparent act of terrorism against our country" declared President Bush who rushed from a visit from Sarasota, Florida, to Washinton.
Mr. Bush said he had ordered that "the full resources of the federal government government to help the victims and their families" and "to hunt down and find those folks who committed these acts."
"Terrorism against our country will not stand," he said, before ending by leading a prayer for victims of the attacks.
A witness reported a "sonic boom" as a commercial passenger jet collided into the north tower of the 110-story building between the 80th and 85th floor of the 110-storey building at about 0845 EDT. Within about 18 minutes another commerical plane ploughed into the south tower, with television footage showing flames and smoke billowing across the New York skyline.
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There were reports that an American Airlines 767 had been hijacked earlier today on a scheduled flight from Boston to Los Angeles, and apparently was one of the planes flown into the giant towers that dominate lower Manhattan’s skyline. The second crash, which touched off a giant fireball in one of the tower’s upper floors shortly after 9 a.m. EDT, took place as many Americans watched live on television.
About 40,000 people work inside the two-building center; more than 150,000 people enter the complex every day for business and pleasure. Eye-witnesses say that many people jumped out of the building to save their lives.
At about 10 a.m., one of the 110-story World Trade Center towers collapsed.
Heavy black smoke billowed into the sky above the gaping holes in the side of the twin towers, one of New York City's most famous landmarks, and debris rained down upon the street, one of the city's busiest work areas. When the second plane hit, a fireball of flame and smoke erupted, leaving a huge hole in the glass and steel tower.
There were early reports of six deaths and thousands of injuries.
New York Times reported an eye-witness account: "Then I saw a 747 or some kind of plane. It crashed in and exploded. People were watching and then they started stampeding away."
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He added: "People were jumping out of the building. People seemed to be deciding just to take their own lives. It was the most horrific thing I have ever seen."
Television cameras captured the collapse in Manhattan. Both towers partially disappeared behind thick clouds of dark smoke; then the top floors of the south tower began to fall. Black smoke was all that remained. The camera's distance made it impossible to see people or details of the floors collapse, but witnesses said they had seen people jumping out windows.
After the second tower fell, the entire area was consumed with smoke, as if clouds had descended and enveloped the lower tip of Manhattan. The smoke continued to spread, over the harbor.
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John Axisa, who was getting off a PATH train to the World Trade Center, said he saw "bodies falling out" of the building. He said he ran outside, and watched people jump out of the first building, and then there was a second explosion, and he felt heat on the back of neck.
WCBS-TV, citing an FBI agent, said five or six people jumped out of the windows. People screamed every time another person leaped.
The White House and all government buildings in Washington were being evacuated as a mark of caution. All New York City-area airports were shut down, and several subway lines were immediately shut down. Trading on Wall Street was suspended and many businesses were ordered to evacuate their personnel. All mobile phones were taken off service. Tension and panic were all pervasive as Americans braced themselves after the shock.
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Unconfirmed reports indicate that a Palestinian group has claimed responsibility for the attack. As is usual under such circumstances, Bin Laden's name is being invoked, as speculation mounts and the shock subsides.
On February 26, 1993, a terrorist bomb had exploded in building number one's lower level.
