Tuesday September 11, 2001
 
The twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York are struck by two hijacked commercial airlines. Shortly afterwards a third plane hits the Pentagon in Washington and a fourth crashes in Pennsylvania. US air space is closed and military forces are placed on the highest level of alert. Both towers of the World Trade Center collapse trapping firefighters and office workers in the debris.

Stocks and the US dollar plunge and bonds soar as most US financial market trading is suspended.

No one group claims responsibility for the attacks, but President George W. Bush vowed to "find those responsible and bring them to justice".

In all, 266 passengers and crew die on board the crashed jets and more than 100 at the Pentagon. The death toll at the World Trade Center is huge but unknown.