(2001 Thread) Plane just crashed into the world trade center

[sandie]

I am very sad about the whole thing. I am angry about all the innocent people who lost thier lives today and thier families. My heart sinks everytime I think of all these people on the planes and the people hanging out of the buildings. Out of anger right now I would like to take out every palestinian!
When I heard it on the radio I was at work. I didn't get a chance to see it on TV until they shut down the subase for non essential employees and I got to come home. I am still in a state of shock!

 

[Anne]

Thank you AP - I think it's really nice of you to update like this. I will merge them into one thread though.

 

[alpha]

Today is a terrible day.
I and everybody else here in Israel are mourning with you, the people of America.

 

[airprincess]

Thanks Anne, for merging them. If I had been a little more level headed I would have thought to put it all in one thread myself.

 

[airprincess]

Experts Suspect Osama Bin Laden
The Associated Press
Sep 11 2001 3:30PM

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Highly coordinated and unprecedented in scale, Tuesday's attacks in the United States called to mind the man suspected of orchestrating some of the world's worst terrorist acts: Osama bin Laden.
No one has claimed responsibility for Tuesday's attacks, and the Afghan government which plays host to bin Laden rejected speculation he was involved. One expert cautioned against assuming bin Laden could pull off such a complex operation.

But other experts said the millionaire Saudi exile was the most likely suspect.

``I can think of only one person who could pull this off'' - bin Laden, said Harvey Kushner, a terrorism expert at Long Island University in New York.

``When you think of the coordination this took, it's historic. When you think of the measures that will have to be put into place to ratchet up security in the United States, it's monumental,'' Kushner said in New York. ``This opens up a new era in the history of terrorism.''

A London-based Arab journalist said Tuesday that bin Laden's followers warned his newspaper by telephone three weeks ago of a major attack.

``They said it would be a huge and unprecedented attack but they did not specify,'' said Abdel-Bari Atwan, editor of the Al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper.

The callers had made similar threats previously ``but this time it seems his people were accurate and meant every word they said,'' he said in London.

But the Taliban, Afghanistan's ruling Islamic militia, said bin Laden lacks the resources for such an operation.

``We have tried our best in the past - and we are willing in the future - to assure the United States in any kind of way we can that Osama is not involved in these kinds of activities,'' Taliban Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil said in Kabul.

Anthony Cordesman, a terrorism expert from the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, warned against assuming bin Laden is to blame.

``There is a level of sophistication and coordination that no counterterrorism expert had ever previously anticipated, and we don't have a group that we can immediately identify that has this kind of capability,'' he said.

The United States has called bin Laden the architect of some of the worst acts of terrorism against Americans: the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center, the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa and last year's bombing of the USS Cole.

The FBI has a $5 million bounty on bin Laden's head. The State Department calls him ``one of the most significant sponsors of Islamic extremist activities in the world today.''

Stripped of his Saudi citizenship, bin Laden has been hiding for five years in Afghanistan under Taliban protection.

He has repeatedly called on Muslims worldwide to join in a jihad, or holy war, and has declared war on the United States in religious edicts faxed to the outside world. All U.S. citizens are legitimate targets, he has said.

``I'm fighting so I can die a martyr and go to heaven to meet God. Our fight now is against the Americans,'' bin Laden was once quoted by Al-Quds Al-Arabi as saying.

Last spring, bin Laden instructed activists attending a Muslim convention in Afghanistan to prepare the next generation for the jihad.

``Issue a call to the young generation to get ready for the holy war and to prepare for that in Afghanistan because jihad in this time of crisis for Muslims is an obligation of all Muslims,'' he said in a statement read at the May gathering.

Bin Laden's group met earlier this year with the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad and the Egyptian al-Gamma al-Islamiya ``to put in place a common strategy against the United States,'' Middle East expert Antoine Sfeir noted Tuesday, citing European intelligence sources.

But if he is involved, bin Laden and his followers probably acted alone Tuesday, Sfeir said in Paris.

``Bin Laden is the one with the financial means and the human needs and the logistic means,'' Sfeir said.

Bin Laden came to prominence fighting alongside the U.S.-backed Afghan mujahedeen - holy warriors - in their war against Soviet troops in the 1980s.

But former friends and followers say he turned against the United States during the Gulf War, and began campaigning against America from Saudi Arabia.

Disowned by his family, bin Laden - believed to be in his 40s - is said to have moved in early 1996 with a band of followers to Afghanistan, where is allegedly operates several training camps.

Earlier this summer, a federal jury in New York convicted four alleged bin Laden associates in connection with the 1998 embassy bombings in Africa, also a coordinated attack.

In retaliation for the bombings, President Clinton ordered missile strikes on bin Laden's suspected hide-out, and Washington and the United Nations have exerted diplomacy and sanctions to get Afghanistan to hand him over.

It refuses, saying the United States has no evidence linking bin Laden to terrorism.

On the Net:

http://www.dssrewards.net/english/Bin-Laden.htm



APO/Attacks-Bin-Laden/
Copyright Â[emoji]169[/emoji] 2001 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL Anywhere.

 

[hissy]

She works for a major oil company and advised me to fill up my gas tanks. The price of gasoline is rumored to be going way up and soon. Thought I would pass it on to all of you.......

 

[deb25]

I have been literally sick to my stomach all day over this. This is the first time ever I have felt truly unsafe. President Bush was at an elementary school about 30 minutes from me when this terrible tragedy occurred. I just spoke to my brother, who told me that a close friend of his in New Jersey witnessed the towers of the World Trade Center collapse. I simply cannot get over the magnitude of this day. I'm off to call my stepmother, who just flew to NJ yesterday for her grandson's christening. I am very glad that my father did not live to see something as horrible as this. It would have broken him.

 

[debra myers]

May Jehovah God comfort all the families and victims involved in this tragedy. We of all Faiths need to pray.

 

[hissy]

of the plane smashing into the tower. It was taken from the ground and the building literally looks like it swallows up the plane. Oh God, those poor passengers as well as the people in the tower, what hell they must of gone through

 

[kittyfoot]

Hello everyone,

Well since Wayne and I were staying at a cabin in the woods we did not here the news for several hours. The owner of the cabin came and told us what was going on as some of my family had called and left messages for me. Wayne works nights and I have been riding with him all night long so we were just getting up at the time. In fact we took a load of stuff to Maine last night. Wayne will not be able to work now until the borders are open again. We came to Waynes house to watch the tv and get the latest news. I feel so very sorry for all the people and their families. I am also scared. Cant help thinking that I was on an United flight just days ago but never dreamed at the time that something like this could happen. I will NOT be looking forward to having to fly back home come Sunday. Also I have two sons in the military and that concerns me. I can not get in touch with either at this time, not even via email. How horrible, I just want to go curl up somewhere and cry for all the people hurt by this senseless loss of life.

Meme

 

[airprincess]

I wonder how long it's going to take to get the planes up and running. It may be awhile before people are able to fly. I was suppose to fly to Providence for the day tomorrow, but I won't be doing that now.

Who knows, Meme, you may be staying longer than you thought!

 

[deb25]

I know that my stepmother is slated to return to Florida from NJ tomorrow. Looks like that won't be happening. My best friend was just on a plane from the west coast last night at midnight. I have tried to call relatives in NJ, but lines are all busy. This is a nightmare, plain and simple.

 

[kittyfoot]

My God....How in Hell can so-called human beings do this to each other!! No religion or anything else can justify this kind of insanity.

I too am numb...hardly believing this is real..my heart aches for all the families of the victims. Please God extend your hand and welcome those who died by the hands of Satan...and Damn forever the :censor::censor::censor::censor::censor::censor::censor:S who perverted the words of peace and love for their own sick ends.

My heart goes out to the people of the USA and I pray for the safety of their sons and daughters in the military. I sincerely hope that the ones responsible are quickly found and executed and that no state is fool or scum enough to try to shelter them. I also pray that this does not erupt into further mass loss of life.

In the meantime I will do my best to comfort and stand by Barbara until she returns home..and be an online presence for her as she needs me.

Peace...please God..Peace

 

[hissy]

and she is alive but worried about her co-workers who were just down the hall in the room the plane crashed into. More and more people are checking into the boards now with their eyewitness accounts of what they have endured today, and it curls my hair to read some of them. I pray that all our NY and WA members are safe as well. I even heard they had a scare in Anchorage, but haven't heard the particulars? Anyone know? My step kids are there and I tried to call, but the call won't go through

Also there are now bombings in Afghanistan- I know I spelled that wrong...

 

[sunlion]

I was taking my daughter to the doctor today when I heard the news on the car radio. You know how morning disc jockeys are always doing stupid skits, like Howard Stern? (Can you tell I listen for the music, not the personalities?) I actually thought at first they were re-broadcasting "War of the Worlds"! It wasn't until I heard it on our local public radio station that I believed it.

Of course I had to pull over and call my husband, who had been watching the news earlier in the morning before it happened. He was absolutely shocked and glued to the set all day. I didn't see footage until after lunchtime, what a shock.

Then I took my daughter to McD's (little kids need life to be as normal as possible, plus it doesn't really mean anything to her) and I heard these two teenage employees kind of joking about it, you know, how cool the explosions were and that kind of thing. All I could think was, "Enjoy it while you can, because if this escalates, YOU'RE the ones who are going to have to face it." Is this what happens to people who grew up with movies like "Die Hard"? {sigh}

One of my aunts is a flight attendent with American, I'm so glad she's been on the ground the last 2 days.

People on the radio kept saying that this was "another Pearl Harbor" but I think it's quite a bit different. Pearl Harbor was a military installation, and even though they were unprepared, we were already debating what to do about the War that was already in progress. This is clearly aimed at a high visibility in target in the financial district of one of our most populated cities, plus two (potentially 3) extremely important government targets. Not to mention the use of our own civilian aircraft against us.

I hope to get the BBC news on PBS tonight, just to hear from somebody else's perspective. Has anyone claimed responsibility yet?

 

[airprincess]

Bush Puts U.S. on Highest Alert
The Associated Press
Sep 11 2001 6:56PM

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush put a stunned federal government on the highest alert after Tuesday's deadly terrorist attacks, even as he and other administration officials sought to calm the nation.
``The Pentagon is functioning. It will be in business tomorrow,'' said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in an evening briefing at the Pentagon, severely damaged earlier in the day when a hijacked jet crashed into it.

``Make no mistake about it, your armed forces are ready,'' said Gen. Henry H. Shelton, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Earlier, from the security of a military base in Louisiana, Bush vowed to ``hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly attacks'' that destroyed the World Trade Center in New York and severely damaged the Pentagon.

He later returned to Washington and prepared to give a televised address to the nation.

 

[airprincess]

Explosions Hit Afghanistan Capital
The Associated Press
Sep 11 2001 6:45PM

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Explosions could be heard early Wednesday north of the capital, in the vicinity of the airport. Large plumes of smoke were seen.
The explosions began around 2:30 a.m. and came in rapid succession, seconds apart, making buildings shudder.

There were no sounds of airplanes or anti-aircraft fire.

Officials could not be reached at the airport.

Taliban soliders in the center of Kabul said the explosions seemed to begin with a low flying helicopter that fired rockets into the area at the airport. There was some return fire by Taliban with anti-aircraft weapons, the soldiers said.

The explosions came hours after the devastating attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington.

American officials said the United States was not involved in the Kabul explosions.

``It isn't us. I don't know who's doing it. But I say it isn't us,'' Pentagon spokesman Craig Quigley told The Associated Press when asked about the explosions in Kabul.

Another U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the fighting in Kabul appeared to be rocket attacks by Afghan rebels opposing the ruling Taliban in response to the attack on a rebel general over the weekend.

Afghanistan's hardline Taliban rulers condemned the attacks in New York and Washington and rejected suggestions that Osama bin Laden, who's being protected by the Afghanistan government, could be behind them.

U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said bin Laden was a suspect in the U.S. attacks.

The explosions were in the direction of the front line where Afghan's Taliban soldier are lined up against opposition forces. Fighting in that area has increased in recent but this would be first major assault by opposition forces so close to the capital.

It was impossible to travel in the streets because of a nighttime curfew, from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.



APO/Afghanistan-Explosions/
Copyright Â[emoji]169[/emoji] 2001 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL Anywhere.

 

[elinor]

I heard about this horrible tragedy in my class this morning. Needless to say nobody could go on with normal class time. I spent the better part of the day watching on TV and crying for those poor poor people.

To my American friends I just want to say how sick and sad I feel for what you are going through at this time. I cant even imagine how the families of those people are going through at this moment.

It is such a cowardly and horrible thing to do its beyond all comprehension. I can only hope that the people who caused this tragedy suffer greatly for what they have done. I dont sound very christian right now but I cant help it.

My prayers for the families and for your great country.

 

[debby]

AirPrincess.....Thank you so much for all the information...I was at work all day, and couldn't hear a radio or see the TV, so even though I came straight home and turned the TV on to hear what was going on, I learned alot more from your posts....THANK YOU!!!!!!

This is devastating!!!!! I am so scared of what is to come next!!!!!!!!!

Deb25, I like you, am glad my father is not around to see this.....he would be so worried and upset, so I guess it is a good thing, that he has gone to heaven, where he can't hear of this, and worry.

Anne....I saw on TV, when I got home, the Israeli Prime Minister, giving a speech, and he said that he was declaring tomorrow a day of mourning in Israel, for all of the Americans who have been killed, and that his support is with the Americans.
This made me cry, because knowing you, and being friends now with you, I was so glad that we are on the same team. (our countries that is....because I KNOW you and I would be)
I have cried so much about this....it terrifies me!!!!!!!
And it affects us all in ways we wouldn't even think of....there are huge lines at the gas stations here, to get gas....and when I called today to our fuel oil company.....our home is heated with fuel oil, and we had it contracted out for a certain price, and this morning, before any of this even happened, my husband asked me to call the fuel oil co. and tell them to go ahead and come fill the tank, because he has the money now, and that way we would be ready for winter.....he told me this this MORNING!!!!!!!! Before any of this even happened!!! So when I went to call them, as he asked, they told me they could not gaurantee me anything, because of what had happened today, and they would just put my name on a list....so what....are we going to freeze to death this winter???????????????????? I am really scared!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[elinor]

AP some group over there has claimed to have caused those explosions. I cant remember the name. All those people want to do is fight. They have been doing it for years. Generation after generation.