September 11 attacks
Four planes were hijacked, three of them were flown into highly symbolic buildings: the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York, and the Pentagon, the headquarters for the department of the Defence of the United States, in Washington. It was a big shock for all Americans as well as the whole world. These attacks were experienced almost in real time by hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide, the images of the plane striking the second tower of the World Trade Center having been broadcast(diifusé) live, as well as the collapse in just few seconds of three towers of the WTC in Manhattan. The psychological(aie) shock was considerable at an international level. These attacks generated powerful and lasting (durable) effects, in particular politically and economically(sans a). The national Committee on terrorist attacks against the United States concluded that it was the responsibility of the Al-Qaida network, maintaining that the nineteen hijackers implicated in these attacks were its members and that the leader was Osama Ben Laden.
I - Attacks : the facts
Two Boeing 757 and two Boeing 767 were used as flying incendiary bombs. Four had been hijacked, only the flight UA93 was not able to reach its target, having crashed in a disused mine in Pennsylvania on its way to the capital.
Approximately 17400 people were in both towers at the time of the collisions and most of them were able(èy) to be evacuated before the destruction of the towers.
WTC1: At 8:46 am flight AA11 collided(aie) with the north tower at around the 93rd to 97th floor out of a total of 110 floors. The plane(èy) hit the tower at an estimated speed of 710 kmph. With all the lifts out of order and stairs impossible to use due to the fire, the people located in the highest floors(o) were trapped.
WTC2. At 9:03 am flight UA175 penetrated the south tower. The event was broadcast throughout(ps de g) the world and seen by most of the population.
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