More than 10,000 people are feared dead in New York and Washington DC as the world tries to cope with what many are calling the worst terrorist attack in history. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the atrocities and leaders from around the world have condemned the attacks. Much of New York City was at a standstill last night, reeling from the loss, as millions sat entrenched by the television desperate for details which trickled in over the course of the evening.
“Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of America’s resolve,” US President George W Bush said in a Tuesday evening broadcast. “Our military is powerful, and it is prepared.”
“Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, and our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts,” he said, speaking fom the Oval Office. “Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror. The sight of planes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness and a quiet, unyielding anger.”
“Our first priority is to get help to those who have been injured, and to take every precaution to protect our citizens at home and around the world from further attacks.”
The mayhem began early Tuesday morning, Eastern Standard Time. Two hijacked passenger planes carrying a total of 157 people crashed into the upper floors of the World Trade Center in downtown Manhattan, New York, in the heart of the financial district. The first crash occurred at about 8:45am; the second roughly 18 minutes later. The world famous Twin Towers subsequently collapsed, trapping what may turn out to be thousands.
An American Airlines 757 en route from Washington DC’s Dulles Airport to Los Angeles crashed into the Pentagon at about 9:40am. Eight hundred people are believed to have died at the Pentagon, including the 64 passengers on board the jumbo jet.
A fourth plane – United Airlines Flight 93 – now known to have been headed for the White House crashed southeast of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at around 10am. Forty-five people died as the Boeing 757 came down.
All four planes were scheduled for long-distance flights and were fuelled accordingly. The large amount of fuel on board turned the jets into “bombs”.
Messages of condolence from around the world flooded into Washington on Tuesday. “I hurry to express to you and your fellow citizens my profound sorrow and my closeness in prayer for the nation at this dark and tragic moment,” Pope John Paul II wrote in a telegram to President Bush.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also reached out to President Bush, writing: “Such an inhuman act must not go unpunished”.
And a visibly shaken British Prime Minister Tony Blair addressed the world, saying the acts were “perpetrated by fanatics, utterly indifferent to the sanctity of human life”.
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat denied any involvement in the tragedy and offered his remorse. “We are completely shocked,” he said. “It’s unbelievable. We completely condemn this very dangerous attack, and I convey my condolences to the American people and to the American administration, not only in my name but on behalf of the Palestinian people.”
European foreign ministers will convene in an emergency meeting on Wednesday to consider their response to the attacks. Trading on world stock markets has ceased.
New York and Washington have both been described as ghost towns. The stream of casualties entering area hospitals has slowed and many businesses have closed their doors. Flags are flying at half-mast. A severe blood shortage has been declared and the Red Cross has set up donation centres throughout Manhattan.
Rescue teams are hard at work and many people are believed to be trapped inside the fallen World Trade Center. Some are said to have used cell phones to contact loved ones. Three hundred fire fighters and 85 police officers who had responded to the attacks are reported missing in the collapsed buildings.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
