On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Often referred to as 9/11, the attacks resulted in extensive death and destruction, triggering major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism and defining the presidency of George W. Bush. Over 3,000 people were killed during the attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., including more than 400 police officers and firefighters.
After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda (or al-Qa'ida, pronounced al-KYE-da) surpassed the IRA, Hamas, and Hezbollah as the world's most infamous terrorist organization. Al-Qaeda—"the base" in Arabic—is the network of extremists organized by Osama bin Laden The death of bin Laden, who was killed in a joint operation by U.S. troops and CIA operatives in May 2011, complicated the future of al-Qaeda. Some speculated that the group will be emboldened and seek retaliation, while others wondered if it might founder without its supreme leader. In June, U.S. officials announced that after pouring through the documents and computer files taken from bin Laden's compound, they confirmed their assumption that al-Qaedain Afghanistan and Pakistan has been seriously weakened as a result of U.S. counterterrorism operations undertaken in Pakistan.
More than a month after bin Laden's death al-Qaeda named Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaeda's theological leader, as its leader.
Bin Laden's death was followed in June by the demise of another powerful, top-ranking al-Qaeda leader, Fazul Abdullah Mohammed. He was the leader of al-Qaeda in East Africa and organized the U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania in August 1998. He was killed during a shootout at a security checkpoint in Mogadishu, Somalia.
More than a month after bin Laden's death al-Qaeda named Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaeda's theological leader, as its leader.
Bin Laden's death was followed in June by the demise of another powerful, top-ranking al-Qaeda leader, Fazul Abdullah Mohammed. He was the leader of al-Qaeda in East Africa and organized the U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania in August 1998. He was killed during a shootout at a security checkpoint in Mogadishu, Somalia.
Causalities:
The attacks resulted in the deaths of 2,996 people, including the 19 hijackers and 2,977 victims. The victims included 246 on the four planes (from which there were no survivors), 2,606 in New York City in the towers and on the ground, and 125 at the Pentagon.
Emergency Workers killed:
341 firefighters and 2 paramedics from the New York City Fire Department (FDNY)
37 police officers from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department (PAPD)
23 police officers from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and
8 emergency medical technicians and paramedics from private hospital units dispatched through the 911 system, as well as commercial ambulance groups brought in under "mutual aid" for this disaster emergency medical services.
The attacks resulted in the deaths of 2,996 people, including the 19 hijackers and 2,977 victims. The victims included 246 on the four planes (from which there were no survivors), 2,606 in New York City in the towers and on the ground, and 125 at the Pentagon.
Emergency Workers killed:
341 firefighters and 2 paramedics from the New York City Fire Department (FDNY)
37 police officers from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department (PAPD)
23 police officers from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and
8 emergency medical technicians and paramedics from private hospital units dispatched through the 911 system, as well as commercial ambulance groups brought in under "mutual aid" for this disaster emergency medical services.