September 11, 2001 Osama bin Laden hit the USA right in the heart ᐉ News from Fakti.bg – Bulgaria

The attacks of September 11, 2001 on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon changed the world.

On September 11, 2001, planes hijacked by al-Qaeda members crashed into the Twin Towers in New York, and a third plane crashed into the Pentagon.

The attacks organized by Al-Qaeda became a turning point in US domestic and foreign policy.

After the collapse of the World Trade Center, the USA organized a large-scale manhunt for the leader of al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden. They offered a reward of $25 million, later $50 million, for any information leading to his capture.

It all begins one morning when 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijack four passenger planes. The hijackers intentionally crash two of them into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York, causing the towers to collapse to their foundations in less than two hours.

Terrorists pilot the third plane into the Pentagon – the headquarters of the US Department of Defense in Arlington County, Virginia. A fourth plane crashed into an open field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, after passengers resisted before the plane reached its destination in Washington. According to official statistics, the number of people killed in the attacks is 2,974, not including the 19 terrorists. None of the passengers on the hijacked planes survived. The majority of the victims were civilians from 90 countries. Police officers, firefighters and other rescue workers also lost their lives.

The attacks are one of the biggest and most tragic events of the 21st century, having a major political, psychological and economic impact not only on the United States but on the entire world. Suspicion quickly fell on al-Qaeda, and in 2004 the group's leader, Osama bin Laden, who initially denied any involvement, claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Al-Qaeda and Bin Laden cite American support for Israel, the presence of American forces in Saudi Arabia and sanctions against Iraq as motives for the attacks. In response to the attacks, the US launched a war on terror and invaded Afghanistan to drive out the Taliban, who were harboring al-Qaeda. Many countries around the world are tightening their security measures and introducing anti-terror laws. In May 2011, Bin Laden was tracked down and killed.

Meanwhile, Saddam Hussein has been overthrown in Iraq. The West has deposed Muammar Gaddafi in Libya and Hosni Mubarak in Egypt. Syria is being torn apart by civil war.

Unrest in the Middle East and North Africa has triggered a flood of refugees across Europe. The old continent has also experienced a series of terrorist attacks that have shaken major cities such as Madrid, London, Paris, Brussels and others.