A Day when the World stopped on 911

Since I’m 74 years old and always seem to be flooded with memories, back to the day I was horrified as I watched on my television leaving me with many sleepless nights ahead. And giving me an uncomfortable feeling, “just how safe are we?” I asked myself. On that morning, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners. Today is the 9th Anniversary of the Jihadist Attacks on America and the murder of almost 3,000 innocent people in the name of Allah. The hijackers intentionally crashed two of the airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing everyone on board and so many others working in the buildings. Both buildings collapsed within two hours, destroying nearby buildings and damaging others… hundreds were killed instantly by the impact, while the rest were trapped and died after the towers collapsed.

Yes I was horrified watching two hijacked planes plow straight into both buildings. I uttered to myself, “Those damn God sons-of-bitches!” then the tears flowed down my face as I witnessed innocent people jump out of the two burning tall buildings… and then hearing their bodies’ crash to the ground. I could heard on my TV extremely loud and incredibly sounds as their bodies smashed into the ground. And then the clock seemed to stop to catch the sight as the Twin Towers crashed to the ground leaving both rescuers and survivors to flee for their lives. Leaving only a cloud of hazardous lung dust and the disappearance where once two proud buildings had stood. To me it was like the Universe had stood still. The world had gone off on a tangent!

Then like some evil movie the hijackers crashed a third airliner into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C.

Now guys, I know my mind is clutter with useless information and at times doesn’t make much sense. But on that particular morning I didn’t feel like Conan the Barbarian with a big S taped to my chest but I was pissed-off and furious at those who could carry out such awful hideous terrorist attacks on America and her citizens.

Later I learnt that during the hijacking of the airplanes, the hijackers used weapons to stab and kill aircraft pilots, flight attendants and passengers. Reports from phone callers from the planes indicated that knives were used by the hijackers to stab attendants and in at least one case, a passenger, during two of the hijackings. Some passengers were able to make phone calls using the cabin air phones service and mobile phones, and give details, including that several hijackers were aboard each plane, that mace or other form of noxious chemical spray, such as tear gas or pepper spray was used, and that some people aboard had been stabbed.

On United Airlines Flight 93, black box recordings revealed that crew and passengers attempted to seize control of the plane from the hijackers after learning through phone calls that similarly hijacked planes had been crashed into buildings that morning. According to the transcript of Flight 93's recorder, one of the hijackers gave the order to roll the plane once it became evident that they would lose control of the plane to the passengers. Soon afterward, the aircraft crashed into a field near Shanksville in Stonycreek Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania. What a brave and unselfish act these very courageous these Americans were!

The United States responded to the attacks by launching the “War on Terror” it invaded Afghanistan to depose the Taliban, who had harbored al-Qaeda terrorists. A war that goes on to this very day.