More of This Feature • Most Recent Events  • Congressional Resolution Condemning the Attack

Special Team Coverage • World Trade Center Destroyed: America Under Attack

Important Web Sites • The White House  • Report Information to FBI • American Red Cross - New York City • New York Blood Center • American Airlines Call: 1-800-245-0999 • United Airlines Call: 1-800-932-8555 • Family Member Information Lines (MSNBC) • New York Emergency Information (NYC.gov) • Nationwide Emergency and Contact Information (USnews.com) • Joint Chiefs of Staff • State Department • Justice Department • FBI • Transportation Dept. • State Department • Federal Emergency Management Agency • USAMA BIN LADEN - FBI Ten Most-Wanted poster

Chronology: All time shown below are approximate Eastern Daylight Times.

Wednesday, September 12, 2001
Searching for Survivors, Victims and Perpetrators

Also today: NATO voted to invoke Article Five from its charter. Under Article Five an armed attack against any member nation is considered an attack against all NATO nations. The action binds NATO members to assist the U.S. in its response to the terrorist attacks. [See: NATO invokes Article Five (Globalization)]

10:50 pm - CNN reported that the evacuations of the Empire State Building and Penn Station had been cancelled and both facilities had been allowed to reopen. No reason for the evacuations was known.

10:20 pm - CNN reported that New York's Empire State Building and Penn Station were being evacuated. No reason for the evacuations was known at the time.

9:40 pm - CNN reported that leaders of the House and Senate were meeting with President Bush to work out details on a "resolution of resolve" authorizing the use of force in dealing with the terrorists responsible with the attack. 

7:30 pm - A prayer vigil began at the U.S. Capitol Building.

6:30 pm - The Christian Science Monitor reported that the pilot of American Airlines Flight 11 sent "surreptitious" radio transmissions to ground controllers as the hijacked plane made its way from Boston to New York. The plane crashed into the south tower of the Word Trade Center. [Details: Controllers' tale of Flight 11 (Christian Science Monitor)]

6:00 pm - The FBI reported they had identified, "many of the hijackers on each of the four flights that went down." [See: U.S. says it has identified hijackers (CNN)]

5:30 pm - New York fire officials ordered rescue workers to leave the One Liberty Plaza Building after it suffered a partial collapse. The 54 floor, 743 foot tall building is located near the World Trade Center towers, destroyed yesterday. Officials stated they expected the building to collapse fully. One Liberty Plaza would be the fourth building destroyed in the attacks.

5:00 pm - At a press conference, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld stated that those responsible for Tuesday's terrorists attacks would get no advanced warning of U.S. retaliation. Rumsfeld also warned government officials against leaking confidential information to the press. Rumsfeld also stated the death toll from the attack on the Pentagon would be closer to 100 than the 200 - 800 originally feared on Tuesday.

4:40 pm - The FAA gave clearance allowing airports to reopen on a limited basis so that diverted flights only could continue on to their destinations. All other flights were ordered to remain grounded until further notice. Strict new security regulations will also be in effect, reported the FAA. [For more details see: FAA allows limited flights to resume (CNN)]

3:55 pm - White House spokesman Ari Fleischer held a press conference. Fleischer confirmed earlier statements that the White House and Air Force One had probably been targeted in Tuesday's attacks. [Transcript of Press Conference]

2:40 pm - A joint session of Congress unanimously approved a resolution condemning the attacks and stating Congress' support of President Bush. Lawmakers also agreed to pass an emergency appropriations bill authorizing the expenditure of $20 billion in federal funds for rescue, repairs and counterterrorism efforts. Congressional leaders stated they hoped to have the spending bill on President Bush's desk on Thursday.

2:40 pm - White House officials told reporters that The White House and Air Force One may have been targets of Tuesday's terrorists attacks. The plane that hit the Pentagon may have been intended for the White House, they said.

2:40 pm - Attorney General Ashcroft held a press conference, informing reporters that the investigation into the attack was moving swiftly. Ashford stated the FBI was following "hundreds" of leads. The pilots of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center and Pentagon were trained in the United States, Ashcroft said. [Transcript of the Attorney General's Remarks] 

2:30 pm - Secretary of State Powell held a press conference. [Transcripts of Secretary Powell's network TV interviews (State Department)]

1:10 pm - CNN reported that law enforcement officers in Boston and Vero Beach, FL had taken "several people into custody," in connection with the investigation of the terrorist attacks. 

11:45 am - The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier U.S.S. George Washington (CVN 69), arrived in New York Harbor. The George Washington will provide security patrol of the harbor and make its onboard medical facilities available if necessary.

11:20 am - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that the unprecedented grounding of all U.S. commercial air flights and closures of airports would be extended beyond the 12:00 noon EDT reopening previously announced. Some airports announced reopening on a very limited basis later in the afternoon. [For details see: All U.S. flights still on hold (CNN)]

10:55 am - President Bush met with the national security team to receive the latest intelligence reports on the attacks. [See: President's remarks on the meeting]

10:50 am - President Bush held a brief press conference. The president again referred to the attacks as an "act of war," and stated he would ask Congress on Wednesday for emergency funding to respond to the perpetrators the attacks and to assist the victims.

10:00 am - Employees returned to work on a limited basis at the Pentagon even as a large part of the building continued to smolder from yesterday's attack.

9:00 am - The United States Congress reconvened at the Capitol Building in a joint session to consider a Joint Resolution condemning the terrorist attacks. 

7:40 am - Secretary of State Colin Powell appeared on ABC's Good Morning America and stated that the United States would respond to the terrorist attacks as an act of war. "We've got to respond as if it is a war. We've got to respond with the sense that it isn't going to be resolved with a single counterattack against one individual. It's going to be a long-term conflict," stated Secretary Powell, adding that no specific military response had yet been considered and that no targets had been discussed.

7:30 am - CNN reported that six New York City firefighters and three police officers had been rescued from voids in the rubble of the World Trade Center. 

6:26 am - CNN reported that as many as 1,400 victims of Tuesday's attacks were "feared or known dead." Thousands more were reported missing. [See: 1,400 feared dead: Toll will climb (CNN)]

2:30 am - Reuters reported that five suspects in the Tuesday attack had been identified by Massachusetts authorities. [See: Report: Five Suspects Identified in NYC Attack (Reuters)]