HISTORY: THE 911 BOMBINGS 23 YEARS AFTER. WHAT LESSONS?

It’s been twenty-three years since the world stood still to the news of a series of attacks on the World Trade Center and some other targets in the United States of America by Arab Al Qaeda terrorists.

There have been various known terrorist attacks in many places in the world with different levels of damages and fatalities. None has ever recorded such level of impact and devastation as the September 11, 2001 attacks in terms of ferocity, human and material losses.

The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. On that morning, 19 terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners scheduled to travel from the East Coast to California.

Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is considered the mastermind of the attacks, though Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was the operational planner. Mohammed came up with the tactical innovation of using hijacked planes to attack the United States, and al-Qaeda provided the personnel, money, and logistical support to execute the operation. 

Mohammed Atta was selected to head the operation. He and 18 other terrorists, most of whom were from Saudi Arabia, established themselves in the United States, where some received commercial flight training. All 19 hijackers died in the attacks, bin Laden was killed by U.S. forces in 2011, and Mohammed was captured in 2003.

The effects of the attacks are still felt by the world even after a score and three years.

Here’s what happened and how.

What exactly happened and how did it happen?

 

·         Four commercial planes were hijacked by al-Qaeda terrorists.

·    Two planes crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, causing massive damage and fires.

·    One plane crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C.

·   The fourth plane, believed to be heading for the White House or the U.S. Capitol, crashed in a field in Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to overcome the hijackers.

The exact number of victims, particularly the number of those killed at the World Trade Center, is not definitively known. However, the official death toll, after numerous revisions and not including the 19 terrorists, was set at 2,977 people. At the World Trade Center in New York City, 2,753 people died, of whom 343 were firefighters. The death toll at the Pentagon near Washington, D.C., was 184, and 40 individuals died outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

 The collapse of the Twin Towers coated Lower Manhattan in a blanket of toxic dust, and fires at Ground Zero continued to smolder for months after the attacks. Many first responders who were active in the initial rescue and recovery effort reported respiratory issues, and the CDC estimated that as many as 400,000 people in the surrounding area had been exposed to potentially harmful substances or severe physical or emotional stress as a result of the attacks.

A monitoring and treatment program created in 2011 tracked the health of more than 100,000 people who had been exposed to harmful “9/11 agents.”

Among the most common issues reported were chronic sinusitis, GERD, an assortment of cancers, and PTSD. By 2023 more than 5,700 participants in that program had perished; at that time, it was estimated that the number of lives claimed by September 11-related illness had far surpassed the total lost in the attacks themselves.

The attacks had a profound and lasting impact on the United States, especially regarding its foreign and domestic policies. U.S. President George W. Bush declared a global “war on terrorism,” and lengthy wars in Afghanistan and Iraq followed. Meanwhile, security measures within the United States were tightened considerably, especially at airports. To help facilitate the domestic response, Congress quickly passed the controversial USA PATRIOT Act, which significantly expanded the search and surveillance powers of federal law-enforcement and intelligence agencies. Additionally, a cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security was created.

To honor the victims, several memorials have been built, including the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, which features twin waterfall pools surrounded by bronze parapets with the names of the victims.

Other memorials include the Tribute in Light, the 9/11 Memorial Glade, and the Survivor Tree. The World Trade Center has been rebuilt, with the One World Trade Center becoming the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.

Memorial Structures and Monuments, and events include;

·         National September 11 Memorial & Museum: Located on eight acres of the 16-acre World Trade Center complex, the 9/11 Memorial is a place of remembrance and contemplation.

·         Tribute in Light: The first major physical memorial at the World Trade Center site.

·         9/11 Memorial Glade: Dedicated to all who are sick or have died from exposure to toxins in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

·         Survivor Tree: A Callery pear tree that was severely damaged in the attacks and has since been nursed back to health.

·         The Sphere: A monumental bronze sculpture that was recovered from the ruins of the Twin Towers and has been transformed into a symbolic memorial.

·         Annual Reading of the Names: The first reading of the names of the victims of 9/11 took place at the World Trade Center site on September 11, 2002.

·         Tribute in Light: An annual event that takes place on the anniversary of the attacks, featuring 88 searchlights that shine into the sky

The world has learned lessons from events preceding, on the day and after the attacks.

World politics, policies and diplomacy have been influenced and affected by the 911 attacks and the aftermath. Some of the lessons learned are

Ø  Global terrorism is a real and ongoing threat.

Ø  Intelligence gathering and sharing are crucial to preventing such attacks.

Ø  Emergency preparedness and response planning are essential.

Ø  Unity and resilience are key to recovering from devastating events.

Ø  The importance of respecting and appreciating cultural diversity and promoting inclusivity.

 

These lessons have shaped global policies, international relations, and individual perspectives, leading to increased security measures, counter-terrorism efforts, and a greater emphasis on understanding and addressing the root causes of extremism.

Back home in Nigeria issues of terrorism and terrorist attacks and banditry have persisted for many years. Hundreds of thousands of human lives of innocent citizens have been lost. The heinous situation has not abated despite claims by the military that the terrorists have been either technically defeated or decimated.

Many see the attitude of government to the loss of lives and banditry as rather lackadaisical and non-committal.

Terrorists and bandits literally hold sway in some parts of the country. Kidnapping is very rampant and it has become common place. Herdsmen still plague farmers and pillage their farms and harvests. Any farmer that dares them has his life to lose.

Videos of human beings being slaughtered in hundreds and buried in mass graves go viral.

Government response has been very poor and not result oriented.

Known apologists and supporters of terrorist groups walk free and even involve in negotiations between Government, the terror groups and bandits.

While the rest of the world is spiritedly struggling to forestall and curb terrorism, it is becoming a smoldering ember threatening to consume the nation.