Sept. 11, 2001
Four hijacked planes crash in the U.S.
|3D: FLIGHT PATHS|

• At 8:45 a.m. a Boeing 767, American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston to Los Angeles, crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.
• At 9:03 a.m. a Boeing 767, United Airlines Flight 175 from Boston to Los Angeles, crashes into the south tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.
• At 9:43 a.m. a Boeing 757, American Airlines Flight 77 from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles, crashes into the Pentagon.
• At 10:10 a.m. a Boeing 757, United Airlines Flight 93 flying from Newark, N.J., to San Francisco, crashes in a field near Pittsburgh.

Eventually, both towers of the World Trade Center collapse as does one side of the Pentagon. As a result of the attacks, the Federal Aviation Administration shuts down air traffic across the United States for the first time in the country's history. The White House and all federal office buildings are evacuated. All transatlantic flights to the United States are redirected to Canada.

Osama bin Laden, the son of a wealthy Saudi family who has been linked to past terrorist attacks, becomes a suspect in the Sept. 11 attacks. Afghanistan's ruling Taliban party says it won't extradite bin Laden despite pressure from the U.S.

Sept. 14, 2001
Memorial services are held in Washington, D.C., Ottawa, London and elsewhere. |STORY|

Sept. 20, 2001
President George W. Bush addresses Congress. |TRANSCRIPT|

Sept. 22, 2001
President Bush lifts economic sanctions against both India and Pakistan. Pakistan, which borders Afghanistan, has recently agreed to share intelligence reports with the U.S. and to let American military planes fly in its airspace.

Oct. 2, 2001
Fear of biological and chemical weapons is sparked when American Media Inc. employee Robert Stevens is hospitalized with inhalation anthrax. He dies three days later. More incidents of anthrax exposure and positive tests for the bacteria are reported in the U.S. among employees of the government, the postal service and media organizations. A hospital worker in New York and two postal workers in Washington die. Ottawa announces plans to spend almost $12 million to fight bio-terrorism.

Oct. 7, 2001
U.S. and British forces launch the first wave of air strikes in Afghanistan. President Bush says targets will include training camps and military installations belonging to Afghanistan's Taliban leadership and Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda organization. Gunfire and explosions are reported in several places, including the capital city of Kabul, and the southern community of Kandahar. |STORY|

The same day, a statement made by Osama bin Laden is broadcast on the Arab television station Al-Jazeera, praising those responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks. The video was apparently made before the air strikes.

Oct. 15, 2001
The new anti-terrorism bill is introduced in the House of Commons. Bill C-36 would give police new powers of arrest, investigation and surveillance, including allowing suspected terrorists to be detained without charge for up to three days, and allowing judges to compel witnesses to give evidence during an investigation. Critics of the bill say it undermines civil rights and warn there are insufficient measures to ensure the powers aren't abused. (The bill becomes law on Dec. 18, 2001. |STORY|)

Oct. 17, 2001
More than 900 Canadian troops ship out from Halifax headed to the Arabian Sea to join U.S. and British forces. They leave aboard three Canadian vessels, HMCS Charlottetown, HMCS Iroquois and the supply ship Preserver. The mission is called Operation Apollo. Two other Canadian frigates have already left to participate in the U.S.-led effort, and a sixth ship will join later. |STORY|

Nov. 9, 2001
The Northern Alliance, Afghanistan's opposition fighters, says it has taken the strategic city of Mazar-e-Sharif from the Taliban. Two days later, the Northern Alliance takes the northern city of Taloqan. |STORY|

Nov. 12, 2001
Reports from Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, say Taliban forces have deserted the city. |STORY|

Nov. 15, 2001
Defence Minister Art Eggleton announces Canada plans to send up to 1,000 soldiers to Afghanistan, providing short-term stabilization to allow for the entry of humanitarian assistance. Troops from CFB Edmonton's Third Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, are put on 48-hour notice. |STORY|

Nov. 22, 2001
A bill aimed at enhancing public safety regarding biological and chemical weapons is introduced in Parliament. Bill C-42 is read for the second time on Dec. 3 but remains to be made into law. |STORY|

More legislation in response to the terrorist attacks is announced. Bill C-44 addresses security concerns on airlines, such as controls over explosives, immigration, and airport security. The bill becomes law on Dec. 18, 2001.

Dec. 7, 2001
The city of Kandahar is taken from the Taliban. |STORY|

Dec. 13, 2001
The U.S. government releases a videotape, translated into English, of Osama bin Laden talking about the Sept. 11 attacks with several other men. According to the translation, bin Laden says the number of casualties was "calculated in advance." |STORY|

Dec. 19, 2001
Defence Minister Art Eggleton confirms that members of JTF-2, Canada's counter-terrorism unit, are in Afghanistan. "There are approximately 40 JTF-2 on the ground in Afghanistan, in or around Kandahar," Eggleton says. |STORY|

Jan. 4, 2002
A U.S. soldier is killed becoming the first American military death directly caused by enemy fire in the three-month-long conflict. Sgt. First Class Nathan Ross Chapman, 31, a Green Beret, was on a mission in a remote area near the Pakistan border when he was killed. |STORY|

Jan. 7, 2002
Defence Minister Art Eggleton announces that about 750 Canadian soldiers, members of CFB Edmonton's Third Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, will be sent to Afghanistan by mid-February. |STORY|

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