On this day in history - September 11

What Happened On This Day – September 11

• 2012 Attacks on The US Diplomatic Compounds in Benghazi, Libya

  About 150 Islamic militants attacked two different US diplomatic buildings in the city with gunfire, grenades, and mortars. 4 Americans including US ambassador J. Christopher Stevens died in the attack. The incident led to political controversy in the country, especially related to the statements made by then Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, and members of the State Department.

• 2011 Occupy Wall Street movement begins

  The Occupy Wall Street movement began in Zuccotti Park in the Wall Street District of New York City

• 2007 Russia Tests Father of All Bombs

  The world’s most powerful non-nuclear bomb was a thermobaric bomb – it detonated mid-air and uses the oxygen in the air to create an explosion. The energy released by the bomb equaled 44 tons of TNT.

• 2001 September 11 Attacks in the United States

  A series of 4 coordinated suicide attacks were carried out by the terrorist group Al Qaeda on the morning of September 11. Nineteen militants hijacked 4 California-bound airplanes from east coast cities in the US and used the planes to target major American landmarks. Two planes were crashed into the two towers of the World Trade Center, which caused them to collapse within two hours of being struck. One plane was crashed into the Pentagon building in Arlington, Virginia, while the fourth plane, thought to be bound towards Washington DC, crashed in a field in Pennsylvania after passengers tried to fight back against the hijackers. The attacks injured about 6000 people, claimed the lives of about 3000 people, caused significant economic damage, and destroyed property worth tens of billions of dollars. The attack was the precursor to the War Against Terror and the War in Afghanistan.

• 1998 Commonwealth Games Open in Kuala Lumpur

  The 16th Commonwealth Games were held for the first time in an Asian country that did not have the British monarchy as the head of the state, 69 countries participated in the games that are held every 4 years.