World Trade Center

The current war in Afghanistan started on October 7, 2001 after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. Terrorists hijacked the American Airlines Flight 11 and crashed into the northern tower of the World Trade Center twin towers. Seventeen minutes later a second plane, United Airlines Flight 175, which had also been hijacked, crashed into the southern tower. Although fewer people died in the crash into the southern tower because they had time to leave the tower after the crash into the northern tower, between 2,500 and 3,000 people died when the two towers collapsed from the impact and resulting fires. There was a third plane that was hijacked, but crashed in Pennsylvania before it could reach its target. The fourth plane that was hijacked hit the target and crashed into the Pentagon.

The Afghan terrorist organization, Al-Qaeda, took responsibility for this attack. Their targets are usually important symbols (public buildings, embassy and military personnel, etc.) of the United States, its allies, and moderate Muslim governments. They target America and other western countries, as well as Jewish targets and Muslim governments that they see as corrupt or not following Muslim ways, for example Saudi-Arabia.

Tactics include assassination, bombing, hijacking, kidnapping, and suicide attacks. There are reports and the leader of Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, has publicly said that they want to get and use biological, chemical and nuclear weapons.