site.btaSeptember 11, 2001: A Day That Shook the World as Reported by the BTA News Service

Twenty-one years ago Wednesday, four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks were carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States. In the first attack, the attackers crashed two hijacked airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. The crashes took place at around 16 hrs Bulgarian time. A third aircraft flew into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia. A fourth plane crashed in rural Pennsylvania after a passenger revolt prevented it from reaching its target.

The September 11 attacks killed 2,977 people. They shocked the world, changed life in America and in much of the rest of the world, and led the US to start a global war on terror.

Here is the first Bulgarian-language report of BTA of the attacks:

Two planes crash into World Trade Center in New York

New York, 11 September /BTA/ - Two planes crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York this morning shortly before 9.00 local time /16.00 Bulgarian time/, reported CNN and the world news agencies. The planes crashed into the two WTC buildings 18 minutes apart. According to eyewitnesses, the crash left two huge holes in the upper part of the 110-storey buildings and black smoke is coming out of them. Nobody has been reported hurt thus far.

The BTA English-language service reported the first repercussion from the attack in Bulgaria. Here is the first story (with more following the same day, including more reactions by the country’s political elite):

President Stoyanov, PM Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Say Terrorist Attacks against US Aimed against Human Civilization

Sofia, September 11 (BTA) - Minutes after the first reports for the terrorist attacks in Washington and New York, President Peter Stoyanov called the chiefs of the special services, the military and the civilian aviation and the Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Bulgarian Army. Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Interior Minister Georgi Petkanov joined them later.

Before that he spoke on the phone to Chief of General Staff Gen. Miho Mihov who is in Plovdiv for the Cooperative Key military exercise, said the presidential press secretariat.

The participants in the meeting issued a declaration "condemning unconditionally this monstrous terrorist act. " "Terrorism cannot be a solution to any of the existing world problems. "We express our deepest sympathy, through the President of the US, to the families and friends of the victims in the attacks," the declaration reads. 

According to the Head of state, the attacks are "disgusting and cynical acts that threaten the foundations of human civilization." "Nobody can remain indifferent."

He also said that this is happening far from Bulgaria and in this sense there is no reason for panic or over-reaction among the Bulgarian people. "There are no symptoms that the sovereignty or territorial integrity of the country, the life and property of the Bulgarian citizens are threatened," he said.

The US Embassy has not request tightened security measures for their buildings but "it is our obligation to act in due time", President Stoyanov also said.

On his way out from the meeting with the President, the Prime Minister told the press that the events in the United States are "an attack against civilization".

Asked whether the Bulgarian armed forces will be put on alert, Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha said that if such a step is necessary, he would make a public announcement.

Asked whether he will make the planned visit to Belgium under the new circumstances, he said, "It depends on the hosts. I am a guest to the Belgian Government. They will decide."

Under an order of the Transport Minister, all airports in the country are taking extra security measures, including reinforced security in planes and tightened passenger and luggage control.

Sofia Airport is operating normally and no flights have been cancelled. 

No planes are flying from Sofia to the US and Canada where the airports are closed. All flights are to European destinations and the planes take off on time, a flight information officer told BTA.

An officer of the US Embassy in Sofia said that there will be an official announcement for the press about the working hours of the Consulate and the American Centre.

The Bulgarian Embassy in Washington has no information about any Bulgarians injured in the attacks, BTA learnt from embassy intern Pepa Denchova.

The Bulgarian Embassy building is some 5 km from the Pentagon and has not been damaged.

All phone lines in Washington are blocked. Schools and kindergartens have closed and traffic is congested all over the city. Cars are frequently stopped for police checks, Denchova said. 

The Interior Ministry announced later that it is taking special security measures in Israeli buildings in Bulgaria. BTA reporters did not notice any extraordinary security in the area of NATO member embassies in Sofia, or around the Parliament, presidency and Government building.