World Trade Centre Hit By Two Aircraft; Tower Collapses; Pentagon Attacked; Explosion Near White House

September 12, 2001 – 12.25am AEST

Tragedy is unfolding in the United States with terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon in Washington D.C.

Two aircraft have crashed into each of the twin towers of the World Trade Centre. A short time ago one of the towers collapsed on itself.

There are reports that the two aircraft were commercial passenger jets that had been hijacked.

The White House has been evacuated, as has the Capitol building which houses the US Congress.

President George Bush is in Florida. He has said that terrorism against the US cannot be allowed to stand and that the perpetrators will be hunted down.

Prime Minister John Howard is in Washington. Television reports say he has been evacuated.

All aircraft in the US have been ordered to land at the nearest airport. International flights are being diverted to Canada.

New York City has been locked down. All routes in and out of the city, bridges and tunnels, have been closed.

An aircraft is reported to have crashed into the Pentagon, home to the US Defence Department, just outside Washington. One witness has spoken of the second and third floors of the building buckling and collapsing.

Internet links to United States media outlets are either clogged or down. VCEpolitics.com has been unable to access the New York Times, Washington Post or CNN.

A new report says the United Nations building on the east side of New York has now been evacuated.