Summary

This "ABC News Special Report" presents coverage of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and their aftermath, as aired on ABC affiliate KABC-TV (Los Angeles). This coverage begins at 1:00 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, September 12, with an update from anchor Peter Jennings on the little information known about crashed United Flight 93. Jennings then airs a report from Deborah Amos in South Florida about threats that have apparently been made to the large Islamic Center in Miami. Brian Rooney then narrates a piece from LAX airport in Los Angeles about the cancellation of all of flights there and the eventual evacuation of all terminals. Next, Jennings checks in with Neil Karlinsky, who discusses reaction to the attacks in Seattle, where he was stranded when all air travel was ceased. Karlinsky also reports that a large U.S. Naval frigate has been posted outside Seattle. Jennings then speaks with aviation experts Lisa Stark and John Nance about developments in the information surrounding the planes that were used in the attacks. Stark says that the unofficial total of casualties from all four flights comes to 266. Jennings also discusses the perceived repercussions of the attacks for the nation's airports, and Stark and Nance describe new airport security measures. Next, Bill Blakemore speaks from the World Trade Center site about the search-and-rescue operations; he reports that Mayor Rudy Giuliani has announced that two Port Authority police officers have been pulled alive from the rubble. Jennings then runs a piece narrated by Chris Bury about reaction in Memphis, Tennessee, the hub of business for international shipping company Federal Express. In the next piece, Chris Cuomo describes a nationwide phenomenon: people have apparently rushed to places of worship to pray since the attacks. Jennings then runs an old, very rare interview by John Miller with Osama bin Laden. After a piece by Barry Serafin on President Bush's long day of travel and public speaking, Jennings turns the anchor chair over to Elizabeth Vargas.