ABC NEWS SPECIAL REPORT {COVERAGE OF TERRORIST
ATTACKS} {TERRORIST ATTACKS} (TV)
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 8:30 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, September 12, as Brian Ross and John Miller report on developments in the investigation. Next, anchors Diane Sawyer and Charles Gibson talk with two disaster experts. Joe Allbaugh, the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, outlines some of the resources FEMA has brought to bear on the tragedy. Dr. Bernadine Healey, president of the American Red Cross, characterizes the current crisis as the largest with which her organization has ever dealt. Gibson lists a few of the events that have been canceled and places that have been closed because of the attacks, and aviation expert John Nance touches on the difficulties of getting airports opened once more and speculates about what might have happened aboard the hijacked planes. Next, from London Ted Koppel tells American viewers that the rest of the globe has been watching the tragedy unfold and discusses the recent supportive speech by British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Koppel also shares his own astonishment at a recent ABC interview in which former Secretary of Defense William Cohen spoke of a possible nuclear response to the terrorism. Next, Sawyer and Gibson interview King Abdullah of Jordan, who expresses his sorrow at the tragedy and notes that video footage shown earlier of Palestinians celebrating the news of the attacks represents only a tiny fraction of the Arab world. He explains that as far as he is concerned the war against terrorism is not a new one. Political commentator George Stephanopoulos then reports on the ongoing investigation, noting that the FBI has identified three of the hijackers and that German intelligence believes that Osama bin Laden is behind the attacks. After a brief update on the New York rescue effort, Ron Claiborne reports from Boston on inquiries about five suspects in the hijacking. John Miller then turns the focus to New York, detailing a few of those who are missing in action, including John M. O'Neil, a former FBI counter-terrorism agent who was recently hired by the World Trade Center. Miller also reports that the fire on the roof of a residential building in Battery Park, sparked by debris from the attacks, is now under control. Next, Don Dahler reports from lower Manhattan on ongoing rescue efforts, and John McWethy at the Pentagon notes that fire is still spreading slowly through the structure. Cynthia McFadden then describes the quiet scene at New York hospitals. She also talks to Jillian Volk, a preschool teacher who has been searching all night for her fiancŽ, Kevin Williams. Sawyer points out that amid the tragedy there have been some lucky escapes, and she and Gibson interview Bill Heitman and Brad Stuart, who worked high in the twin towers but managed to get out just before the buildings collapsed. Lisa Stark then reports on new federal information about American Airlines Flight 11, the first plane to hit the towers, explaining that authorities believe that the hijackers sprayed mace on several passengers before storming the cockpit.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: September 12, 2001 5:30 AM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:01:32
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:66715
- GENRE: News
- SUBJECT HEADING: Disasters; Hijacking of aircraft; Red Cross; September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001; Terrorism
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV, 2001
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Charles Gibson … Anchor
- Diane Sawyer … Anchor
- Ron Claiborne … Reporter
- Don Dahler … Reporter
- Ted Koppel … Reporter
- Cynthia McFadden … Reporter
- John McWethy … Reporter
- John Miller … Reporter
- John Nance … Reporter
- Brian Ross … Reporter
- Lisa Stark … Reporter
- George Stephanopoulos … Reporter
- Abdullah, King of Jordan
- Joe Allbaugh
- bin Laden, Osama
- Tony Blair
- William Cohen
- Bernadine Healey
- Bill Heitman
- John P. O'Neil
- Brad Stuart
- Jillian Volk
- Kevin Williams