Timeline for October following the September 11 attacks

Monday, October 1, 2001

• The confirmed number of bodies recovered at the World Trade Center site stands at 344, with 289 identified. The tally of those still missing remains at 5,219.
• Rudy Giuliani delivers an address to the United Nations General Assembly, marking the first occasion in five decades that a New York City mayor has spoken there.

Tuesday, October 2, 2001

• The body count from the World Trade Center rises to 363, with 301 individuals identified.
• NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson declares that the United States has provided "clear and compelling evidence" implicating al-Qaeda, activating the alliance’s mutual defense agreement.
• At 8 p.m. EDT, Come Together: A Night for John Lennon's Words and Music, a benefit concert supporting relief efforts and featuring prominent artists including Dave Matthews, Moby, and Alanis Morissette, takes place at Radio City Music Hall and is broadcast live on TNT and WB networks.

Wednesday, October 3, 2001

• After removing duplicate entries, the missing persons count for the World Trade Center is adjusted to 4,986; confirmed fatalities total 369 with 310 identified.
• President George W. Bush visits New York City to meet with business leaders such as CEOs from Coca-Cola, AOL Time Warner, AIG, and Chubb Corporation to discuss potential corporate tax reductions. He also visits local neighborhoods in Chinatown and pays a visit to Engine Company 55.
• At 7:45 a.m. EDT, Greyhound suspends all U.S. operations following a violent incident aboard a bus traveling from Nashville to Atlanta that resulted in four passenger fatalities.

Thursday, October 4, 2001

• The official number of bodies recovered at the World Trade Center site increases to 380, with 321 identified.
• Reagan National Airport reopens with limited flights for the first time since September 11.
• President Bush holds discussions with the Emir of Bahrain (host of the U.S. Fifth Fleet) and Poland’s president, announces additional food assistance for Afghanistan at the State Department, and reveals plans to extend unemployment benefits by 13 weeks in the thirteen states most affected by the attacks.
• New York City Comptroller Alan Hevesi estimates that economic damages to New York from the attacks have reached $45 billion thus far and could total $105 billion over two years.
• Siberia Airlines Flight 1812, carrying 77 passengers from Tel Aviv to Novosibirsk, exploded mid-flight over the Black Sea. Flights departing Ben-Gurion Airport were suspended; it was later determined that the aircraft was accidentally downed by the Ukrainian Air Force.
• British Prime Minister Tony Blair assures the House of Commons that irrefutable evidence ties Osama bin Laden to the hijackers, though some information remains classified.
• U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld meets with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and announces humanitarian airdrops in Afghanistan.
• Pakistan confirms receipt of sufficient evidence from Britain to justify legal action against Osama bin Laden.
• A report from Nashville identifies the assailant on the Greyhound bus as a drug-dependent individual exhibiting erratic behavior.
• At 3:30 p.m. EDT, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson reports that a hospitalized 63-year-old man in Florida has non-contagious pulmonary anthrax—the only known case at that time. Investigations by FBI, HHS, and CDC find no evidence of bioterrorism (the patient later succumbs). See 2001 anthrax attacks for subsequent developments confirming terrorism.
• White House spokesman Ari Fleischer states that some evidence against bin Laden will be withheld to protect ongoing investigations but assures public transparency.

Friday, October 5, 2001

• The official tally of individuals missing from the World Trade Center stands at 4,979.

Saturday, October 6, 2001

• At the World Trade Center site, the number of recovered bodies is 393, with 335 positively identified.
• President Bush briefs Congressional leaders regarding the imminent threat of an attack.

Sunday, October 7, 2001

• The total body count at the World Trade Center remains at 393, with identification confirmed for 353.
• Osama bin Laden issues a videotaped message commending the September 11 attacks while denying direct involvement.
• The United States initiates military operations in Afghanistan, marking the start of the War in Afghanistan.

Monday, October 8, 2001

• Approximately 1:25 p.m. EDT: Anthrax spores are detected in the Boca Raton, Florida offices of The Sun tabloid, including on a colleague’s nose and a keyboard. The FBI and CDC launch investigations to determine if this represents a criminal or terrorist incident. Refer to 2001 anthrax attacks.
• Around 3:00 p.m. CST: A mentally unstable passenger on American Airlines Flight 1238 from Los Angeles to Chicago attempts to breach the cockpit about 40 minutes before landing. Passengers and crew quickly restrain him amid heightened security concerns post-9/11. Pilots send a distress call that prompts two F-16 fighter jets to escort the plane to O'Hare International Airport, producing a sonic boom over Chicago’s northwest suburbs and causing alarm among residents.

Friday, October 12, 2001

• At 12:30 p.m. EDT, Rudy Giuliani holds a press briefing confirming that a female NBC Nightly News employee was exposed to anthrax from a letter dated September 25. Although powder tests returned negative results, a CDC-administered skin test verified non-contagious cutaneous anthrax. Symptoms appeared on September 28 and Cipro treatment commenced on October 1. A biopsy was forwarded to the CDC on October 10. See 2001 anthrax attacks.
• At 3:45 p.m. EDT during an Ashcroft briefing: A formal complaint was filed alleging false statements to federal investigators. The Department of Justice served Argenbright Holdings (SecuraCorps), an airport security company, for nationwide violations including employing individuals with criminal records and falsifying documentation.

Monday, October 15, 2001

• Newly discovered remains may represent the first recovered from a law enforcement officer.

Saturday, October 20, 2001

• The Concert for New York City, a benefit event supporting families affected by 9/11, takes place at Madison Square Garden. Performers include David Bowie, Bon Jovi, Destiny's Child, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, John Mellencamp, Billy Joel, Elton John, Jay-Z, among others.

Sunday, October 21, 2001

• Another benefit concert for September 11 victims titled United We Stand: What More Can I Give is held at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C.. Featured artists include Michael Jackson, Aerosmith, Mariah Carey, James Brown, Al Green, Carole King, America, Huey Lewis, Backstreet Boys, Pink, 'N Sync, and others.

Tuesday, October 30, 2001

• During game three of the intense 2001 World Series at Yankee Stadium, the New York Yankees compete against the Arizona Diamondbacks. President George W. Bush delivers the ceremonial first pitch.

Wednesday, October 31, 2001

• The Giuliani administration declares a cutback in the number of firefighter recovery squads working at the World Trade Center location, decreasing from 64 teams to 25.
• Recovery personnel gain entry to a secured vault belonging to the Bank of Nova Scotia beneath the World Trade Center area, discovering a considerable quantity of gold and silver bullion stored inside.