The following timeline is a chronological list of all the major events leading up to, during, and following the September 11 attacks against the United States in 2001, through the first anniversary of the attacks in 2002.
Background history +DayMonthYear(s)LocationNotes - -1950Egypt Sayyid Qutb returns to Egypt from a two-year visit to the United States sponsored by the Ministry of Education, and joins the Muslim Brotherhood due to his disgust towards American culture. - -1951-1965Qutb writes the book Fi Zilal al-Quran while in prison for an assassination attempt against Gamal Abdel Nasser. The book claims that Israel and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf are American satellite states and calls for an Islamist revolution against secularism—including Arab nationalism, socialism, and liberal democracy—to establish a Middle Eastern theocracy rooted in sharia law. The book also concludes that any Muslims who support secularism are kuffar. The book becomes highly influential towards Islamic terrorists. - -1966EgyptSayyid Qutb is executed in Egypt and his brother Muhammad Qutb flees to Saudi Arabia, acquiring a teaching position at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah. - -1973Lower Manhattan in New York City, United StatesWork is completed on the original World Trade Center. - -1976Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaOsama bin Laden, son of Saudi billionaire businessman Mohammed bin Laden, is radicalized by Qutb while attending King Abdulaziz University for business administration. - -1979United StatesThe United States first becomes concerned over Islamic extremism after the Iranian Revolution, the Iran hostage crisis, and the Grand Mosque seizure. - -1980Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaBin Laden completes university. - -PakistanBin Laden travels to Pakistan to volunteer and assist the Sunni Mujahideen during the Soviet–Afghan War. He will become increasingly radicalised over the course of his participation in the conflict. - -1981Bin Laden's future deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of Jama At al-Jihad, is arrested for his role in the assassination of Anwar Sadat and imprisoned for three years. - -1983United States Marine Corps barracks, Beirut Airport