militants. August 31 – The World Conference against Racism 2001 begins in Durban, South Africa. Israel and the United States withdraw three days later, alleging antisemitism in the conference. September September 1 – Myojo 56 building fire: 44 people are killed in a building fire in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. September 2 – 2001 Jakarta train collision: A trail collision in Jakarta, Indonesia kills 31 people. September 7 – 2001 Jos riots: Clashes between Christian and Muslim rioters begin in Jos, Nigeria. The conflict will continue until September 17, during which time hundreds of people will be killed. September 9 A suicide bomber kills Ahmad Shah Massoud, military commander of the Afghan Northern Alliance. 68 people die of methanol poisoning in Pärnu County, Estonia. September 11 – Approximately 2,977 victims are killed or fatally injured in the September 11 attacks after American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 are hijacked and crash into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, American Airlines Flight 77 is hijacked and crashes into the Pentagon, and United Airlines Flight 93 is hijacked and crashes into grassland in Shanksville, Pennsylvania as a result of passengers fighting to regain control of the airplane. The Twin Towers collapse as a result of the crashes. September 18 – The 2001 anthrax attacks begin in the United States, which cause five fatalities and 17 other infections. September 19 – Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat forbids Palestinian soldiers from firing on Israeli forces, even in self-defence. Israel agrees to a ceasefire. September 20 – In an address to a joint session of Congress, U.S. President George W. Bush declares a war on terror, officially the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). September 21 – Toulouse chemical factory explosion: A fertilizer factory explodes in Toulouse, France, killing 31 people. September 22 – American spacecraft Deep Space 1 flies within of Comet Borrelly. September 27 – Zug massacre: In Zug, Switzerland, Friedrich Leibacher shoots 18 people, killing 14 of them and then himself. October October 1 Jaish-e-Mohammed militants attack the state legislature building in Srinagar, Kashmir, killing 38 people. 3G wireless technology first becomes available when it is adopted by Japanese telecommunications company NTT Docomo. October 2 – Swissair, the national airline of Switzerland, seeks bankruptcy protection and grounds its entire fleet, stranding thousands of people worldwide. October 4 Siberia Airlines Flight 1812 is accidentally shot down by the Ukrainian Air Force