Today’s history: In 1993, there was an explosion in the parking lot of the World Trade Center, a year later, on this day, the attackers were sentenced to 240 years

26 February 1993. Time – 12:18 pm in the afternoon. Location – World Trade Center in New York. A truck full of explosives was parked in the parking lot of this building. There was a huge explosion in that truck. So strong that a crater about 60 feet wide and 90 feet deep was formed at the site of the explosion. 6 people died and about 1 thousand people were injured. On this day in the year 1994, 4 terrorists were sentenced to 240 years.

The preparations for the attack were being made a year in advance. Two terrorists Ahmed Ejaz and Ramji Yusuf from Pakistan came to America through fake passports on different flights. Their intention was to demolish the World Trade Center building. Both were arrested at the airport itself. Ejaz was sent to jail after the explosive material was found in his suitcase.

Ramji Yusuf sought political asylum, claiming himself to be of Iraq. After some time Yusuf was released. After his release, Yusuf started working on his plan. He lived in a rented room with Mohamed Salameh in New Jersey. Mohamed Salameh was also involved in planning the blast. Yusuf also called another of his companions, Iyad. Both hired a garage in New Jersey to make bombs and made a 680 kg bomb in this garage.

On 23 February 1993, both of them hired a truck. Two days later, the theft of this truck was reported to the police, so that both of them would not be suspicious. The bomb was placed in this truck. Another companion Mahmud also joined them here.

Ambulances, fire brigade and security personnel crowd on New York’s West Street after the blast.

26 February 1993 was the day of the blast. On this day all four trucks were parked in the parking lot of the World Trade Center. The blast took place at exactly 12.18 pm. The terrorists expected that the building would collapse due to such a powerful explosion, but it did not happen. Had the building collapsed, the death toll could have been in the thousands.

Within hours of the blast, all four fled to their respective countries. Within the next two days, the FBI found out from the chassis number of the truck that the truck belonged to a rental company in New Jersey. On March 4, Salameh came to America to collect insurance money for the stolen truck. The FBI arrested Salameh. By May, all the terrorists involved in the attack were either under arrest or had clues with the FBI.

The trial of the case began on 16 September 1993. On this day in 1994, the accused were sentenced to 240 years.

1964: Today was the worst tragedy in the history of football
24 May 1964. National Stadium of Lima, the capital of Peru. There was a match between the football teams of Peru and Argentina. The winner of this match was to get a chance to play in the Olympics to be held in Tokyo. It was a do or die match for both the teams. Peru’s team was second in the points table with 2 matches left. To qualify for the Olympics, at least Peru had to get this match drawn.

About 50 thousand spectators were seated in the stadium. This was the home ground for Peru, but Argentina took an early lead in the match, 1–0. There were about 6 minutes left for the match to end. Peru had to score a goal anyway. Peru’s Kylo Lobaton scored the goal, the ball also hit the net but the match referee refused to give the goal after giving a foul.

After this, angry spectators started creating ruckus in the stadium. People ran to kill the referee. The police caught hold of a spectator and thrashed him badly, this angered further. Police fired tear gas shells. The stadium caught fire everywhere, hundreds of people died due to being buried under the feet of the crowd. According to official figures, 328 people died, but the actual death toll was much higher. National mourning was declared in Peru for the next 7 days.

For what other important events in history is remembered on 24 May

2019: 20 students died in a fire at a coaching center in Surat, Gujarat.
2015: Mumbai Indians defeated Chennai Super Kings in the final match of the IPL at the Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata.
2001: Nepal’s 15-year-old Sherpa Temba Sherry became the youngest mountaineer to summit Mount Everest.
2000: Famous lyricist and poet of Hindi films Majrooh Sultanpuri passed away.
1954: Today is the birthday of Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to climb Mount Everest.
1930: Amy Johnson completed the journey from England to Australia alone by airplane. Amy completed the journey of 18 thousand kilometers in 19 days.
1915: Thomas Alva Edison invented the telescribe.
1883: The Brooklyn Bridge, built by civil engineer John Augustus Rubling, was opened to the general public.
1875: Syed Ahmed Khan founded the Muhammadin Anglo Oriental School in Aligarh. Today it is known as Aligarh Muslim University.
1862: The first trial run of the world’s first underground railway line, the Metropolitan Underground railway line in London. It was opened to the general public on 10 January 1863.
1830: A favorite children’s poem, Mary Had a Little Lamb, was first published. This poem was written inspired by a real incident.
1819: Queen Victoria of Great Britain and Ireland was born.