Remembering the 9/11 ....[ 402 ]

US remembers 11 September attacks

Traditional ceremonies and a national day of service will remember the victims of the attacks Remembrance services are being held in the United States to mark the eighth anniversary of the hijacked plane attacks of 11 September 2001. Nearly 3,000 people died when the four planes crashed in New York, at the Pentagon and in a Pennsylvania field. Thousands of people gathered in a square near the Ground Zero site in New York, where the twin towers of the World Trade Center were destroyed. President Barack Obama will speak at the Pentagon site. Americans have been encouraged to contribute to a national day of service. US soldiers in Afghanistan completed a 9.11km (5.5 mile) run to mark the day. 'Sacrifices of thousands' Moments of silence are being observed at the sites. President Obama will join defence secretary Robert Gates at the Pentagon, where 184 people died, to meet members of victims' families and lay a wreath. I greatly fear at some point we'll transition to turning it into Earth Day... and the remembrance part will become smaller Debra Burlingame, sister of victim The dark day The four hijacks How disaster unfolded White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the president would "speak about what the day means and the sacrifices of thousands, not just at the Pentagon, but in Pennsylvania and certainly and most obviously in New York". On Thursday, Mr Obama issued a statement urging Americans to take part in community service while also vowing to "apprehend all those who perpetrated these heinous crimes, seek justice for those who were killed, and defend against all threats to our national security". Vice-President Joe Biden is attending the New York ceremony. There are four moments of silence there - one each for the times the two planes crashed into the World Trade Center towers and for the collapse of the buildings. Volunteers who helped in the aftermath of the attacks joined family members in reading the more than 2,700 names of the victims. The BBC's Matthew Price in New York says the Ground Zero area remains a building site, despite plans for a memorial, a museum and five new skyscrapers. Ground zero is still a building site eight years after the attacks Enlarge Image Delays caused by political arguments and financial and legal disputes have left huge question marks over the entire project, he says. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell will speak at the site of the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The names of the 40 passengers and crew will be read to mark the time of the crash - 1003. In a break with tradition, the anniversary has also been designated a national day of service. Americans have been encouraged to contribute their labour and time in memory of the victims. Conservation projects, aid packages for serving soldiers and the simple offering of work for free are among the undertakings made by members of the public. However, some commentators and members of victims' families have expressed concern that the remembrance may lose its primary focus. Debra Burlingame, whose brother died at the Pentagon, told Associated Press news agency: "I greatly fear at some point we'll transition to turning it into Earth Day where we go and plant trees and the remembrance part will become smaller." About 1,000 US troops in Afghanistan marked the anniversary with a 9.11km run at the main Bagram base in Kabul. Two other bases also took part. The 9/11 attacks sparked the US-led invasion in October 2001 to oust the Taliban and tackle al-Qaeda leaders living in Afghanistan