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US remembers 9/11 five years on | US remembers 9/11 five years on |
(10 minutes later) | |
Ceremonies are being held in the US to mark the fifth anniversary of the 11 September attacks. | Ceremonies are being held in the US to mark the fifth anniversary of the 11 September attacks. |
President George W Bush began the commemorations on Sunday by laying a wreath at Ground Zero, the site of New York's Twin Towers. | President George W Bush began the commemorations on Sunday by laying a wreath at Ground Zero, the site of New York's Twin Towers. |
Flags will fly at half-mast and bells will toll in New York at the time the North Tower was struck. Relatives will read the names of the victims. | |
A total of 2,973 people died in the four al-Qaeda-led attacks. | |
As the US began the anniversary, an apparently new video has been aired from al-Qaeda deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahri, who urged Muslims to increase resistance against the US. | As the US began the anniversary, an apparently new video has been aired from al-Qaeda deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahri, who urged Muslims to increase resistance against the US. |
TV address | TV address |
Relatives those who died in the attacks will gather in New York to read out the names at the 2,749 victims of the World Trade Center, punctuated by four silences. | |
MAIN US EVENTS Ground Zero ceremony begins at 0840 (1240 GMT)Wreath-laying at Shanksville, Pennsylvania, 1935 GMTPresident Bush to address nation at 0100 GMT TuesWreath-laying at Pentagon, 0101 GMT Tues | MAIN US EVENTS Ground Zero ceremony begins at 0840 (1240 GMT)Wreath-laying at Shanksville, Pennsylvania, 1935 GMTPresident Bush to address nation at 0100 GMT TuesWreath-laying at Pentagon, 0101 GMT Tues |
They will be at 0846 local time (1246 GMT) - when the first plane struck the North Tower - then at 0903, 0959 and 1029, the times of the second strike and the falling of the two towers. | They will be at 0846 local time (1246 GMT) - when the first plane struck the North Tower - then at 0903, 0959 and 1029, the times of the second strike and the falling of the two towers. |
Silences will also be observed at the Boston air terminal where the planes that hit the Twin Towers took off. | Silences will also be observed at the Boston air terminal where the planes that hit the Twin Towers took off. |
Mr Bush is expected to observe the silence with firefighters involved in the rescue operations five years ago, whom he will be joining for breakfast. | Mr Bush is expected to observe the silence with firefighters involved in the rescue operations five years ago, whom he will be joining for breakfast. |
He will also visit the Pentagon, hit by a third plane, and the Pennsylvania crash site of the hijacked United Airlines Flight 93. | He will also visit the Pentagon, hit by a third plane, and the Pennsylvania crash site of the hijacked United Airlines Flight 93. |
New Yorkers reflect on the attacks of 11 September 2001In pictures | New Yorkers reflect on the attacks of 11 September 2001In pictures |
On Monday evening at 2100 local time he is expected to make a formal TV address to the nation from the Oval Office. | On Monday evening at 2100 local time he is expected to make a formal TV address to the nation from the Oval Office. |
It is just the fifth time Mr Bush will make such an address to the American people - the first was on the day of the attacks. | It is just the fifth time Mr Bush will make such an address to the American people - the first was on the day of the attacks. |
The president began the anniversary on Sunday at Ground Zero as he and his wife, Laura, walked to where the Twin Towers once stood. | The president began the anniversary on Sunday at Ground Zero as he and his wife, Laura, walked to where the Twin Towers once stood. |
They placed floral wreaths of red, white and blue upon two dark ponds of water as a bagpiper played America the Beautiful. | They placed floral wreaths of red, white and blue upon two dark ponds of water as a bagpiper played America the Beautiful. |
He later attended a remembrance service at a nearby chapel. | He later attended a remembrance service at a nearby chapel. |
Mr Bush said the anniversary would be "a day of sadness for a lot of people". | Mr Bush said the anniversary would be "a day of sadness for a lot of people". |
He added: "I vowed that I'm never going to forget the lessons of that day. There's still an enemy out there that would like to inflict the same kind of damage again." | He added: "I vowed that I'm never going to forget the lessons of that day. There's still an enemy out there that would like to inflict the same kind of damage again." |
Protesters | Protesters |
The events come as Mr Bush continues to face criticism over his war on terror in the run-up to November's mid-term Congressional elections. | The events come as Mr Bush continues to face criticism over his war on terror in the run-up to November's mid-term Congressional elections. |
HAVE YOUR SAY 9/11 taught us the true brutality of terrorism J Fernando, Colombo Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY 9/11 taught us the true brutality of terrorism J Fernando, Colombo Send us your comments |
Both Vice-President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the US was now safer than it was before the 2001 attacks. | Both Vice-President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the US was now safer than it was before the 2001 attacks. |
Mr Cheney said: "There has not been another attack on the United States. And that's not an accident." | Mr Cheney said: "There has not been another attack on the United States. And that's not an accident." |
But Democrat Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid countered: "Vice-President Cheney's influence over our nation's foreign policy has made America less safe." | But Democrat Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid countered: "Vice-President Cheney's influence over our nation's foreign policy has made America less safe." |
White House spokesman Tony Snow insisted Mr Bush's TV address would not be "a political speech". | White House spokesman Tony Snow insisted Mr Bush's TV address would not be "a political speech". |
"It is a reflection of what 11 September has meant to the president, and to the country; the realities that it has brought to all of our attention and how we can move forward together to try to win the war on terror," Mr Snow said. | "It is a reflection of what 11 September has meant to the president, and to the country; the realities that it has brought to all of our attention and how we can move forward together to try to win the war on terror," Mr Snow said. |
Mr Bush's ratings soared after 11 September, but have declined with the war in Iraq and amid questions over the administration's handling of the war on terror. | Mr Bush's ratings soared after 11 September, but have declined with the war in Iraq and amid questions over the administration's handling of the war on terror. |
I think it's clear that we are safer but not really yet safe Condoleezza Rice | I think it's clear that we are safer but not really yet safe Condoleezza Rice |
Even as the president lay the wreaths at Ground Zero, crowds of protesters calling for a US withdrawal from Iraq had gathered nearby. | Even as the president lay the wreaths at Ground Zero, crowds of protesters calling for a US withdrawal from Iraq had gathered nearby. |
As the anniversary began, CNN broadcast what is said was a new video featuring al-Qaeda's Zawahri. | As the anniversary began, CNN broadcast what is said was a new video featuring al-Qaeda's Zawahri. |
He refers to this summer's Israeli bombardment of Lebanon and the capture of Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah. | He refers to this summer's Israeli bombardment of Lebanon and the capture of Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah. |
He says: "You gave us every legitimacy and every opportunity to continue fighting you. | He says: "You gave us every legitimacy and every opportunity to continue fighting you. |
"You should worry about your presence in the Gulf and the second place you should worry about is Israel." | "You should worry about your presence in the Gulf and the second place you should worry about is Israel." |