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US marks 9/11 anniversary

September 11, 2012

In ceremonies in Washington, D.C., and New York City, Americans marked the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks that struck the towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

https://p.dw.com/p/166qd
The Tribute in Light shines above the World Trade Center and the Statue of Liberty, left of center, Monday, Sept. 10, 2012 as seen from Bayonne, N.J. Tuesday will mark the eleventh anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The tallest tower is 1 World Trade Center, now up to 105 floors. In the center is 4 World Trade Center. The Empire State Building is left, and the Brooklyn Bridge is right. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Image: AP

As in years past, relatives of those who died on September 11, 2001 gathered at Ground Zero - the site in New York City where the World Trade Center towers previously stood - and read the names of the victims.

In addition to the attacks that brought down the World Trade Center towers, a hijacked plane crashed into the Pentagon and another crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Between the three sites, 2,983 people were killed. Included in the list of names are victims of a 1993 car bombing attack on the World Trade Center. The list excludes the 19 hijackers of the four planes used in the attacks who were also killed.

Andacht am Ground Zero # ground17b # 11.09.2012 18 Uhr # Journal Englisch

During the reading of the victims' names, moments of silence were observed to mark the exact time each of the four planes crashed, as well as the times when each of the towers fell.

In contrast to previous years, when presidents, governors, and other politicians participated in the reading of names, this year only family members of those who died in the attacks took the stage.

In Washington, US President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, participated in a moment of silence at the White House.

Vice President Joe Biden delivered remarks at a ceremony in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where passengers on board United Flight 93 fought the hijackers of their plane. The plane crashed in a field, but US authorities said the hijackers had intended to crash the plane into the US Capitol in Washington.

mz/ rc (AFP, Reuters)