9/11 anniversary – US honours victims 10 years on

Ceremonies are being held in the US to honour the victims of the 9/11 attacks, 10 years after the event.

Nearly 3,000 people died when four hijacked airliners were crashed into the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field.

A minute’s silence marked each moment that a plane struck, and a tower fell.

Mourners filed into a new memorial at Ground Zero, which bears the names of the dead. The names are being read out amid tears at the ceremony.

Security is tight following warnings of a possible new attack by al-Qaeda, the group behind the 2001 attacks.

US President Barack Obama read from the Bible at the ceremony in New York. He chose a passage from Psalm 46, which speaks of God’s refuge and strength, “a very present help in trouble”.

The US leader then left to attend a ceremony in Pennsylvania.

In a speech at the Pentagon, Vice-President Joe Biden commended America’s armed forces for their service and their sacrifices since the attacks.

The first plane hit the WTC’s North Tower at 08:46 (13:46 GMT), the second at 09:03.

The third attack, on the Pentagon, occurred at 09:37 and it was at 10:03 that the fourth plane was forced down in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, by passengers who had fought their hijackers after learning of the other attacks.

‘Lives cut short’

Hosting the ceremony at Ground Zero, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said a “perfect blue sky” had turned into “the blackest of nights” on 9/11.

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