Hundreds of Americans, including victims’ families, gathered today at Ground Zero in New York, the Pentagon, Pennsylvania and here to remember nearly 3000 victims of the worst terrorist attacks in US history that devastated the country 11 years ago.
The low profile ceremonies across America was led by President Barack Obama who along with his wife Michelle and Presidential staff paused for a minute at the White House lawns in memory of the victims of the nightmarish events of September 11, 2001.
While Obama was sporting a dark suit, the first lady was in a dark purple dress, as three bells tolled. They stood with heads bowed, facing the National Mall in the distance. Most stood with their hands crossed in front of them. From White House Obama headed to Pentagon to attend memorial ceremony.
Those attending the ceremonies across the country paused for a moment of silence to mark the time when each of the four planes hijacked by al-Qeada terrorists rammed into twin towers of World Trade Centre, into Pentagon and into a field near Pennsylvania in a co-ordinated attacks that shook the world.
Obama’s Republican rival Mitt Romney also kept himself away from political events in the thick of the presidential campaign to keep the sanctity of the occasion.
Both Obama and Romney are taking down their negative advertisements in a brief truce from political battle.
—PTI