Photo: Collected
Observance of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and related developments
According to a report by news agency AFP, the 25th anniversary of the horrific terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 was observed in the United States on Friday. However, President Donald Trump’s absence from the main commemoration ceremony held in New York gave rise to intense anger and criticism among the families of those killed in the attacks.
Trump’s tribute and speech at the Pentagon Instead of going to the New York ceremony, Trump, in an unusual decision, paid tribute to the dead at the Pentagon. He tried to draw a link between the post-9/11 ‘war on terror’ and the ongoing conflict with Iran. In his speech Trump said, ‘Today we take again the sacred oath we took in their memory 25 years ago. We will never forget them, and that is why we are continuing the fight today.’ He further said, ‘There is no alternative to victory before us. We will struggle hard for victory.’
Background and impact of the attacks It may be mentioned that on 11 September 2001, the World Trade Center in New York was attacked with hijacked planes. A total of 2,977 people were killed in that incident, most of whom lost their lives there. Besides bringing massive change to the world order, the attack had created the context for the United States’ long-term involvement in various wars in the Middle East.
Commemoration ceremony at Ground Zero A large number of people took part in the mourning ceremony held at Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan, New York. Vice President JD Vance and Trump’s four living predecessors as president – George W Bush (who was president at the time of the attacks), Joe Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton – were present there.
- At the ceremony, the sequence of events of 9/11 was recalled minute by minute.
- Like every year, the names of the dead were read out this time too and bells were rung in remembrance of the particular moments of the attacks.
- The ceremony ended shortly before 1pm local time.
Anger and criticism of relatives Although this ceremony is traditionally non-political and neutral, the situation was somewhat different this time. While reading out the names of the dead, several relatives sharply criticised Saudi Arabia and the close relations of US leaders with it.
Expressing anger, Terry Strada, wife of Tom Strada who was killed at the World Trade Center, said, ‘We have not got any justice.’ Besides Saudi Arabia, she also strongly criticised the former US presidents present at the commemoration ceremony.
