US marks 9/11 anniversary

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.

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)