A New York City police officer holds an American Flag during the 15th anniversary memorial service to 9/11 victims in New York, New York, USA, 11 September 2016.
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With the sound of taps, the NY ceremony marking the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks has come to an end.
On 9/11, terrorists hijacked four planes and were able to crash two of them into the World Trade Center’s twin towers in NY and one into the Pentagon.
Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher reports.
Obama said at a Pentagon memorial service that he is inspired by the resilience of the victims’ families. “I heard one young man say, ‘Dad, I’m starting college this fall.’ One woman said ‘Not a day goes by that I don’t miss you”. But for millions of Americans, haunting memories of that day are still fresh, and many lives were changed forever.
A September 11 Museum has been erected on the NY site where the World Trade Center once stood, housing artifacts and photographs connected to the attack.
A New York Police Department pipe and drums corps performed “America the lovely”.
Clinton’s campaign said the Democratic presidential nominee left the ceremony early after feeling “overheated”. Another plane crashed in rural Pennsylvania.
It’s been 15 years since the attacks of September 11, 2001.
“As we know, sadly, the number of terrorist groups has only grown since 9/11”, he said. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you.
Others expressed hopes for peace or alluded to the presidential race: “Guide America’s next commander-in-chief and help make America safe again”, said Nicholas Haros, who lost his mother, Frances Haros.
The first of what will be six moments of silence was observed at 8.46am ( 8.46pm Singapore time) – the time when the first hijacked passenger jet hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
At the Pentagon, Obama praised an America “drawn from every corner of the world, every color, every religion, every background”. But they kept close to what are now traditions: moments of silence and tolling bells, an apolitical atmosphere and the hourslong reading of the names of the dead.
The 15th anniversary comes with the United States in the midst of a divisive presidential campaign between Hillary Clinton, who was NY senator at the time of the attacks, and Manhattan tycoon Donald Trump.
President Barack Obama, meanwhile, spoke at the Pentagon, where 184 people died when American Airlines flight 77 struck the building 15 years ago.
The United Airlines flight was heading from Newark, New Jersey to San Francisco when it crashed after passengers and crew members fought the terrorists for control of the plane. In the end, the most enduring memorial to those we lost is ensuring the America we continue to be and we stay true to ourselves.
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The Al-Qaeda attacks killed 2,753 people in NY, 184 at the Pentagon in Washington D.C and 40 on Flight 93 – which had also been headed toward the U.S. capital until passengers and crew staged a rebellion and the hijackers crashed it into a field in Pennsylvania.
