International   

Tense 9/11 anniversary in U.S.

— Photo: AFP

Tense stand-off:A protester (right) in support of an Islamic centre two blocks from Ground Zero argues with a man who is against the mosque, in New York on Saturday.

NEW YORK: U.S. President Barack Obama told a deeply polarised America on Saturday that Islam was not the enemy as sombre ceremonies marked an unusually tense ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

Moving remembrance ceremonies were held to honour the nearly 3,000 people killed when Al-Qaeda extremists slammed airliners into New York's World Trade Centre, the Pentagon outside Washington and a field in Pennsylvania.

But with thousands of people marching in duelling protests over a proposed Muslim community centre two blocks from Ground Zero and a Florida pastor's threat to desecrate a symbol of Islam, this was the most politicised 9/11 anniversary yet.

Speaking at the Pentagon, Mr. Obama said: “As Americans, we will not and never will be at war with Islam. It was not a religion that attacked us that September day. It was Al-Qaeda, a sorry band of men, which perverts religion.”

He urged Americans not to succumb to “hatred and prejudice” and vowed: “Just as we condemn intolerance and extremism abroad, so will we stay true to our traditions here at home as a diverse and tolerant nation.”

At Ground Zero, Vice-President Joseph Biden was among those attending the annual ritual of reading the names of all 2,752 people killed when two hijacked airliners destroyed the Twin Towers. — AFP

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Cabinet post for Kevin Rudd
UNMIN's future uncertain
Somewhere wins Golden Lion in Venice
Man kills self after shooting dead five
Tense 9/11 anniversary in U.S.
French director Claude Chabrol dead

Copyright © 2010, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu