Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky compared the ongoing invasion by Russia to 9/11 and the Pearl Harbor attack, which forced the United States to get involved in World War II. Meanwhile, Kremlin said the war in Ukraine was "going to plan" amid talk of compromise at peace talks.

During an emotional and impassioned video address to the US Congress, Zelensky said, "In your great history, you have pages that would allow you to understand Ukrainians, understand us now when we need you right now."&nbsp;

"Remember Pearl Harbor. The terrible morning of December 7, 1941, when your sky was black from the planes attacking you," Zelensky said, adding that the attacks on September 11, 2001 "turned your cities, independent territories into battlefields."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-under-attack-russia-attacks-mariupol-theatre-sheltering-hundreds-of-civilians-see-satellite-image-463012">Russia attacks Mariupol theatre sheltering 'hundreds' of civilians - see satellite image</a>

The Ukrainian President said that his country is seeing such horrors every day. "Our country experiences the same every day. Right now, every day, every night for three weeks now ... Russia has turned the Ukrainian sky into a source of death of thousands of people," he said.&nbsp;

Zelensky pleaded with allies to impose a no-fly zone and also showed the extent of devastation in Ukraine. wrought. He received a standing ovation from US lawmakers.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-cancels-license-of-china-owned-telecom-company-462991">US cancels license of China-owned telecom company</a>

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday (March 16) said he would discuss neutral status for Ukraine and that what he calls a "special military operation" to demilitarize the country was "going to plan".&nbsp;

Kyiv and allies say his actions are an unprovoked incursion, and more than three million Ukrainians have fled and hundreds have died.

WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: Ukraine invasion: Is the peace deal possible?

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(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky compared the ongoing invasion by Russia to 9/11 and the Pearl Harbor attack, which forced the United States to get involved in World War II.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky compared the ongoing invasion by Russia to 9/11 and the Pearl Harbor attack, which forced the United States to get involved in World War II. Meanwhile, Kremlin said the war in Ukraine was "going to plan" amid talk of compromise at peace talks. During an emotional and impassioned video address to the US Congress, Zelensky said, "In your great history, you have pages that would allow you to understand Ukrainians, understand us now when we need you right now." "Remember Pearl Harbor. The terrible morning of December 7, 1941, when your sky was black from the planes attacking you," Zelensky said, adding that the attacks on September 11, 2001 "turned your cities, independent territories into battlefields." ALSO READ | Russia attacks Mariupol theatre sheltering 'hundreds' of civilians - see satellite image The Ukrainian President said that his country is seeing such horrors every day. "Our country experiences the same every day. Right now, every day, every night for three weeks now ... Russia has turned the Ukrainian sky into a source of death of thousands of people," he said. Zelensky pleaded with allies to impose a no-fly zone and also showed the extent of devastation in Ukraine. wrought. He received a standing ovation from US lawmakers. ALSO READ | US cancels license of China-owned telecom company Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday (March 16) said he would discuss neutral status for Ukraine and that what he calls a "special military operation" to demilitarize the country was "going to plan". Kyiv and allies say his actions are an unprovoked incursion, and more than three million Ukrainians have fled and hundreds have died. WATCH | Gravitas: Ukraine invasion: Is the peace deal possible? × (With inputs from agencies)

Zelensky compares Russian invasion to 9/11 and Pearl Harbor attack; Putin says invasion on course

Prosecutors have opened talks with lawyers for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the accused mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and his four co-defendants to negotiate a potential plea agreement that would drop the possibility of execution, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.

Guilty pleas in exchange for life sentences could bring to an end the long-running case at the war court, which was set up by the George W. Bush administration and has been mired in pretrial proceedings focusing on the CIA’s torture of the defendants. Nearly a decade after the men were arraigned, the military judge has set no trial start date.

No deal is expected soon. But guilty pleas resulting in life sentences could force the Biden administration to modify its ambition of ending detention operations at Guantánamo Bay and instead rebrand it as a military prison for a few men.

In an earlier, failed attempt at such talks during the Trump administration, the accused plotters demanded that they serve their sentences at Guantánamo, where they are able to pray and eat in groups. They specifically did not want to be sent to the supermax prison in Florence, Colorado, where federal inmates are held in solitary confinement up to 23 hours a day.

The five men are accused of directing and training or providing travel arrangements and money to the 19 hijackers who crashed four commercial aircraft into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania, killing nearly 3,000 people.

A plea deal would undoubtedly disappoint, if not enrage, death penalty advocates among the victims’ family members. But other family members, including those troubled by the role of U.S. torture in the case and the delays, might see it as a fitting conclusion.

The path to a trial for the accused plotters of the worst terrorist attack in the United States has been impeded by legal and logistic challenges as well as a nearly two-year closure of the court during the coronavirus pandemic.

The discussions began last week amid the latest setback. The judge, defense and prosecution teams had travelled to Guantánamo Bay for three weeks of hearings meant to address disputes over evidence, particularly showing the role of the FBI in the CIA prison network where Mohammed and his co-defendants were tortured after they were captured in Pakistan in 2002 and 2003.

But before they could start, Cheryl Bormann, the lead lawyer for one of the defendants, Walid bin Attash, asked to step down from the case. She cited an unspecified in-house investigation of her “performance and conduct” by the chief defense counsel, Brig. Gen. Jackie L. Thompson Jr. of the Army.

No details were given. But the issue forced a delay in hearings that could stretch for months and provided an opening, according to a participant in the talks between the prosecution and the defense.

A lead case prosecutor, Clayton G. Trivett Jr., wrote on Wednesday to the defense teams proposing that they discuss “whether pretrial agreements are possible for all five cases.”

“While I cannot guarantee that we will come to terms over these next two weeks,” Trivett said in an email, “putting a concerted effort focused solely on possible agreements while we are all onboard Guantánamo, where your clients and teams are present, may be our best chance of at least determining if deals can be reached.”

Within days, the five defendants and their lawyers met in the courtroom to compile an initial list of requirements for the guilty plea, starting with removing the death penalty from the case. Lawyers for the five men submitted a joint list on Monday, participants said.

Although the prosecutors have begun the negotiations, a senior Pentagon official known as the convening authority must approve any deal. That role is currently held by Col. Jeffrey D. Wood of the Arkansas National Guard, who is also a lawyer in Little Rock, Arkansas, and was appointed to the civilian job by the Trump administration. Participants said the talks were expected to continue through the month to try to reach some understandings to present to Wood.

The interim chief prosecutor, Col. George C. Kraehe of the Army, declined to comment, as did the chief defense counsel, Thompson.

A core issue is how many of the defendants besides Mohammed would serve life sentences without the possibility of parole and whether some of the accused accomplices with lesser roles in the attacks would serve shorter sentences. Lawyers for two defendants — a Saudi prisoner, Mustafa al-Hawsawi, and a Pakistani national, Ammar al-Baluchi, who is Mohammed’s nephew — have described them as ignorant of the Sept. 11 plot when they helped some of the hijackers with money transfers and travel arrangements from the United Arab Emirates.

Psychologists conducting interrogations for the CIA waterboarded Mohammed 183 times; defense lawyers have pursued an overarching theory that because of its actions, the U.S. government lost the moral and legal authority to execute the defendants. Agents also kept the five defendants nude, beat them, strung them up by their arms in chains and subjected them to rectal abuse and sleep deprivation during the three and four years they were held in the so-called CIA black sites before their transfer to Guantánamo in 2006.

As part of any plea agreement, the defendants would have to work with prosecutors, through their lawyers, on individual lengthy narratives known as a stipulation of fact — essentially a prosecution-approved admission of their crimes.

Once signed, the men could be brought to court for questioning by the trial judge, Col. Matthew N. McCall of the Air Force, on whether they cooperated willingly with the process. Under war court law, military juries — not judges — sentence defendants who plead guilty, generally from a range set in the plea agreement. The Pentagon would need to assemble a jury of U.S. officers to hear the statements and other presentations by both sides and then issue sentences, even if they are separately capped in secret pretrial agreements. That portion could span months.

People familiar with the talks said a military jury’s recent reaction to descriptions of CIA torture of another prisoner in a lesser-known case might have contributed to the willingness of prosecutors to negotiate.

In October, the jury condemned as “a stain on the moral fiber of America” the agency’s cruel treatment of Majid Khan, a confessed courier for al-Qaida, and urged the overseer of military commissions to grant clemency.

Prosecutors have opened talks with lawyers for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the accused mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and his four co-defendants to negotiate a potential plea agreement that would drop the possibility of execution, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.

Prosecutors have opened talks with lawyers for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the accused mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and his four co-defendants to negotiate a potential plea agreement that would drop the possibility of execution, according to people with knowledge of the discussions. Guilty pleas in exchange for life sentences could bring to an end the long-running case at the war court, which was set up by the George W. Bush administration and has been mired in pretrial proceedings focusing on the CIA’s torture of the defendants. Nearly a decade after the men were arraigned, the military judge has set no trial start date. No deal is expected soon. But guilty pleas resulting in life sentences could force the Biden administration to modify its ambition of ending detention operations at Guantánamo Bay and instead rebrand it as a military prison for a few men. In an earlier, failed attempt at such talks during the Trump administration, the accused plotters demanded that they serve their sentences at Guantánamo, where they are able to pray and eat in groups. They specifically did not want to be sent to the supermax prison in Florence, Colorado, where federal inmates are held in solitary confinement up to 23 hours a day. The five men are accused of directing and training or providing travel arrangements and money to the 19 hijackers who crashed four commercial aircraft into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania, killing nearly 3,000 people. A plea deal would undoubtedly disappoint, if not enrage, death penalty advocates among the victims’ family members. But other family members, including those troubled by the role of U.S. torture in the case and the delays, might see it as a fitting conclusion. The path to a trial for the accused plotters of the worst terrorist attack in the United States has been impeded by legal and logistic challenges as well as a nearly two-year closure of the court during the coronavirus pandemic. The discussions began last week amid the latest setback. The judge, defense and prosecution teams had travelled to Guantánamo Bay for three weeks of hearings meant to address disputes over evidence, particularly showing the role of the FBI in the CIA prison network where Mohammed and his co-defendants were tortured after they were captured in Pakistan in 2002 and 2003. But before they could start, Cheryl Bormann, the lead lawyer for one of the defendants, Walid bin Attash, asked to step down from the case. She cited an unspecified in-house investigation of her “performance and conduct” by the chief defense counsel, Brig. Gen. Jackie L. Thompson Jr. of the Army. No details were given. But the issue forced a delay in hearings that could stretch for months and provided an opening, according to a participant in the talks between the prosecution and the defense. A lead case prosecutor, Clayton G. Trivett Jr., wrote on Wednesday to the defense teams proposing that they discuss “whether pretrial agreements are possible for all five cases.” “While I cannot guarantee that we will come to terms over these next two weeks,” Trivett said in an email, “putting a concerted effort focused solely on possible agreements while we are all onboard Guantánamo, where your clients and teams are present, may be our best chance of at least determining if deals can be reached.” Within days, the five defendants and their lawyers met in the courtroom to compile an initial list of requirements for the guilty plea, starting with removing the death penalty from the case. Lawyers for the five men submitted a joint list on Monday, participants said. Although the prosecutors have begun the negotiations, a senior Pentagon official known as the convening authority must approve any deal. That role is currently held by Col. Jeffrey D. Wood of the Arkansas National Guard, who is also a lawyer in Little Rock, Arkansas, and was appointed to the civilian job by the Trump administration. Participants said the talks were expected to continue through the month to try to reach some understandings to present to Wood. The interim chief prosecutor, Col. George C. Kraehe of the Army, declined to comment, as did the chief defense counsel, Thompson. A core issue is how many of the defendants besides Mohammed would serve life sentences without the possibility of parole and whether some of the accused accomplices with lesser roles in the attacks would serve shorter sentences. Lawyers for two defendants — a Saudi prisoner, Mustafa al-Hawsawi, and a Pakistani national, Ammar al-Baluchi, who is Mohammed’s nephew — have described them as ignorant of the Sept. 11 plot when they helped some of the hijackers with money transfers and travel arrangements from the United Arab Emirates. Psychologists conducting interrogations for the CIA waterboarded Mohammed 183 times; defense lawyers have pursued an overarching theory that because of its actions, the U.S. government lost the moral and legal authority to execute the defendants. Agents also kept the five defendants nude, beat them, strung them up by their arms in chains and subjected them to rectal abuse and sleep deprivation during the three and four years they were held in the so-called CIA black sites before their transfer to Guantánamo in 2006. As part of any plea agreement, the defendants would have to work with prosecutors, through their lawyers, on individual lengthy narratives known as a stipulation of fact — essentially a prosecution-approved admission of their crimes. Once signed, the men could be brought to court for questioning by the trial judge, Col. Matthew N. McCall of the Air Force, on whether they cooperated willingly with the process. Under war court law, military juries — not judges — sentence defendants who plead guilty, generally from a range set in the plea agreement. The Pentagon would need to assemble a jury of U.S. officers to hear the statements and other presentations by both sides and then issue sentences, even if they are separately capped in secret pretrial agreements. That portion could span months. People familiar with the talks said a military jury’s recent reaction to descriptions of CIA torture of another prisoner in a lesser-known case might have contributed to the willingness of prosecutors to negotiate. In October, the jury condemned as “a stain on the moral fiber of America” the agency’s cruel treatment of Majid Khan, a confessed courier for al-Qaida, and urged the overseer of military commissions to grant clemency.

Sept. 11 prosecutors are in plea talks that could avert a death penalty trial

From torture to deeply contentious political issue: Guantanamo Bay completes 20 years

An American teacher was suspended earlier this month after being accused of saying, "We don't negotiate with terrorists," in response to a query from an Arab-Muslim kid in math class.

According to CNN, the alleged incident occurred at Ridgefield Memorial High School, in New Jersey when Mohammed Zubi, 17, requested the teaching assistant whether the class might have more time to do an assignment. 
 
<a href="Also read | Islamophobia: A fungible prop for Muslim religious soft power">Also read | Islamophobia: A fungible prop for Muslim religious soft power</a>

"He responded by saying, 'we don't negotiate with terrorists,' so I looked around in shock. There were people laughing, and there were other people in shock, and I turned around and asked my friend, 'Did he really just say that?' and she said yes," Mohammed Zubi told to WABC-TV. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/has-islamophobia-become-a-political-tool-382813">Also read | Has Islamophobia become a political tool?</a>

"I don’t want to see anyone, and I’ve been in my room all day – don’t want to see my friends, especially after what that teacher said to me," he added.

Ridgefield School District confirmed the teacher's suspension and stated that it "fully intends to pursue any and all legal measures." 
 
Watch | Gravitas: Artificial Intelligence is racist and islamophobic

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According to a statement released on October 22, Executive Director Selaedin Maksut of the Council on American Islamic Relations in New Jersey asked for a transparent inquiry.

In addition, the advocacy organisation provided the district "Islamophobia and bullying training for its teachers and employees."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

An American teacher was suspended earlier this month after being accused of saying, "We don't negotiate with terrorists," in response to a query from an Arab-Muslim kid in math class.

An American teacher was suspended earlier this month after being accused of saying, "We don't negotiate with terrorists," in response to a query from an Arab-Muslim kid in math class. According to CNN, the alleged incident occurred at Ridgefield Memorial High School, in New Jersey when Mohammed Zubi, 17, requested the teaching assistant whether the class might have more time to do an assignment. Also read | Islamophobia: A fungible prop for Muslim religious soft power "He responded by saying, 'we don't negotiate with terrorists,' so I looked around in shock. There were people laughing, and there were other people in shock, and I turned around and asked my friend, 'Did he really just say that?' and she said yes," Mohammed Zubi told to WABC-TV. Also read | Has Islamophobia become a political tool? "I don’t want to see anyone, and I’ve been in my room all day – don’t want to see my friends, especially after what that teacher said to me," he added. Ridgefield School District confirmed the teacher's suspension and stated that it "fully intends to pursue any and all legal measures." Watch | Gravitas: Artificial Intelligence is racist and islamophobic According to a statement released on October 22, Executive Director Selaedin Maksut of the Council on American Islamic Relations in New Jersey asked for a transparent inquiry. In addition, the advocacy organisation provided the district "Islamophobia and bullying training for its teachers and employees." (With inputs from agencies)

US teacher suspended for telling Muslim student 'we don't negotiate with terrorists'

ISIS-K, the Islamic State's Afghanistan offshoot, might strike American targets in as little as six months, while al-Qaeda can also improve its capabilities, according to a US Department of Defence official.

On Tuesday, Colin Kahl, the undersecretary of Defense for policy, said before the Senate Armed Services Committee that neither terror organisation poses an immediate danger, but that they must be treated seriously since that might change in a short period.&nbsp; 
 
Watch | ISIS bride convicted in German court for letting 5-year-old Yazidi girl die of thirst

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"I think the intelligence community currently assesses that both ISIS-K and al Qaeda have the intent to conduct external operations, including against the United States. But neither currently can do so, " Kahl said.&nbsp;

"We could see ISIS-K generate that capability in somewhere between six or 12 months. I think the current assessment by the intelligence community is that al Qaeda would take a year or two to reconstitute that capability. " 
 
Watch | Gravitas: The Islamic State has China on its hit list

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Following the Taliban's accession to power and the US military's exit from Afghanistan, Kahl is the latest intelligence or military figure to offer insight into the potential development of Afghan terror threats. 
Many of these evaluations disclose a timeframe that runs for roughly a year.&nbsp;

Despite the terror organisations' alleged intents, Kahl stated that the risk of an assault on American territory "is at its lowest point since September 11, 2001."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

ISIS-K, the Islamic State's Afghanistan offshoot, might strike American targets in as little as six months, while al-Qaeda can also improve its capabilities, according to a US Department of Defence official.

ISIS-K, the Islamic State's Afghanistan offshoot, might strike American targets in as little as six months, while al-Qaeda can also improve its capabilities, according to a US Department of Defence official. On Tuesday, Colin Kahl, the undersecretary of Defense for policy, said before the Senate Armed Services Committee that neither terror organisation poses an immediate danger, but that they must be treated seriously since that might change in a short period. Watch | ISIS bride convicted in German court for letting 5-year-old Yazidi girl die of thirst "I think the intelligence community currently assesses that both ISIS-K and al Qaeda have the intent to conduct external operations, including against the United States. But neither currently can do so, " Kahl said. "We could see ISIS-K generate that capability in somewhere between six or 12 months. I think the current assessment by the intelligence community is that al Qaeda would take a year or two to reconstitute that capability. " Watch | Gravitas: The Islamic State has China on its hit list Following the Taliban's accession to power and the US military's exit from Afghanistan, Kahl is the latest intelligence or military figure to offer insight into the potential development of Afghan terror threats. Many of these evaluations disclose a timeframe that runs for roughly a year. Despite the terror organisations' alleged intents, Kahl stated that the risk of an assault on American territory "is at its lowest point since September 11, 2001." (With inputs from agencies)

ISIS-K could have the capability to attack the US within '6-12 months': Pentagon

The pretrial&nbsp;hearing&nbsp;in the case against accused&nbsp;9/11&nbsp;attacks mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others was&nbsp;suspended&nbsp;Friday&nbsp;amid&nbsp;a coronavirus&nbsp;scare&nbsp;in the courtroom at the US naval base in&nbsp;Guantanamo&nbsp;Bay, Cuba.

An official of the Office of Military Commissions, which conducts the&nbsp;Guantanamo&nbsp;trials, said that the confirmed infection of a media reporter who was at the court all last week and the suspected infection of another person who had been in the courtroom caused the judge to halt the&nbsp;hearing.

It would have been the final day after two weeks in which the new judge, Air Force Colonel Matthew McCall, sought to get the long-festering case back on track after an 18-month delay due to the pandemic.

It was not yet known how other military tribunals of&nbsp;Guantanamo&nbsp;detainees would be affected,&nbsp;amid&nbsp;an effort to advance prosecutions two decades after the devastating Al-Qaeda attacks on September&nbsp;11, 2001.

There are 39 detainees still at the base, with 10 facing&nbsp;trial&nbsp;currently. Four of the five in the September&nbsp;11&nbsp;trial&nbsp;have been vaccinated, according to attorneys.

The Pentagon has also struggled to get all of its military and civilian staff vaccinated, and is only implementing a mandatory vaccination policy beginning this month.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/aukus-angry-france-cancels-gala-event-in-washington-413759">Also read |&nbsp;Aukus: Angry France cancels gala event in Washington</a>

According to Military Times, nearly half, 20&nbsp;of the 46 service member deaths from coronavirus died since mid-July, as the Delta variant has spread.

None of the deaths were of people fully vaccinated.

Like other US military bases,&nbsp;Guantanamo, with a population of about 6,000, has suffered its share of&nbsp;Covid-19 cases despite being relatively isolated, both from the rest of Cuba and the US mainland.

The military tribunals though require defense and prosecution attorneys, legal aides, stenographers, judges and others to fly in to the base for the hearings, though a new electronically-linked remote&nbsp;hearing&nbsp;room was just opened just outside Washington to allow for participation by video feed.

On a visit to the&nbsp;Guantanamo&nbsp;Bay Base last week, reporters were guided by two civilian public affairs officials who said they were not vaccinated and who often went maskless, indoors and outdoors.

The pretrial hearing in the case against accused 9/11 attacks mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others was suspended Friday amid a coronavirus scare in the courtroom at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The pretrial hearing in the case against accused 9/11 attacks mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others was suspended Friday amid a coronavirus scare in the courtroom at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. An official of the Office of Military Commissions, which conducts the Guantanamo trials, said that the confirmed infection of a media reporter who was at the court all last week and the suspected infection of another person who had been in the courtroom caused the judge to halt the hearing. It would have been the final day after two weeks in which the new judge, Air Force Colonel Matthew McCall, sought to get the long-festering case back on track after an 18-month delay due to the pandemic. It was not yet known how other military tribunals of Guantanamo detainees would be affected, amid an effort to advance prosecutions two decades after the devastating Al-Qaeda attacks on September 11, 2001. There are 39 detainees still at the base, with 10 facing trial currently. Four of the five in the September 11 trial have been vaccinated, according to attorneys. The Pentagon has also struggled to get all of its military and civilian staff vaccinated, and is only implementing a mandatory vaccination policy beginning this month. Also read | Aukus: Angry France cancels gala event in Washington According to Military Times, nearly half, 20 of the 46 service member deaths from coronavirus died since mid-July, as the Delta variant has spread. None of the deaths were of people fully vaccinated. Like other US military bases, Guantanamo, with a population of about 6,000, has suffered its share of Covid-19 cases despite being relatively isolated, both from the rest of Cuba and the US mainland. The military tribunals though require defense and prosecution attorneys, legal aides, stenographers, judges and others to fly in to the base for the hearings, though a new electronically-linked remote hearing room was just opened just outside Washington to allow for participation by video feed. On a visit to the Guantanamo Bay Base last week, reporters were guided by two civilian public affairs officials who said they were not vaccinated and who often went maskless, indoors and outdoors.

Guantanamo 9/11 trial suspended amid COVID-19 scare

To mark the moment at 0846 local time (1246 GMT) when the first of two planes hit the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, the Bell of Hope rang out at St Paul's Chapel in New York on Saturday morning. &nbsp;

Rev Phillip Jackson, the priest-in-charge and vicar from nearby Trinity Church Wall Street, led the prayer service and remembrance on the 20th anniversary of the deadly attacks. &nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;The 9/11 terror attacks: 3 hours that changed the world

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On every anniversary since 2002, the Bell of Hope has been rung when it was presented to New York City by London to honour the nearly 3,000 people, who died in the attacks. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, US Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton along with their wives stood somberly side by side at the National September 11 Memorial to mark the anniversary of the nation's worst terror attack. They all shared a moment of silence on the occasion. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/after-911-us-failed-to-achieve-goals-in-afghanistan-taliban-general-412424" hreflang="en">After 9/11, US failed 'to achieve goals' in Afghanistan: Taliban General</a>

These leaders gathered at the site where the World Trade Centre towers fell two decades ago. They also wore blue ribbons and held hands over hearts. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Watched by hundreds of Americans gathered at the remembrance, a procession also marched with a flag at the memorial. Some people also carried photos of loved ones lost in the attacks. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

To mark the moment at 0846 local time (1246 GMT) when the first of two planes hit the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, the Bell of Hope rang out at St Paul's Chapel in New York on Saturday morning.

To mark the moment at 0846 local time (1246 GMT) when the first of two planes hit the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, the Bell of Hope rang out at St Paul's Chapel in New York on Saturday morning. Rev Phillip Jackson, the priest-in-charge and vicar from nearby Trinity Church Wall Street, led the prayer service and remembrance on the 20th anniversary of the deadly attacks. Watch | The 9/11 terror attacks: 3 hours that changed the world × On every anniversary since 2002, the Bell of Hope has been rung when it was presented to New York City by London to honour the nearly 3,000 people, who died in the attacks. Meanwhile, US Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton along with their wives stood somberly side by side at the National September 11 Memorial to mark the anniversary of the nation's worst terror attack. They all shared a moment of silence on the occasion. Also Read | After 9/11, US failed 'to achieve goals' in Afghanistan: Taliban General These leaders gathered at the site where the World Trade Centre towers fell two decades ago. They also wore blue ribbons and held hands over hearts. Watched by hundreds of Americans gathered at the remembrance, a procession also marched with a flag at the memorial. Some people also carried photos of loved ones lost in the attacks. (With inputs from agencies)

On 9/11 anniversary, Bell of Hope rings at St Paul's Chapel in New York  

After the September 11 attacks, the United States involvement in Afghanistan did not bring peace and stability to the region and the Americans did not "achieve their goals", said the Taliban on Saturday. &nbsp;&nbsp;

While speaking during a walk around the grounds of the now-deserted US Embassy in Kabul on the 20th anniversary of the attacks in the US, a Taliban general said the Americans' goal was to "topple" China, Russia, Iran and all the countries of Central Asia, instead of the former Taliban government in 2001, but they were unsuccessful. &nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;20 years since the 9/11 horror, the deadliest attack on US Soil

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"We will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against our neighbours, Pakistan or Iran," the general said, saying they had no fear of further conflict with any group. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, the Taliban raised its flag on the Afghan presidential palace in Kabul on Saturday.&nbsp;The development comes as the groups strengthens its grip on the country after it took over its control last month. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Afghanistan’s capital city, Kabul, has been also put on high alert as the threat of a possible terror attack looms over the city. The city has been facing the danger of a possible attack from ISIS-K militants.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/with-display-of-unity-biden-obama-clinton-mark-911-anniversary-in-nyc-412414" hreflang="en">With display of unity, Biden, Obama, Clinton mark 9/11 anniversary in NYC</a>&nbsp; &nbsp;

This threat has come a little after sources had warned authorities against a possible truck suicide attack in a protest that took place on Thursday. &nbsp; &nbsp;

An attack can take place in some crowded place by ISIS-K on the anniversary of the 9/11 attack.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

After the September 11 attacks, the United States involvement in Afghanistan did not bring peace and stability to the region and the Americans did not "achieve their goals", said the Taliban on Saturday.

After the September 11 attacks, the United States involvement in Afghanistan did not bring peace and stability to the region and the Americans did not "achieve their goals", said the Taliban on Saturday. While speaking during a walk around the grounds of the now-deserted US Embassy in Kabul on the 20th anniversary of the attacks in the US, a Taliban general said the Americans' goal was to "topple" China, Russia, Iran and all the countries of Central Asia, instead of the former Taliban government in 2001, but they were unsuccessful. Watch: 20 years since the 9/11 horror, the deadliest attack on US Soil × "We will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against our neighbours, Pakistan or Iran," the general said, saying they had no fear of further conflict with any group. Meanwhile, the Taliban raised its flag on the Afghan presidential palace in Kabul on Saturday. The development comes as the groups strengthens its grip on the country after it took over its control last month. Afghanistan’s capital city, Kabul, has been also put on high alert as the threat of a possible terror attack looms over the city. The city has been facing the danger of a possible attack from ISIS-K militants. Also Read: With display of unity, Biden, Obama, Clinton mark 9/11 anniversary in NYC This threat has come a little after sources had warned authorities against a possible truck suicide attack in a protest that took place on Thursday. An attack can take place in some crowded place by ISIS-K on the anniversary of the 9/11 attack. (With inputs from agencies)

After 9/11, US failed 'to achieve goals' in Afghanistan: Taliban General

On the 20th anniversary of the attacks on New York and Washington by Al Qaeda,&nbsp;the FBI on Saturday released newly declassified documents on investigations related to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/on-911-anniversary-bell-of-hope-rings-at-st-pauls-chapel-in-new-york-412437">9/11 attacks</a> and the possible role of Saudi Arabia.

The April 4, 2016 report was heavily redacted as it detailed how hijackers received logistical support ahead of the 9/11 attacks.

The families of the victims had demanded the report having the sued Saudi Arabia for alleged complicity in the attacks suspecting the role of Saudi officials&nbsp;in the attack.

Watch:

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The memo put down details of contacts between Bayoumi and the two hijackers - Nawaf al Hazmi and Khalid al Midhar.&nbsp;

The identity of the source behind the interviews was categorised as classified by the US government. The documents wasn't released by earlier US administrations. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hard-to-explain-to-anybody-biden-defends-us-pullout-from-afghanistan-on-911-anniversary-412447">Biden&nbsp;</a>had asked the Justice Department and other agencies to conduct a declassification review in order to release the report.&nbsp;

According to the report, "Bayoumi's assistance to Hamzi and Midha included translation, travel, lodging and financing" as FBI's anonymous source said Bayoumi often talked about "jihad."&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/911-attacks-and-a-money-trail-how-terrorists-planned-the-devastating-attacks-412286">Also Read: 9/11 attacks and a money trail: How terrorists planned the devastating attacks</a>

Omar al-Bayoumi reportedly helped Nawaf al Hazmi and Khalid al Midhar find an apartment in San Diego.&nbsp;The document however did not put down a clear link between the Saudi government and the hijackers.

The victim's lawyer Jim Kreindler&nbsp;however&nbsp;blamed the Saudi government, saying: "The findings and conclusions in this FBI investigation validate the arguments we have made in the litigation regarding the Saudi government’s responsibility for the 9/11 attacks."

The FBI memo reported that telephone numbers associated with the anonymous source indicated contact with a number of people who assisted Hamzi and Midhar in California. Bayoumi and Thumairy also reportedly provided help to Hamzi and Midhar.&nbsp;

Fahad al Thumairy was reportedly an imam at the King Faad mosque in Los Angeles and allegedly an official at the Saudi consulate.&nbsp;The FBI in its report said the source informed that Bayoumi apart from being a student had "very high status" in the Saudi consulate.

(With inputs from Agencies)

 
&nbsp;

On the 20th anniversary of the attacks on New York and Washington by Al Qaeda, the FBI on Saturday released newly declassified documents on investigations related to the 9/11 attacks and the possible role of Saudi Arabia.

On the 20th anniversary of the attacks on New York and Washington by Al Qaeda, the FBI on Saturday released newly declassified documents on investigations related to the 9/11 attacks and the possible role of Saudi Arabia. The April 4, 2016 report was heavily redacted as it detailed how hijackers received logistical support ahead of the 9/11 attacks. The families of the victims had demanded the report having the sued Saudi Arabia for alleged complicity in the attacks suspecting the role of Saudi officials in the attack. Watch: The memo put down details of contacts between Bayoumi and the two hijackers - Nawaf al Hazmi and Khalid al Midhar. The identity of the source behind the interviews was categorised as classified by the US government. The documents wasn't released by earlier US administrations. Biden had asked the Justice Department and other agencies to conduct a declassification review in order to release the report. According to the report, "Bayoumi's assistance to Hamzi and Midha included translation, travel, lodging and financing" as FBI's anonymous source said Bayoumi often talked about "jihad." Also Read: 9/11 attacks and a money trail: How terrorists planned the devastating attacks Omar al-Bayoumi reportedly helped Nawaf al Hazmi and Khalid al Midhar find an apartment in San Diego. The document however did not put down a clear link between the Saudi government and the hijackers. The victim's lawyer Jim Kreindler however blamed the Saudi government, saying: "The findings and conclusions in this FBI investigation validate the arguments we have made in the litigation regarding the Saudi government’s responsibility for the 9/11 attacks." The FBI memo reported that telephone numbers associated with the anonymous source indicated contact with a number of people who assisted Hamzi and Midhar in California. Bayoumi and Thumairy also reportedly provided help to Hamzi and Midhar. Fahad al Thumairy was reportedly an imam at the King Faad mosque in Los Angeles and allegedly an official at the Saudi consulate. The FBI in its report said the source informed that Bayoumi apart from being a student had "very high status" in the Saudi consulate. (With inputs from Agencies)

9/11 attacks: FBI releases newly declassified record

Leylah Fernandez may have come up short in the U.S. Open final on Saturday, but the Canadian teen won over the New York crowd after the match when she paid homage to the city`s resilience on the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. 
 
The 19-year-old Fernandez, speaking on court moments after her improbable run came to an end, appeared to be done with her post-match interview until she asked for the microphone back so she could address the crowd inside Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens. 
 
"I know on this day it was especially hard for New York and everyone around the United States," said Fernandez, who fell 6-4 6-3 to British teenager Emma Raducanu. 
 
"I just want to say that I hope I can be as strong and as resilient as New York has been the past 20 years." 
 
Fernandez, who was not even born when the attacks on the World Trade Center towers took place, said she had learned about 9/11 from watching movies and asking her parents what happened. 
 
She said when she woke up on Saturday, she looked at the date and remembered. 
 
"Obviously I don`t know much about what really happened," said Fernandez. "But with the few information that I do have, I know that New York has suffered a lot the past years when it did happen. 
 
"I just wanted to let them know that they`re so strong, 
 
they`re so resilient. 
 
"They`re just incredible. 
 
"Just having them here happy, lively, just going back to the 
 
way they were, having my back during these tough moments, has made me stronger." 
 
The touching speech from an emotional Fernandez drew loud applause from the crowd and plenty of praise across social media, including from former world No. 1 Andy Roddick. 
 
"Leylah asking for the mic back to acknowledge 9/11 was one of the classiest, most empathetic, and mature things I’ve ever seen in a post game moment ... and she’s only 19. I’m blown away," Roddick wrote on Twitter. 
 
Eric Adams, the Brooklyn borough president now running to be mayor of New York City, said he was also blown away by the young Canadian`s grace. 
 
"For someone who was not even born on 9/11, from another country, to have the grace to honor our great city in such a moment is inspiring," tweeted Adams. "New York honors you tonight @leylahfernandez."

Leylah Fernandez may have come up short in the U.S. Open final on Saturday, but the Canadian teen won over the New York crowd after the match when she paid homage to the city`s resilience on the 20th anniversary of the Sept.

Leylah Fernandez may have come up short in the U.S. Open final on Saturday, but the Canadian teen won over the New York crowd after the match when she paid homage to the city`s resilience on the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. The 19-year-old Fernandez, speaking on court moments after her improbable run came to an end, appeared to be done with her post-match interview until she asked for the microphone back so she could address the crowd inside Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens. "I know on this day it was especially hard for New York and everyone around the United States," said Fernandez, who fell 6-4 6-3 to British teenager Emma Raducanu. "I just want to say that I hope I can be as strong and as resilient as New York has been the past 20 years." Fernandez, who was not even born when the attacks on the World Trade Center towers took place, said she had learned about 9/11 from watching movies and asking her parents what happened. She said when she woke up on Saturday, she looked at the date and remembered. "Obviously I don`t know much about what really happened," said Fernandez. "But with the few information that I do have, I know that New York has suffered a lot the past years when it did happen. "I just wanted to let them know that they`re so strong, they`re so resilient. "They`re just incredible. "Just having them here happy, lively, just going back to the way they were, having my back during these tough moments, has made me stronger." The touching speech from an emotional Fernandez drew loud applause from the crowd and plenty of praise across social media, including from former world No. 1 Andy Roddick. "Leylah asking for the mic back to acknowledge 9/11 was one of the classiest, most empathetic, and mature things I’ve ever seen in a post game moment ... and she’s only 19. I’m blown away," Roddick wrote on Twitter. Eric Adams, the Brooklyn borough president now running to be mayor of New York City, said he was also blown away by the young Canadian`s grace. "For someone who was not even born on 9/11, from another country, to have the grace to honor our great city in such a moment is inspiring," tweeted Adams. "New York honors you tonight @leylahfernandez."

Fernandez pays tribute to New York City on anniversary of 9/11

The families, the politicians and ordinary Americans stood Saturday in lower Manhattan where, 20 years earlier, on a similarly crystal-clear morning, two massive towers soared above New York City. At 8:46 a.m., the exact time in 2001 when a hijacked jet crashed into the north tower and their lives and the world began to change in ways then inconceivable, they fell silent.

For two decades, Americans have mourned a loss so deep it shook the country to its core. But even as time has passed, and the attacks have moved from fresh memory into the chronicles of history, the people who gathered in New York and near Washington and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, said the wounds from 9/11 have remained fresh.

In New York, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden stood shoulder to shoulder at the Sept. 11 memorial plaza with two pairs of their Democratic predecessors, Barack and Michelle Obama and Bill and Hillary Clinton, who was a senator of New York 20 years ago. Nearby was Rudolph Giuliani, a Republican who was the mayor of New York during the attacks.

All of them watched as families of the victims read the names of the dead, tears streaming down their cheeks and their voices shaking.

At a memorial near Shanksville, the bells tolled at 10:03 a.m., the moment when United Airlines Flight 93 crashed after the crew and passengers fought back against the terrorists who had hijacked their flight and diverted it from their intended target in Washington.

Former President George W. Bush and Vice President Kamala Harris both attended a ceremony in which the names of the 40 passengers and crew members who died were read aloud.

The Department of Defense unfurled a large American flag on the side of the Pentagon, where a ceremony was also held to honor the 184 people killed after a plane hit the building’s west side.

“The hallways that we tread were the ones where so many of them walked,” said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. “It will always be our duty to fulfill their missions and live up to their goodness and to stand guard over this democracy.”

The families, the politicians and ordinary Americans stood Saturday in lower Manhattan where, 20 years earlier, on a similarly crystal-clear morning, two massive towers soared above New York City.

The families, the politicians and ordinary Americans stood Saturday in lower Manhattan where, 20 years earlier, on a similarly crystal-clear morning, two massive towers soared above New York City. At 8:46 a.m., the exact time in 2001 when a hijacked jet crashed into the north tower and their lives and the world began to change in ways then inconceivable, they fell silent. For two decades, Americans have mourned a loss so deep it shook the country to its core. But even as time has passed, and the attacks have moved from fresh memory into the chronicles of history, the people who gathered in New York and near Washington and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, said the wounds from 9/11 have remained fresh. In New York, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden stood shoulder to shoulder at the Sept. 11 memorial plaza with two pairs of their Democratic predecessors, Barack and Michelle Obama and Bill and Hillary Clinton, who was a senator of New York 20 years ago. Nearby was Rudolph Giuliani, a Republican who was the mayor of New York during the attacks. All of them watched as families of the victims read the names of the dead, tears streaming down their cheeks and their voices shaking. At a memorial near Shanksville, the bells tolled at 10:03 a.m., the moment when United Airlines Flight 93 crashed after the crew and passengers fought back against the terrorists who had hijacked their flight and diverted it from their intended target in Washington. Former President George W. Bush and Vice President Kamala Harris both attended a ceremony in which the names of the 40 passengers and crew members who died were read aloud. The Department of Defense unfurled a large American flag on the side of the Pentagon, where a ceremony was also held to honor the 184 people killed after a plane hit the building’s west side. “The hallways that we tread were the ones where so many of them walked,” said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. “It will always be our duty to fulfill their missions and live up to their goodness and to stand guard over this democracy.”

At 9/11 ceremonies, moments of silence and tears

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the horrific 9/11 attacks that claimed over 3000 lives. The attack on the World Trade Centres took place just two days after the conclusion of the US Open 2001.&nbsp;

Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi took part in the American Grand Slam but lost the first round of the competition. After the tournament ended, the India duo stayed in New York to prepare for the upcoming Davis Cup.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/911-attacks-and-a-money-trail-how-terrorists-planned-the-devastating-attacks-412286" hreflang="en">9/11 attacks and a money trail: How terrorists planned the devastating attacks</a>

Paes has now revealed that he was present in the World Trade Centre Tower 1 a day before the attacks took place. In an interview with the Indian Express, the Tennis star said that he left the city and by the time he reached Frankfurt the attack had taken place.&nbsp;

According to Paes, he was unaware of the attacks before the German security entered the flight and where scanning before the team allowed passengers, including Paes to deboard. He asked a high-ranking security official behind the strict checking.&nbsp;

"The head of security basically took me to his office, sat me down and turned on the television," he says.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/third-tower-was-also-brought-down-on-911-the-conspiracy-theories-and-importance-of-tower-seven-412317" hreflang="en">'Third tower was also brought down on 9/11': The conspiracy theories and importance of Tower Seven</a>

"That’s where I saw the twin towers go down."

Whereas, his doubles partner Mahesh Bhupathi was just 72 blocks away from the attack site.&nbsp;

Recalling the events, Bhupathi said: "In the beginning we thought it was a plane crash, and then we saw the second plane going into the building."

"There was a lot of fear and we had friends in the WTC vicinity who couldn’t get out. They had to walk all the way to my apartment, it was just a mess," he added.&nbsp;

"Honestly, I don’t think anyone was really thinking of tennis at the time. When this happened, everyone was just thinking about life. Perspective changes," Bhupathi added.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the horrific 9/11 attacks that claimed over 3000 lives. The attack on the World Trade Centres took place just two days after the conclusion of the US Open 2001.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the horrific 9/11 attacks that claimed over 3000 lives. The attack on the World Trade Centres took place just two days after the conclusion of the US Open 2001. Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi took part in the American Grand Slam but lost the first round of the competition. After the tournament ended, the India duo stayed in New York to prepare for the upcoming Davis Cup. ALSO READ: 9/11 attacks and a money trail: How terrorists planned the devastating attacks Paes has now revealed that he was present in the World Trade Centre Tower 1 a day before the attacks took place. In an interview with the Indian Express, the Tennis star said that he left the city and by the time he reached Frankfurt the attack had taken place. According to Paes, he was unaware of the attacks before the German security entered the flight and where scanning before the team allowed passengers, including Paes to deboard. He asked a high-ranking security official behind the strict checking. "The head of security basically took me to his office, sat me down and turned on the television," he says. ALSO READ: 'Third tower was also brought down on 9/11': The conspiracy theories and importance of Tower Seven "That’s where I saw the twin towers go down." Whereas, his doubles partner Mahesh Bhupathi was just 72 blocks away from the attack site. Recalling the events, Bhupathi said: "In the beginning we thought it was a plane crash, and then we saw the second plane going into the building." "There was a lot of fear and we had friends in the WTC vicinity who couldn’t get out. They had to walk all the way to my apartment, it was just a mess," he added. "Honestly, I don’t think anyone was really thinking of tennis at the time. When this happened, everyone was just thinking about life. Perspective changes," Bhupathi added.

'I was at World Trade Centre a day before 9/11 attacks', says Leander Paes

In pics | A look back at the scenes from the 9/11 attacks

US Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton along with their wives stood somberly side by side at the National September 11 Memorial to mark the anniversary of the nation's worst terror attack. They all shared a moment of silence on the occasion. &nbsp;

These leaders gathered at the site where the World Trade Centre towers fell two decades ago. They also wore blue ribbons and held hands over hearts. &nbsp;

Watched by hundreds of Americans gathered at the remembrance, a procession also marched with a flag at the memorial. Some people also carried photos of loved ones lost in the attacks.

Watch |&nbsp;US: Moments of silence to commemorate timings of 9/11 terror attack

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A jet flew overhead in an eerie echo of the attacks before the event began. Biden marked the 9/11 anniversary for the first time as commander in chief. He is the fourth president to console the nation on the anniversary of that dreadful day. &nbsp;

At the trio of sites where the planes crashed, the president paid his respects. But he left the speech-making to others. &nbsp;

After the ceremony in New York City, the US president will visit the field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where a plane fell from the sky after heroic passengers fought terrorists to prevent it from reaching its Washington destination.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-leaders-remember-911-victims-and-survivors-412392" hreflang="en">World leaders remember 9/11 victims and survivors</a> &nbsp;

Finally, Biden will head to the Pentagon, where the world's mightiest military suffered an unthinkable blow to its very home. &nbsp;

The current US president now shoulders the responsibility borne by his predecessors to prevent future tragedy. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

US Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton along with their wives stood somberly side by side at the National September 11 Memorial to mark the anniversary of the nation's worst terror attack.

US Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton along with their wives stood somberly side by side at the National September 11 Memorial to mark the anniversary of the nation's worst terror attack. They all shared a moment of silence on the occasion. These leaders gathered at the site where the World Trade Centre towers fell two decades ago. They also wore blue ribbons and held hands over hearts. Watched by hundreds of Americans gathered at the remembrance, a procession also marched with a flag at the memorial. Some people also carried photos of loved ones lost in the attacks. Watch | US: Moments of silence to commemorate timings of 9/11 terror attack × A jet flew overhead in an eerie echo of the attacks before the event began. Biden marked the 9/11 anniversary for the first time as commander in chief. He is the fourth president to console the nation on the anniversary of that dreadful day. At the trio of sites where the planes crashed, the president paid his respects. But he left the speech-making to others. After the ceremony in New York City, the US president will visit the field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where a plane fell from the sky after heroic passengers fought terrorists to prevent it from reaching its Washington destination. Also Read: World leaders remember 9/11 victims and survivors Finally, Biden will head to the Pentagon, where the world's mightiest military suffered an unthinkable blow to its very home. The current US president now shoulders the responsibility borne by his predecessors to prevent future tragedy. (With inputs from agencies)

With display of unity, Biden, Obama, Clinton mark 9/11 anniversary in NYC

The entire world was shocked when Al-Qaeda terrorists smashed two planes into New York's World Trade Center, killing approximately 2,753 people. A third commercial jet hit the Pentagon, killing 184, and 40 more died after a fourth plane crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania after a passenger revolt. It was the first foreign attack on the US mainland in nearly two centuries.

20 years since the 9/11 horror, the deadliest attack on US Soil

America marks the 20th anniversary of&nbsp;9/11&nbsp;Saturday with solemn ceremonies given added poignancy by the recent chaotic withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and return to power of the Taliban.

Heart-wrenching commemorations will unfold at each of the three sites where 19 Al-Qaeda hijackers -- mostly from Saudi Arabia -- crashed packed airliners, striking the cultural, financial and political hearts of the United States and changing the world forever.

The memorials come with US troops finally gone from Afghanistan, but national discord -- and for President Joe Biden, political peril -- are overshadowing any sense of closure.

At New York's Ground Zero, where two pools of water now stand where the Twin Towers used to, relatives will read out the names of the nearly 3,000 people killed, in a four-hour-long service starting at 8:30 am (1230 GMT).

Six moments of silence will be observed, corresponding with the times the two World Trade Center towers were struck, and fell, and the moments the Pentagon was attacked and Flight 93 crashed.

Monica Iken-Murphy, who lost her 37-year-old husband Michael Iken in the World Trade Center, says this will be a "heightened" anniversary for many Americans.

<img alt="A view of the 9/11 memorial pools where once the World Trade Center north and south towers stood in New York, on September 10, 2021" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="24866781-a208-4b0c-8a08-93f1558acfc4" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WTO2.jpg" />

But for her, as for many other survivors, the pain has never wavered.

"I feel like it just happened," she told AFP.

A whole generation has grown up since the morning of September&nbsp;11, 2001.

In the interim, Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden has been hunted down and killed. A towering new skyscraper has risen over Manhattan, replacing the Twin Towers. And less than two weeks ago, the last US soldiers flew from Kabul airport, ending the so-called "forever war."

But the Taliban who once sheltered bin Laden are back ruling Afghanistan, the mighty US military humiliated. In Guantanamo Bay, accused&nbsp;9/11&nbsp;mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other men continue to await trial, nine years after charges were filed.

Even the full story of how the attack came to happen remains secret. Only last week did Biden order the release of classified documents from the FBI investigation over the next six months.

<h2>'Honor and memorialize'&nbsp;</h2>

At Ground Zero, some 2,753 people, from all over the world, were killed in the initial explosions, jumped to their deaths, or simply vanished in the inferno of the collapsing towers.

At the Pentagon, an airliner tore a fiery hole in the side of the superpower's military nerve centre, killing 184 people in the plane and on the ground.

And in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the third wave of hijackers crashed into a field after passengers fought back, sending United 93 down before reaching its intended target -- likely the US Capitol building in Washington.

Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will stop at each of these places on Saturday to "honour and memorialize the lives lost," the White House said.

<img alt="A view of the One World Trade Center building 'Freedom Tower' in New York" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="99ab719a-7c2b-4a7e-91d6-d9887eaee416" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WTO.jpg" />

The president had planned for this to be a pivotal day in his nearly eight-month-old presidency.

However, instead of presiding over a moment of unity, Biden will traverse a country angry about the messy Kabul evacuation, which included 13 US soldiers killed by a suicide bomber, and stung by the broader realization of failure and defeat.

For the relatives of victims, the anniversary, as always, is about keeping the memory of their loved ones alive.&nbsp;

"It's like Pearl Harbor," said Frank Siller, whose firefighter brother Stephen died at the World Trade Center.

"People who weren't alive don't have the same feeling about it as those who were alive. But America has never forgotten about Pearl Harbour and America will never forget about&nbsp;9/11."

America marks the 20th anniversary of 9/11 Saturday with solemn ceremonies given added poignancy by the recent chaotic withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and return to power of the Taliban.

America marks the 20th anniversary of 9/11 Saturday with solemn ceremonies given added poignancy by the recent chaotic withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and return to power of the Taliban. Heart-wrenching commemorations will unfold at each of the three sites where 19 Al-Qaeda hijackers -- mostly from Saudi Arabia -- crashed packed airliners, striking the cultural, financial and political hearts of the United States and changing the world forever. The memorials come with US troops finally gone from Afghanistan, but national discord -- and for President Joe Biden, political peril -- are overshadowing any sense of closure. At New York's Ground Zero, where two pools of water now stand where the Twin Towers used to, relatives will read out the names of the nearly 3,000 people killed, in a four-hour-long service starting at 8:30 am (1230 GMT). Six moments of silence will be observed, corresponding with the times the two World Trade Center towers were struck, and fell, and the moments the Pentagon was attacked and Flight 93 crashed. Monica Iken-Murphy, who lost her 37-year-old husband Michael Iken in the World Trade Center, says this will be a "heightened" anniversary for many Americans. But for her, as for many other survivors, the pain has never wavered. "I feel like it just happened," she told AFP. A whole generation has grown up since the morning of September 11, 2001. In the interim, Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden has been hunted down and killed. A towering new skyscraper has risen over Manhattan, replacing the Twin Towers. And less than two weeks ago, the last US soldiers flew from Kabul airport, ending the so-called "forever war." But the Taliban who once sheltered bin Laden are back ruling Afghanistan, the mighty US military humiliated. In Guantanamo Bay, accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other men continue to await trial, nine years after charges were filed. Even the full story of how the attack came to happen remains secret. Only last week did Biden order the release of classified documents from the FBI investigation over the next six months. 'Honor and memorialize' At Ground Zero, some 2,753 people, from all over the world, were killed in the initial explosions, jumped to their deaths, or simply vanished in the inferno of the collapsing towers. At the Pentagon, an airliner tore a fiery hole in the side of the superpower's military nerve centre, killing 184 people in the plane and on the ground. And in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the third wave of hijackers crashed into a field after passengers fought back, sending United 93 down before reaching its intended target -- likely the US Capitol building in Washington. Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will stop at each of these places on Saturday to "honour and memorialize the lives lost," the White House said. The president had planned for this to be a pivotal day in his nearly eight-month-old presidency. However, instead of presiding over a moment of unity, Biden will traverse a country angry about the messy Kabul evacuation, which included 13 US soldiers killed by a suicide bomber, and stung by the broader realization of failure and defeat. For the relatives of victims, the anniversary, as always, is about keeping the memory of their loved ones alive. "It's like Pearl Harbor," said Frank Siller, whose firefighter brother Stephen died at the World Trade Center. "People who weren't alive don't have the same feeling about it as those who were alive. But America has never forgotten about Pearl Harbour and America will never forget about 9/11."

US honours 9/11 dead on 20th anniversary of attacks

United States President Joe Biden called on the Americans to show unity as the country prepares to mark the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.

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On the eve of the 20th anniversary of the horrific 9/11 attacks, President Biden honors the lives of those we lost and highlights how even at our most vulnerable – unity is our greatest strength.<a href="https://t.co/TdVhw9TVpb">pic.twitter.com/TdVhw9TVpb</a>
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Speaking in a six-minute recording at the White House that was shared on the official Twitter handle on Friday, Biden said, “To me, that’s the central lesson of September 11. It’s that at our most vulnerable, in the push and pull of all that makes us human, in the battle for the soul of America, unity is our greatest strength.”

The President’s appeal for unity comes at a time when the US is facing rising instances of hate crimes. According to a report by the FBI, hate crimes against African and Asian Americans surged in the past one year.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/america-was-very-far-away-how-afghans-remember-911-412095">&nbsp;'America was very far away': How Afghans remember 9/11</a>

Moreover, hate crimes against Arab Americans, Muslims and others perceived as Arab or Muslim had also surged post the 9/11 attacks. And while they have subsided in recent years, the numbers have never returned to levels seen before the attacks, the FBI data shows. More recently, the United States has also seen a rise in anti-Semitic discrimination.

“Unity doesn't mean we have to believe the same thing, but we must have a fundamental respect and faith in each other and in this nation," Biden said in the video.

Also watch

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On Saturday, Biden and first lady Jill Biden will visit New York City—where two airliners destroyed the World Trade Center and killed around 2,700 people—the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia—where a third airliner crashed—and Shanksville, Pennsylvania—where passengers forced down a fourth aircraft believed to have been headed to the U.S. Capitol or White House.

Joe Biden will then be joined at Ground Zero in New York by former president Barack Obama, whom he served for two terms as vice-president.

Small memorial ceremonies will be held across the US, and millions are expected to tune in to coverage that will blanket the TV networks throughout the day.

There will be six moments of silence during the ceremony, marking the moment each tower was struck and the time each fell, as well as the moment when the Pentagon was attacked, and the time that Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers stopped it from reaching its likely intended target of the US Capitol.

As three of the four most recent US presidents attend official ceremonies, Donald Trump will also reportedly visit the 9/11 memorial on Saturday afternoon, once the ceremony has finished and after Biden has left the city.

(With inputs from agencies)

United States President Joe Biden called on the Americans to show unity as the country prepares to mark the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.

United States President Joe Biden called on the Americans to show unity as the country prepares to mark the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. On the eve of the 20th anniversary of the horrific 9/11 attacks, President Biden honors the lives of those we lost and highlights how even at our most vulnerable – unity is our greatest strength.pic.twitter.com/TdVhw9TVpb — The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 10, 2021 × Speaking in a six-minute recording at the White House that was shared on the official Twitter handle on Friday, Biden said, “To me, that’s the central lesson of September 11. It’s that at our most vulnerable, in the push and pull of all that makes us human, in the battle for the soul of America, unity is our greatest strength.” The President’s appeal for unity comes at a time when the US is facing rising instances of hate crimes. According to a report by the FBI, hate crimes against African and Asian Americans surged in the past one year. Also read | 'America was very far away': How Afghans remember 9/11 Moreover, hate crimes against Arab Americans, Muslims and others perceived as Arab or Muslim had also surged post the 9/11 attacks. And while they have subsided in recent years, the numbers have never returned to levels seen before the attacks, the FBI data shows. More recently, the United States has also seen a rise in anti-Semitic discrimination. “Unity doesn't mean we have to believe the same thing, but we must have a fundamental respect and faith in each other and in this nation," Biden said in the video. Also watch On Saturday, Biden and first lady Jill Biden will visit New York City—where two airliners destroyed the World Trade Center and killed around 2,700 people—the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia—where a third airliner crashed—and Shanksville, Pennsylvania—where passengers forced down a fourth aircraft believed to have been headed to the U.S. Capitol or White House. Joe Biden will then be joined at Ground Zero in New York by former president Barack Obama, whom he served for two terms as vice-president. Small memorial ceremonies will be held across the US, and millions are expected to tune in to coverage that will blanket the TV networks throughout the day. There will be six moments of silence during the ceremony, marking the moment each tower was struck and the time each fell, as well as the moment when the Pentagon was attacked, and the time that Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers stopped it from reaching its likely intended target of the US Capitol. As three of the four most recent US presidents attend official ceremonies, Donald Trump will also reportedly visit the 9/11 memorial on Saturday afternoon, once the ceremony has finished and after Biden has left the city. (With inputs from agencies)

US President Joe Biden calls for unity on the eve of 9/11 attacks

After calling on the Americans to show unity as the country marked the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, United States President Joe Biden made stops at all the three sites. The attacks had killed nearly 3,000 people on the dreadful day. &nbsp;

Biden, as well as ex-presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, along with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived at Ground Zero in New York City to attend the memorial. First lady Jill Biden and former First Lady Michelle Obama are also present, as is Senate Majority Leader and New York Senator Chuck Schumer&nbsp;and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.

Watch:&nbsp;Pentagon illuminates tower of light on 20th anniversary of 9/11 terror attacks

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Joe Biden will be joined at Ground Zero in New York by former president Barack Obama, whom he served for two terms as vice-president. &nbsp;

Speaking in a six-minute recording at the White House that was shared on the official Twitter handle on Friday, Biden said, “To me, that’s the central lesson of September 11. It’s that at our most vulnerable, in the push and pull of all that makes us human, in the battle for the soul of America, unity is our greatest strength.” &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sister-of-deceased-fireman-and-911-victim-fight-for-justice-in-guantanamo-412278" hreflang="en">Sister of deceased fireman and 9/11 victim fight for justice in Guantanamo</a>

Under tight security, a solemn ceremony to mark the anniversary of the attacks has got under way in New York on Saturday.&nbsp;A marching band launched the beginning of the service at Ground Zero.

Small memorial ceremonies are being held across the US, and millions are expected to tune in to coverage that will blanket the TV networks throughout the day. &nbsp;

There will be six moments of silence during the ceremony, marking the moment each tower was struck and the time each fell, as well as the moment when the Pentagon was attacked, and the time that Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers stopped it from reaching its likely intended target of the US Capitol. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

After calling on the Americans to show unity as the country marked the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, United States President Joe Biden made stops at all the three sites.

After calling on the Americans to show unity as the country marked the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, United States President Joe Biden made stops at all the three sites. The attacks had killed nearly 3,000 people on the dreadful day. Biden, as well as ex-presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, along with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived at Ground Zero in New York City to attend the memorial. First lady Jill Biden and former First Lady Michelle Obama are also present, as is Senate Majority Leader and New York Senator Chuck Schumer and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. Watch: Pentagon illuminates tower of light on 20th anniversary of 9/11 terror attacks × Joe Biden will be joined at Ground Zero in New York by former president Barack Obama, whom he served for two terms as vice-president. Speaking in a six-minute recording at the White House that was shared on the official Twitter handle on Friday, Biden said, “To me, that’s the central lesson of September 11. It’s that at our most vulnerable, in the push and pull of all that makes us human, in the battle for the soul of America, unity is our greatest strength.” Also Read: Sister of deceased fireman and 9/11 victim fight for justice in Guantanamo Under tight security, a solemn ceremony to mark the anniversary of the attacks has got under way in New York on Saturday. A marching band launched the beginning of the service at Ground Zero. Small memorial ceremonies are being held across the US, and millions are expected to tune in to coverage that will blanket the TV networks throughout the day. There will be six moments of silence during the ceremony, marking the moment each tower was struck and the time each fell, as well as the moment when the Pentagon was attacked, and the time that Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers stopped it from reaching its likely intended target of the US Capitol. (With inputs from agencies)

9/11 anniversary: President Biden makes stops at all three attack sites

US President Joe Biden says that the 20th anniversary of 9/11 terror attacks have brought back painful memories. Meanwhile, at the three memorial sites, families and friends have gathered to pay tributes to the 3000 people who were killed on that fateful day.

US marks 20 years of 9/11 attack; family and friends unite to pay respect

It is going to be 20 years since the world suffered a devastating loss in the US on September 11 as a terrorist-controlled aircraft struck the famous World Trade Center. Now, two decades later, the fear caused by those horrifying attacks still continues to haunt several people living in the US, a study claims.

How 9/11 Permanently Altered Lives of Americans

When Americans honor the nearly 3,000 killed in the September 11, 2001 Al-Qaeda attacks on the 20th anniversary on Saturday, a grim shadow will lurk in the background, that of attacks mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who has yet to be tried and convicted for the heinous crime.&nbsp;

Mohammed, who boasted to interrogators of designing and managing the 9/11 plot&nbsp;sits in a cell in a high-security camp on the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.&nbsp;

He has been here for 15 years, as the attempt to hold him accountable in a US military war court plods on in fits and starts, stuck on whether his being tortured by the CIA renders his boastful confessions inadmissible.

He remains, after the now-dead Osama Bin Laden, the most reviled figure tied to the 9/11 attacks.&nbsp;

Ali Soufan, a former FBI agent who investigated the attacks, calls Mohammed a "wild-eyed killer" whose "demented" plotting set him apart from others in Al-Qaeda.

Imagination and managerial skills

Most people know him by the photograph taken of his capture, his thick body clothed in a nightshirt, wearing a thick moustache and disheveled hair.&nbsp;

Appearing in the Guantanamo military courtroom for the first time in over 18 months this week, Mohammed was thinner, with a long, greying red-dyed beard, wearing more traditional Pakistani dress.

He walked in easily, chatting with a fellow defendant in the death-penalty case, and knelt on a small carpet between the tables for prayers.&nbsp;

The official 9/11 Commission report and a Senate report about the CIA's torture program describe the 56-year-old "KSM" as a capable and bloodthirsty lieutenant of bin Laden.

A Pakistani citizen, he was raised in Kuwait. He learned English well enough to study mechanical engineering at a US university.&nbsp;

By the time he graduated in 1986, he was already a Muslim hard-liner.&nbsp;

Working for the Qatar government in the early 1990s, Mohammed appears to have been inspired to action by a nephew, Ramzi Yousef, who undertook the bombing of New York's World Trade Center in 1993. After that, the two joined hands with a plan to blow up US-bound jetliners flying from the Philippines.&nbsp;

Yousef was arrested in Pakistan after the first attempt failed, while Mohammed lay low in Qatar before relocating to Pakistan in 1996 to evade a US search.

It was then that he first proposed the 9/11 attacks to bin Laden.&nbsp;

"Highly educated and equally comfortable in a government office or a terrorist safehouse, KSM applied his imagination, technical aptitude, and managerial skills to hatching and planning an extraordinary array of terrorist schemes," the 9/11 Commission report said.

Waterboarding

After the attacks, Mohammed was captured in Rawalpindi, Pakistan in March 2003 and taken by the CIA to a black site in Poland for interrogation.&nbsp;

Over four weeks, he was subjected to waterboarding 183 times, as well as to sleep deprivation, repeated slamming against a wall, "rectal rehydration," and other harsh techniques.

The Senate report described him as deeply resistant, frustrating interrogators with lies and fabrications, while giving up relatively general information.&nbsp;

But following his transfer to Guantanamo in September 2006, he proudly confessed to the military court and compared himself to George Washington, fighting to escape oppression.

"I was responsible for the 9/11 operation, from A to Z," he said.

He also claimed responsibility for 30 other operations, including Al-Qaeda-linked bombings in Bali and Kenya, and said he personally murdered the kidnapped US journalist Daniel Pearl, who was beheaded in Pakistan in 2002.

The 9/11 report called his plotting "theater, a spectacle of destruction with KSM as the self-cast star -- the superterrorist."

But the length of the proceedings may have worn him down.&nbsp;

In 2017, Mohammed's lawyers were in discussions to plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence. That deal never developed, reportedly because of opposition high in the government. &nbsp;

'Legendary figure'

In the court this week, Mohammed appeared confident and unapologetic, animatedly talking to his attorneys, defying the judge's requirement to wear a mask, and waving to two journalists in the glassed-in viewing gallery at the back of the court.

Attorneys say he almost certainly knows of the Taliban recapturing control of Afghanistan, hailed as a great victory by Al-Qaeda.

"He is definitely considered as a legendary figure and one of the masterminds behind 9/11," Tore Hamming, a Danish specialist on militant Islam, told AFP.

"That said, it is not like KSM is often discussed, but occasionally he features in written and visual productions," he added.

When Americans honor the nearly 3,000 killed in the September 11, 2001 Al-Qaeda attacks on the 20th anniversary on Saturday, a grim shadow will lurk in the background, that of attacks mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who has yet to be tried and convicted for the heinous crime.

When Americans honor the nearly 3,000 killed in the September 11, 2001 Al-Qaeda attacks on the 20th anniversary on Saturday, a grim shadow will lurk in the background, that of attacks mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who has yet to be tried and convicted for the heinous crime. Mohammed, who boasted to interrogators of designing and managing the 9/11 plot sits in a cell in a high-security camp on the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He has been here for 15 years, as the attempt to hold him accountable in a US military war court plods on in fits and starts, stuck on whether his being tortured by the CIA renders his boastful confessions inadmissible. He remains, after the now-dead Osama Bin Laden, the most reviled figure tied to the 9/11 attacks. Ali Soufan, a former FBI agent who investigated the attacks, calls Mohammed a "wild-eyed killer" whose "demented" plotting set him apart from others in Al-Qaeda. Imagination and managerial skills Most people know him by the photograph taken of his capture, his thick body clothed in a nightshirt, wearing a thick moustache and disheveled hair. Appearing in the Guantanamo military courtroom for the first time in over 18 months this week, Mohammed was thinner, with a long, greying red-dyed beard, wearing more traditional Pakistani dress. He walked in easily, chatting with a fellow defendant in the death-penalty case, and knelt on a small carpet between the tables for prayers. The official 9/11 Commission report and a Senate report about the CIA's torture program describe the 56-year-old "KSM" as a capable and bloodthirsty lieutenant of bin Laden. A Pakistani citizen, he was raised in Kuwait. He learned English well enough to study mechanical engineering at a US university. By the time he graduated in 1986, he was already a Muslim hard-liner. Working for the Qatar government in the early 1990s, Mohammed appears to have been inspired to action by a nephew, Ramzi Yousef, who undertook the bombing of New York's World Trade Center in 1993. After that, the two joined hands with a plan to blow up US-bound jetliners flying from the Philippines. Yousef was arrested in Pakistan after the first attempt failed, while Mohammed lay low in Qatar before relocating to Pakistan in 1996 to evade a US search. It was then that he first proposed the 9/11 attacks to bin Laden. "Highly educated and equally comfortable in a government office or a terrorist safehouse, KSM applied his imagination, technical aptitude, and managerial skills to hatching and planning an extraordinary array of terrorist schemes," the 9/11 Commission report said. Waterboarding After the attacks, Mohammed was captured in Rawalpindi, Pakistan in March 2003 and taken by the CIA to a black site in Poland for interrogation. Over four weeks, he was subjected to waterboarding 183 times, as well as to sleep deprivation, repeated slamming against a wall, "rectal rehydration," and other harsh techniques. The Senate report described him as deeply resistant, frustrating interrogators with lies and fabrications, while giving up relatively general information. But following his transfer to Guantanamo in September 2006, he proudly confessed to the military court and compared himself to George Washington, fighting to escape oppression. "I was responsible for the 9/11 operation, from A to Z," he said. He also claimed responsibility for 30 other operations, including Al-Qaeda-linked bombings in Bali and Kenya, and said he personally murdered the kidnapped US journalist Daniel Pearl, who was beheaded in Pakistan in 2002. The 9/11 report called his plotting "theater, a spectacle of destruction with KSM as the self-cast star -- the superterrorist." But the length of the proceedings may have worn him down. In 2017, Mohammed's lawyers were in discussions to plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence. That deal never developed, reportedly because of opposition high in the government. 'Legendary figure' In the court this week, Mohammed appeared confident and unapologetic, animatedly talking to his attorneys, defying the judge's requirement to wear a mask, and waving to two journalists in the glassed-in viewing gallery at the back of the court. Attorneys say he almost certainly knows of the Taliban recapturing control of Afghanistan, hailed as a great victory by Al-Qaeda. "He is definitely considered as a legendary figure and one of the masterminds behind 9/11," Tore Hamming, a Danish specialist on militant Islam, told AFP. "That said, it is not like KSM is often discussed, but occasionally he features in written and visual productions," he added.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed: the defiant 'mass murderer' of 9/11

When hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Centre in the United States, Afghans were still reeling from their own Al-Qaeda tragedy.&nbsp;

Militants from the group had two days earlier assassinated Ahmad Shah Massoud -- the resistance icon who repelled both the Soviet military and the Taliban from his native Panjshir Valley.

As Afghans grappled with his death, events were unfolding in the United States that were to dramatically change the course of their country's future.&nbsp;

But for some, the significance of the incident passed them by.

"That evening I listened to the news... there was talk of an attack in America," Abdul Rahman, a retired government employee who was in his twenties at the time, told AFP.

"I didn't care because there was always talk of attacks and war on the radio," he said.&nbsp;

In the coming days, however, as Afghans learnt that Al-Qaeda militants hiding in their own backyard had masterminded the attacks -- and their Taliban rulers were blamed for sheltering the group -- many realised their world was about to be transformed.

"I did not think America would attack Afghanistan in revenge," said Abdul Rahman. "I thought America was very far away."

Abdul Samad, a librarian in Kandahar, remembers seeing crowds gather around a newspaper stand, the pages covered with images of the twin towers attack.

"It was almost two days after the incident," he told AFP.

It was, however, the beginning of an "unacceptable occupation".

"They had sought an excuse to come to Afghanistan. It was an excuse to occupy this land."

When the Taliban refused to give up Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, the US moved in -- overthrowing the hardline regime which had held power since 1996 in a matter of weeks.&nbsp;

But Qiyamuddin, a locksmith from Kandahar, said any hope he had of the American-led invasion healing decades of war and conflict in Afghanistan quickly evaporated.&nbsp;

"They made a mess by coming here,” he told AFP.

As the war dragged on and the Taliban resurfaced, foreign troops were accused of disrespecting Afghan religion and traditions -- and civilian casualties mounted.&nbsp;

"People were optimistic and (Afghan) refugees from other countries like Pakistan and Iran came back," said Qiyamuddin.&nbsp;

"They were unaware we were going to face more troubles."

Noorullah, a teacher, remembers watching news of the attack on a TV hidden in the basement of a relative's house -- the Taliban had banned the medium as un-Islamic.&nbsp;

"It looked horrible. They were repeatedly showing the towers on fire," he said

A brief period of peace followed after the Taliban were ejected, but it would not last.

"When the Taliban were gone, people were happy, they could at least breathe freedom," he said.

But as time passed, he "started to believe the US had come to a wrong place. It was a trap for them".&nbsp;

"And 20 years later... I was right," he told AFP.

"The Taliban are back. The same people, faces and attitude are back."

When hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Centre in the United States, Afghans were still reeling from their own Al-Qaeda tragedy. Militants from the group had two days earlier assassinated Ahmad Shah Massoud -- the resistance icon who repelled both the Soviet military and the Taliban from his native Panjshir Valley.

When hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Centre in the United States, Afghans were still reeling from their own Al-Qaeda tragedy. Militants from the group had two days earlier assassinated Ahmad Shah Massoud -- the resistance icon who repelled both the Soviet military and the Taliban from his native Panjshir Valley. As Afghans grappled with his death, events were unfolding in the United States that were to dramatically change the course of their country's future. But for some, the significance of the incident passed them by. "That evening I listened to the news... there was talk of an attack in America," Abdul Rahman, a retired government employee who was in his twenties at the time, told AFP. "I didn't care because there was always talk of attacks and war on the radio," he said. In the coming days, however, as Afghans learnt that Al-Qaeda militants hiding in their own backyard had masterminded the attacks -- and their Taliban rulers were blamed for sheltering the group -- many realised their world was about to be transformed. "I did not think America would attack Afghanistan in revenge," said Abdul Rahman. "I thought America was very far away." Abdul Samad, a librarian in Kandahar, remembers seeing crowds gather around a newspaper stand, the pages covered with images of the twin towers attack. "It was almost two days after the incident," he told AFP. It was, however, the beginning of an "unacceptable occupation". "They had sought an excuse to come to Afghanistan. It was an excuse to occupy this land." When the Taliban refused to give up Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, the US moved in -- overthrowing the hardline regime which had held power since 1996 in a matter of weeks. But Qiyamuddin, a locksmith from Kandahar, said any hope he had of the American-led invasion healing decades of war and conflict in Afghanistan quickly evaporated. "They made a mess by coming here,” he told AFP. As the war dragged on and the Taliban resurfaced, foreign troops were accused of disrespecting Afghan religion and traditions -- and civilian casualties mounted. "People were optimistic and (Afghan) refugees from other countries like Pakistan and Iran came back," said Qiyamuddin. "They were unaware we were going to face more troubles." Noorullah, a teacher, remembers watching news of the attack on a TV hidden in the basement of a relative's house -- the Taliban had banned the medium as un-Islamic. "It looked horrible. They were repeatedly showing the towers on fire," he said A brief period of peace followed after the Taliban were ejected, but it would not last. "When the Taliban were gone, people were happy, they could at least breathe freedom," he said. But as time passed, he "started to believe the US had come to a wrong place. It was a trap for them". "And 20 years later... I was right," he told AFP. "The Taliban are back. The same people, faces and attitude are back."

'America was very far away': How Afghans remember 9/11

In this report, meet with a pair of some of the most extraordinary and often overlooked first responders of the 9/11 attacks. Those who helped retrieve wallets, identity cards, and other personal belongings.

The 9/11 Responders: Arborists recall the events 20 years later

The new military judge presiding over the September 11 attacks trial in Guantanamo Bay has said he would not force it toward an end -- but that he wanted to see "action" after nine years of hearings.

Air Force Colonel Matthew McCall told the military commissions court at the US navy base in Cuba, that he would not stop lawyers defending 9/11 "architect" Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others from making their case that the men were denied due process because they were tortured by the CIA.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/911-attacks-bush-administrations-big-guns-where-they-are-now-411644">In Pics:&nbsp;9/11 attacks-&nbsp;Bush administration's big guns &amp; where they are now</a>

Speaking just three days before the 20th anniversary of the Al-Qaeda attacks, he said he wanted to get moving through the long-running pretrial phase that has already gone through seven judges.

"This case has been going on a really long time," he told the attorneys, defendants, and family members of the 9/11 victims at the courtroom.

"I feel no pressure to get this case to trial," he said&nbsp;amid defense concerns of political interference.

Nevertheless, he said, "I would like to see action," to move things ahead.

The second day of hearings after an 18-month break due to the COVID-19 pandemic focused on a review of the judge's own potential biases.

Gary Sowards, one of Mohammed's attorneys, pressed McCall on his personal reaction to the September 11, 2001 attacks, his experience reviewing detainees in Iraq, and his view of the issues surrounding the high-security trial of the five.

"This is a political trial," said Sowards, saying the government has used its power to mask the CIA's torture of the five men at secret "black sites" before they arrived at Guantanamo in 2006.

"The effects of torture are always in the room," he said.

"Their big trump card is national security and state secrets," he said of the military prosecutors.

Mohammed and alleged co-conspirators Ammar al-Baluchi, Walid bin Attash, Ramzi bin al-Shibh and Mustafa al-Hawsawi, who were all in the courtroom for the second day, are accused of terrorism and mass murder of 2,976 people in the attacks.

McCall insisted he was open-minded in the case, which could result in the death penalty for defendants if convicted.

He said as a military attorney he had worked in Iraq in the 2000s reviewing cases of detainees before they were placed into the Iraqi justice system.

Most were guilty of nothing serious and deserved release, he said.

But he said he was not responsible for some who the Iraqis put to death, and others who remained in detention despite no evidence against them.

He called the death penalty "a valid option" in the 9/11 case.

He added that, given the number of death row inmates who have been shown to be innocent in the United States, a sentence of execution demands a "higher standard" of proof.

McCall said the rest of the first week of the trial resumption will involve closed conferences with attorneys on both sides, and head into substantive issues next week.

The defense has readied scores of motions to obtain classified evidence supporting their arguments that the prosecution's case is tainted by the lasting effects of torture. 
&nbsp;

The new military judge presiding over the September 11 attacks trial in Guantanamo Bay has said he would not force it toward an end -- but that he wanted to see "action" after nine years of hearings.

The new military judge presiding over the September 11 attacks trial in Guantanamo Bay has said he would not force it toward an end -- but that he wanted to see "action" after nine years of hearings. Air Force Colonel Matthew McCall told the military commissions court at the US navy base in Cuba, that he would not stop lawyers defending 9/11 "architect" Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others from making their case that the men were denied due process because they were tortured by the CIA. In Pics: 9/11 attacks- Bush administration's big guns & where they are now Speaking just three days before the 20th anniversary of the Al-Qaeda attacks, he said he wanted to get moving through the long-running pretrial phase that has already gone through seven judges. "This case has been going on a really long time," he told the attorneys, defendants, and family members of the 9/11 victims at the courtroom. "I feel no pressure to get this case to trial," he said amid defense concerns of political interference. Nevertheless, he said, "I would like to see action," to move things ahead. The second day of hearings after an 18-month break due to the COVID-19 pandemic focused on a review of the judge's own potential biases. Gary Sowards, one of Mohammed's attorneys, pressed McCall on his personal reaction to the September 11, 2001 attacks, his experience reviewing detainees in Iraq, and his view of the issues surrounding the high-security trial of the five. "This is a political trial," said Sowards, saying the government has used its power to mask the CIA's torture of the five men at secret "black sites" before they arrived at Guantanamo in 2006. "The effects of torture are always in the room," he said. "Their big trump card is national security and state secrets," he said of the military prosecutors. Mohammed and alleged co-conspirators Ammar al-Baluchi, Walid bin Attash, Ramzi bin al-Shibh and Mustafa al-Hawsawi, who were all in the courtroom for the second day, are accused of terrorism and mass murder of 2,976 people in the attacks. McCall insisted he was open-minded in the case, which could result in the death penalty for defendants if convicted. He said as a military attorney he had worked in Iraq in the 2000s reviewing cases of detainees before they were placed into the Iraqi justice system. Most were guilty of nothing serious and deserved release, he said. But he said he was not responsible for some who the Iraqis put to death, and others who remained in detention despite no evidence against them. He called the death penalty "a valid option" in the 9/11 case. He added that, given the number of death row inmates who have been shown to be innocent in the United States, a sentence of execution demands a "higher standard" of proof. McCall said the rest of the first week of the trial resumption will involve closed conferences with attorneys on both sides, and head into substantive issues next week. The defense has readied scores of motions to obtain classified evidence supporting their arguments that the prosecution's case is tainted by the lasting effects of torture.

Military judge presiding over 9/11 trial feels 'no pressure'

This Sept. 11, a diminished president will preside over a diminished nation.

We are a country that could not keep a demagogue from the White House; could not stop an insurrectionist mob from storming the Capitol; could not win (or at least avoid losing) a war against a morally and technologically retrograde enemy; cannot conquer a disease for which there are safe and effective vaccines; and cannot bring itself to trust the government, the news media, the scientific establishment, the police or any other institution meant to operate for the common good.

A civilisation “is born stoic and dies epicurean,” wrote historian Will Durant about the Babylonians. Our civilisation was born optimistic and enlightened, at least by the standards of the day. Now it feels as if it’s fading into paranoid senility.

Joe Biden was supposed to be the man of the hour: a calming presence exuding decency, moderation and trust. As a candidate, he sold himself as a transitional president, a fatherly figure in the mold of George H.W. Bush who would restore dignity and prudence to the Oval Office after the mendacity and chaos that came before. It’s why I voted for him, as did so many others who once tipped red.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/illnesses-associated-with-911-have-caused-more-deaths-than-the-attack-report-411514" hreflang="en">Illnesses associated with 9/11 have caused more deaths than the attack: Report</a>

Instead, Biden has become the emblem of the hour: headstrong but shaky, ambitious but inept. He seems to be the last person in America to realise that, whatever the theoretical merits of the decision to withdraw our remaining troops from Afghanistan, the military and intelligence assumptions on which it was built were deeply flawed, the manner in which it was executed was a national humiliation and a moral betrayal, and the timing was catastrophic.

We find ourselves commemorating the first great jihadi victory over America, in 2001, right after delivering the second great jihadi victory over America, in 2021. The Sept. 11 memorial at the World Trade Center — water cascading into one void, and then trickling, out of sight, into another — has never felt more fitting.

Now Biden proposes to follow this up with his $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill, which The Times’ Jonathan Weisman describes as “the most significant expansion of the nation’s safety net since the war on poverty in the 1960s.”

When Lyndon Johnson launched his War on Poverty, its associated legislation — from food stamps to Medicare — passed with bipartisan majorities in a lopsidedly Democratic Congress. Biden has similar ambitions without the same political means. This is not going to turn out well.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/911-attacks-bush-administrations-big-guns-where-they-are-now-411644" hreflang="en">9/11 attacks: Bush administration's big guns &amp; where they are now</a>

Last week, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., published an essay in The Wall Street Journal in which he said, “I, for one, won’t support a $3.5 trillion bill, or anywhere near that level of additional spending, without greater clarity about why Congress chooses to ignore the serious effects inflation and debt have on existing government programs.”

Is the White House paying any more attention to Manchin’s message than it did to classified intelligence briefs over the summer warning of the prospect of a swift Taliban victory?

Maybe Biden supposes that the legislation, if passed, will prove increasingly popular over time, like Obamacare. That’s the optimistic scenario. Alternatively, he could suffer a legislative calamity like Hillary Clinton’s health care reform in 1994, which would have ended Bill Clinton’s presidency save for his sharp swing to the center, including ending “welfare as we know it” two years later.

Even the Obamacare/optimistic precedent was followed by a Democratic rout in 2010, when the party lost 63 House seats. If history repeats itself at the 2022 midterms, I doubt that even Joe Biden’s closest aides think he has the stamina to fight his way back in 2024. Has Kamala Harris shown the political talent to pick up the pieces?

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-president-joe-biden-tours-hurricane-hit-areas-in-america-411607">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-president-joe-biden-tours-hurricane-hit-areas-in-america-411607/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Perhaps what will save the Democrats is that Biden’s weakness will tempt Donald Trump to seek (and almost certainly gain) the Republican nomination. But then there’s the chance he’d win the election.

There’s a way back from this cliff’s edge. It begins with Biden finding a way to acknowledge publicly the gravity of his administration’s blunders. The most shameful aspect of the Afghanistan withdrawal was the incompetence of the State Department when it came to expediting visas for thousands of people eligible to come to the United States. Accountability could start with Antony Blinken’s resignation.

The president might also seize the “strategic pause” Manchin has proposed and push House Democrats to pass the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill without holding it hostage to the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill. Infrastructure is far more popular with middle-of-the-road voters than the Great Society reprise that was never supposed to be a part of the Biden brand.

My sense is that Biden will do neither. The last few months have told us something worrying about this president: He’s proud, inflexible, and thinks he’s much smarter than he really is. That’s bad news for the administration. It’s worse news for a country that desperately needs to avoid another failed presidency.

This Sept. 11, a diminished president will preside over a diminished nation. We are a country that could not keep a demagogue from the White House; could not stop an insurrectionist mob from storming the Capitol; could not win (or at least avoid losing) a war against a morally and technologically retrograde enemy; cannot conquer a disease for which there are safe and effective vaccines; and cannot bring itself to trust the government, the news media, the scientific establishment, the police or any other institution meant to operate for the common good.

This Sept. 11, a diminished president will preside over a diminished nation. We are a country that could not keep a demagogue from the White House; could not stop an insurrectionist mob from storming the Capitol; could not win (or at least avoid losing) a war against a morally and technologically retrograde enemy; cannot conquer a disease for which there are safe and effective vaccines; and cannot bring itself to trust the government, the news media, the scientific establishment, the police or any other institution meant to operate for the common good. A civilisation “is born stoic and dies epicurean,” wrote historian Will Durant about the Babylonians. Our civilisation was born optimistic and enlightened, at least by the standards of the day. Now it feels as if it’s fading into paranoid senility. Joe Biden was supposed to be the man of the hour: a calming presence exuding decency, moderation and trust. As a candidate, he sold himself as a transitional president, a fatherly figure in the mold of George H.W. Bush who would restore dignity and prudence to the Oval Office after the mendacity and chaos that came before. It’s why I voted for him, as did so many others who once tipped red. Also read | Illnesses associated with 9/11 have caused more deaths than the attack: Report Instead, Biden has become the emblem of the hour: headstrong but shaky, ambitious but inept. He seems to be the last person in America to realise that, whatever the theoretical merits of the decision to withdraw our remaining troops from Afghanistan, the military and intelligence assumptions on which it was built were deeply flawed, the manner in which it was executed was a national humiliation and a moral betrayal, and the timing was catastrophic. We find ourselves commemorating the first great jihadi victory over America, in 2001, right after delivering the second great jihadi victory over America, in 2021. The Sept. 11 memorial at the World Trade Center — water cascading into one void, and then trickling, out of sight, into another — has never felt more fitting. Now Biden proposes to follow this up with his $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill, which The Times’ Jonathan Weisman describes as “the most significant expansion of the nation’s safety net since the war on poverty in the 1960s.” When Lyndon Johnson launched his War on Poverty, its associated legislation — from food stamps to Medicare — passed with bipartisan majorities in a lopsidedly Democratic Congress. Biden has similar ambitions without the same political means. This is not going to turn out well. Also read | 9/11 attacks: Bush administration's big guns & where they are now Last week, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., published an essay in The Wall Street Journal in which he said, “I, for one, won’t support a $3.5 trillion bill, or anywhere near that level of additional spending, without greater clarity about why Congress chooses to ignore the serious effects inflation and debt have on existing government programs.” Is the White House paying any more attention to Manchin’s message than it did to classified intelligence briefs over the summer warning of the prospect of a swift Taliban victory? Maybe Biden supposes that the legislation, if passed, will prove increasingly popular over time, like Obamacare. That’s the optimistic scenario. Alternatively, he could suffer a legislative calamity like Hillary Clinton’s health care reform in 1994, which would have ended Bill Clinton’s presidency save for his sharp swing to the center, including ending “welfare as we know it” two years later. Even the Obamacare/optimistic precedent was followed by a Democratic rout in 2010, when the party lost 63 House seats. If history repeats itself at the 2022 midterms, I doubt that even Joe Biden’s closest aides think he has the stamina to fight his way back in 2024. Has Kamala Harris shown the political talent to pick up the pieces? WATCH | Perhaps what will save the Democrats is that Biden’s weakness will tempt Donald Trump to seek (and almost certainly gain) the Republican nomination. But then there’s the chance he’d win the election. There’s a way back from this cliff’s edge. It begins with Biden finding a way to acknowledge publicly the gravity of his administration’s blunders. The most shameful aspect of the Afghanistan withdrawal was the incompetence of the State Department when it came to expediting visas for thousands of people eligible to come to the United States. Accountability could start with Antony Blinken’s resignation. The president might also seize the “strategic pause” Manchin has proposed and push House Democrats to pass the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill without holding it hostage to the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill. Infrastructure is far more popular with middle-of-the-road voters than the Great Society reprise that was never supposed to be a part of the Biden brand. My sense is that Biden will do neither. The last few months have told us something worrying about this president: He’s proud, inflexible, and thinks he’s much smarter than he really is. That’s bad news for the administration. It’s worse news for a country that desperately needs to avoid another failed presidency.

Can Biden save his presidency?

The remains of two more victims of 9/11 have been identified, thanks to advanced DNA technology, New York officials announced Tuesday, just days before the 20th anniversary of the attacks.

The office of the city's chief medical examiner said it had formally identified the 1,646th and 1,647th victim of the al-Qaeda attacks on New York's Twin Towers which killed 2,753 people.

They are the first identifications of victims from the collapse of the World Trade Center since October 2019.

"Twenty years ago, we made a promise to the families of World Trade Center victims to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to identify their loved ones, and with these two new identifications, we continue to fulfill that sacred obligation," chief medical examiner Barbara Sampson said in a statement.

"No matter how much time passes since September 11, 2001, we will never forget, and we pledge to use all the tools at our disposal to make sure all those who were lost can be reunited with their families," she added.

The 1,646th victim was identified as Dorothy Morgan, of Hempstead, Long Island. Her identity was confirmed through DNA testing of remains recovered in 2001, the examiner's office said.

The other identification was a man whose name is being withheld at the request of his family. His identification was confirmed through DNA testing of remains recovered in 2001, 2002 and 2006, the statement added.

The medical examiner described the painstaking push to identify every victim as "the largest and most complex forensic investigation in the history of the United States."

The office said new identifications 20 years after the tragedy were being made possible by advances in DNA science.

Its laboratory uses advanced testing to match DNA fragments from victims with samples provided by relatives.

The medical examiner's office said its recent adoption of next-generation DNA sequencing technology meant further identifications were likely.

Some 1,106 victims, or 40 percent of those who died, remain unidentified.

The remains of two more victims of 9/11 have been identified, thanks to advanced DNA technology, New York officials announced Tuesday, just days before the 20th anniversary of the attacks.

The remains of two more victims of 9/11 have been identified, thanks to advanced DNA technology, New York officials announced Tuesday, just days before the 20th anniversary of the attacks. The office of the city's chief medical examiner said it had formally identified the 1,646th and 1,647th victim of the al-Qaeda attacks on New York's Twin Towers which killed 2,753 people. They are the first identifications of victims from the collapse of the World Trade Center since October 2019. "Twenty years ago, we made a promise to the families of World Trade Center victims to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to identify their loved ones, and with these two new identifications, we continue to fulfill that sacred obligation," chief medical examiner Barbara Sampson said in a statement. "No matter how much time passes since September 11, 2001, we will never forget, and we pledge to use all the tools at our disposal to make sure all those who were lost can be reunited with their families," she added. The 1,646th victim was identified as Dorothy Morgan, of Hempstead, Long Island. Her identity was confirmed through DNA testing of remains recovered in 2001, the examiner's office said. The other identification was a man whose name is being withheld at the request of his family. His identification was confirmed through DNA testing of remains recovered in 2001, 2002 and 2006, the statement added. The medical examiner described the painstaking push to identify every victim as "the largest and most complex forensic investigation in the history of the United States." The office said new identifications 20 years after the tragedy were being made possible by advances in DNA science. Its laboratory uses advanced testing to match DNA fragments from victims with samples provided by relatives. The medical examiner's office said its recent adoption of next-generation DNA sequencing technology meant further identifications were likely. Some 1,106 victims, or 40 percent of those who died, remain unidentified.

Two more victims of 9/11 attacks identified

At least 22,000 civilians— and potentially over 40,000 civilians—have been killed by US-led drone and airstrikes across West Asia and Africa since the 9/11 terror attacks, according to an analysis done by UK-based monitoring group, Airwars.

Basing its findings on the declaration made by the US that it launched at least 91,340 strikes across seven major conflict zones, including Yemen, Somalia, Pakistan and Libya, the London-based group sought to find the number of civilian casualties linked to the ‘forever wars’, spanning two decades of conflict which formally ended on August 31 with the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.

Based on that total, Airwars concluded “US actions likely killed at least 22,679 civilians, with that number potentially as high as 48,308”.

According to research compiled by Airwars, the deadliest year in the past two decades for civilian victims of US airstrikes was 2003 when a minimum of 5,529 civilians were reported to have been killed, almost all during the invasion of Iraq that year.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/is-911-a-day-or-is-it-an-era-411151">&nbsp;Is 9/11 a day, or is it an Era?</a>

The next deadliest year was 2017 when at least 4,931 civilians were likely killed, the vast majority in coalition&nbsp;bombing of Iraq and Syria.

Since taking the office, Joe Biden—the fourth to manage the “forever wars” after his predecessors George W Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump—promised to reduce US reliance on airstrikes amid a formal review of the government's drone policy.&nbsp;

“The threat from terrorism continues, but it’s changed. Our strategy needs to change too,” Biden said, vowing action against the Daesh branch in Afghanistan (Daesh-K) after the group claimed responsibility for the August 26 attack at Kabul airport that killed over 160 Afghan civilians and 13 US service members.

The US military has not provided the official estimates of civilian deaths nor have they published such findings. Airwaves cited&nbsp;its data from sources like the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, The Iraq Body Count NGO and The Nation.

(With&nbsp;inputs from agencies)

At least 22,000 civilians— and potentially over 40,000 civilians—have been killed by US-led drone and airstrikes across West Asia and Africa since the 9/11 terror attacks, according to an analysis done by UK-based monitoring group, Airwars.

At least 22,000 civilians— and potentially over 40,000 civilians—have been killed by US-led drone and airstrikes across West Asia and Africa since the 9/11 terror attacks, according to an analysis done by UK-based monitoring group, Airwars. Basing its findings on the declaration made by the US that it launched at least 91,340 strikes across seven major conflict zones, including Yemen, Somalia, Pakistan and Libya, the London-based group sought to find the number of civilian casualties linked to the ‘forever wars’, spanning two decades of conflict which formally ended on August 31 with the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. Based on that total, Airwars concluded “US actions likely killed at least 22,679 civilians, with that number potentially as high as 48,308”. According to research compiled by Airwars, the deadliest year in the past two decades for civilian victims of US airstrikes was 2003 when a minimum of 5,529 civilians were reported to have been killed, almost all during the invasion of Iraq that year. Also read | Is 9/11 a day, or is it an Era? The next deadliest year was 2017 when at least 4,931 civilians were likely killed, the vast majority in coalition bombing of Iraq and Syria. Since taking the office, Joe Biden—the fourth to manage the “forever wars” after his predecessors George W Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump—promised to reduce US reliance on airstrikes amid a formal review of the government's drone policy. “The threat from terrorism continues, but it’s changed. Our strategy needs to change too,” Biden said, vowing action against the Daesh branch in Afghanistan (Daesh-K) after the group claimed responsibility for the August 26 attack at Kabul airport that killed over 160 Afghan civilians and 13 US service members. The US military has not provided the official estimates of civilian deaths nor have they published such findings. Airwaves cited its data from sources like the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, The Iraq Body Count NGO and The Nation. (With inputs from agencies)

US airstrikes potentially killed over 40,000 civilians since 9/11, says report

Lucelly Gil is one of the forgotten victims of 9/11: an immigrant cleaner who spent months clearing up rubble from the World Trade Center and developed cancer apparently from the toxic dust, but who remains unrecognized. 
At 7:00 am on September 15, 2001, the Colombian entered the immense ash cloud left by the collapse of the Twin Towers in New York. She would collect debris there for up to 12 hours a day, every day, for six months.

Twenty years later, the 65-year-old is still a undocumented migrant and lives with the consequences of that herculean effort: she is a breast cancer survivor, a common illness for women who worked at the site, has lost movement in one arm and suffers depression.

For eight months after the attacks, tens of thousands of people -- many of them immigrants -- cleaned Ground Zero and nearby damaged buildings.

They removed 1.8 million tons of rubble from the area and were paid between $7.50 and $10 an hour, just above the minimum wage at the time.

They didn't know it then but the exposure to asbestos and other toxic materials brought the risk of cancer, asbestosis and a host of respiratory illnesses, as well as post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression.

"I don't like to remember Ground Zero anniversaries," Gil said tearfully at a recent session of the 9/11 Latino cleaners support group Fronteras de Esperanza, or Borders of Hope, which still meets two decades on.

She remembers that after working so many hours, sometimes finding human remains, she would go home and thought she was still cleaning.

"I almost freaked out," Gil recalled.

'Injustice'

Gil, like all the cleaners spoken to by AFP, cannot work because of illnesses believed to be derived from the 9/11 operation. They dream of becoming legal residents so they can receive benefits and live without the threat of deportation.

In 2017, a then-Democratic representative from New York even introduced a bill regarding this but it was never debated in Congress.

"That the people who cleaned do not have papers is an injustice because they lost the most precious thing, which is health," Rubiela Arias, another cleaner, told AFP in the modest room she rents in Queens with the help of her son.

The now 57-year-old Colombian has been fighting for years for the Hispanic cleaners to be legally recognized.

She herself was at the site and has since suffered from various respiratory and stomach illnesses, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental ailments.

More than 2,000 cleaners, rescuers and police officers died from illnesses linked to 9/11, according to the federal victims' compensation fund.

Many undocumented cleaners, including some who were ill, have been deported in recent years, according to social worker Rosa Bramble, who has led Fronteras de Esperanza on a voluntary basis since 2010 from her office in Queens.

Others returned to their countries to die, because they were sick and could not work to support themselves. 
"Here they couldn't pay rent," said Bramble, a professor at Columbia University and who is of Venezuelan origin.

Most of the 9/11 cleaners have full medical coverage through the World Trade Center's federal health program, but many have not received compensation for their illnesses.

That is the experience of Franklin, a 50-year-old undocumented Peruvian cleaner with various respiratory ailments who decided to return from New York to Lima in 2019 to say goodbye to his ill mother, whom he had not seen for two decades.

Financial hardships

When he tried to return to the United States to take up the medical treatment guaranteed by the WTC health program in which he had been accepted -- and to claim financial compensation -- the US embassy in Lima denied him a visa.

In June he twice tried to cross the border between Mexico and the United States illegally with the help of traffickers, but was deported to Mexico both times.

"I practically gave my life to clean Ground Zero and I don't think it is fair that they are repaying me this way," he told AFP by phone from Juarez city where the traffickers kept him before his third attempt, which was successful.

Some workers who sued New York City and the companies that employed them were able to get compensation. Additionally, in 2011, Congress approved maximum payments of $250,000 for a cancer linked to 9/11. 
Gil received $40,000 in 2018, but without being able to work, the money quickly ran out.

"We as Latinos were discriminated against in relation to the other workers on 9/11," she said. 
Rosa Duque, a 56-year-old Guatemalan cleaner who has difficulty breathing, says the cleaners are "in oblivion" and must be given permanent residency.

"When we volunteered to go to work they didn't ask, 'Are you a citizen?' 'Are you a resident?'" she said.

Lucelly Gil is one of the forgotten victims of 9/11: an immigrant cleaner who spent months clearing up rubble from the World Trade Center and developed cancer apparently from the toxic dust, but who remains unrecognized.

Lucelly Gil is one of the forgotten victims of 9/11: an immigrant cleaner who spent months clearing up rubble from the World Trade Center and developed cancer apparently from the toxic dust, but who remains unrecognized. At 7:00 am on September 15, 2001, the Colombian entered the immense ash cloud left by the collapse of the Twin Towers in New York. She would collect debris there for up to 12 hours a day, every day, for six months. Twenty years later, the 65-year-old is still a undocumented migrant and lives with the consequences of that herculean effort: she is a breast cancer survivor, a common illness for women who worked at the site, has lost movement in one arm and suffers depression. For eight months after the attacks, tens of thousands of people -- many of them immigrants -- cleaned Ground Zero and nearby damaged buildings. They removed 1.8 million tons of rubble from the area and were paid between $7.50 and $10 an hour, just above the minimum wage at the time. They didn't know it then but the exposure to asbestos and other toxic materials brought the risk of cancer, asbestosis and a host of respiratory illnesses, as well as post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression. "I don't like to remember Ground Zero anniversaries," Gil said tearfully at a recent session of the 9/11 Latino cleaners support group Fronteras de Esperanza, or Borders of Hope, which still meets two decades on. She remembers that after working so many hours, sometimes finding human remains, she would go home and thought she was still cleaning. "I almost freaked out," Gil recalled. 'Injustice' Gil, like all the cleaners spoken to by AFP, cannot work because of illnesses believed to be derived from the 9/11 operation. They dream of becoming legal residents so they can receive benefits and live without the threat of deportation. In 2017, a then-Democratic representative from New York even introduced a bill regarding this but it was never debated in Congress. "That the people who cleaned do not have papers is an injustice because they lost the most precious thing, which is health," Rubiela Arias, another cleaner, told AFP in the modest room she rents in Queens with the help of her son. The now 57-year-old Colombian has been fighting for years for the Hispanic cleaners to be legally recognized. She herself was at the site and has since suffered from various respiratory and stomach illnesses, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental ailments. More than 2,000 cleaners, rescuers and police officers died from illnesses linked to 9/11, according to the federal victims' compensation fund. Many undocumented cleaners, including some who were ill, have been deported in recent years, according to social worker Rosa Bramble, who has led Fronteras de Esperanza on a voluntary basis since 2010 from her office in Queens. Others returned to their countries to die, because they were sick and could not work to support themselves. "Here they couldn't pay rent," said Bramble, a professor at Columbia University and who is of Venezuelan origin. Most of the 9/11 cleaners have full medical coverage through the World Trade Center's federal health program, but many have not received compensation for their illnesses. That is the experience of Franklin, a 50-year-old undocumented Peruvian cleaner with various respiratory ailments who decided to return from New York to Lima in 2019 to say goodbye to his ill mother, whom he had not seen for two decades. Financial hardships When he tried to return to the United States to take up the medical treatment guaranteed by the WTC health program in which he had been accepted -- and to claim financial compensation -- the US embassy in Lima denied him a visa. In June he twice tried to cross the border between Mexico and the United States illegally with the help of traffickers, but was deported to Mexico both times. "I practically gave my life to clean Ground Zero and I don't think it is fair that they are repaying me this way," he told AFP by phone from Juarez city where the traffickers kept him before his third attempt, which was successful. Some workers who sued New York City and the companies that employed them were able to get compensation. Additionally, in 2011, Congress approved maximum payments of $250,000 for a cancer linked to 9/11. Gil received $40,000 in 2018, but without being able to work, the money quickly ran out. "We as Latinos were discriminated against in relation to the other workers on 9/11," she said. Rosa Duque, a 56-year-old Guatemalan cleaner who has difficulty breathing, says the cleaners are "in oblivion" and must be given permanent residency. "When we volunteered to go to work they didn't ask, 'Are you a citizen?' 'Are you a resident?'" she said.

9/11: Ground Zero's forgotten migrant cleaners demand recognition

United States former president Donald Trump would spend the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks by hosting a boxing commentary in Florida.

He will be joined by his son Donald Trump Jr&nbsp;at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood to call the entire four-fight telecast between Evander Holyfield and Vitor Belfort.

“I love great fighters and great fights,” the Trump Sr, a former boxing promoter, said in a statement.

“I look forward to seeing both this Saturday night and sharing my thoughts ringside. You won't want to miss this special event,” he added.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/two-decades-after-911-muslim-americans-still-fighting-bias-411376">Two decades after 9/11, Muslim Americans still fighting bias</a>

The event has been termed as “the most anticipated heavyweight fight of the year”, with the father-son duo calling the entire telecast.

Trump’ controversial term came to an end in January after Joe Biden won the mandate. Since leaving the office, he has not made any public appearances.

He was also permanently suspended from Twitter after his claims of an “election fraud” was called out for spreading fake news.

75-year-old Trump is a veteran of the fighting game, having hosted many boxing matches in the 1980s and '90s at his casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Prior to his single-term presidency, Trump styled himself as a business adviser to Mike Tyson and promoted a handful of the world’s biggest fights and names in the late 1980s and early 90s.

(With inputs from agencies)

United States former president Donald Trump would spend the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks by hosting a boxing commentary in Florida. He will be joined by his son Donald Trump Jr at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood to call the entire four-fight telecast between Evander Holyfield and Vitor Belfort.

United States former president Donald Trump would spend the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks by hosting a boxing commentary in Florida. He will be joined by his son Donald Trump Jr at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood to call the entire four-fight telecast between Evander Holyfield and Vitor Belfort. “I love great fighters and great fights,” the Trump Sr, a former boxing promoter, said in a statement. “I look forward to seeing both this Saturday night and sharing my thoughts ringside. You won't want to miss this special event,” he added. Also read | Two decades after 9/11, Muslim Americans still fighting bias The event has been termed as “the most anticipated heavyweight fight of the year”, with the father-son duo calling the entire telecast. Trump’ controversial term came to an end in January after Joe Biden won the mandate. Since leaving the office, he has not made any public appearances. He was also permanently suspended from Twitter after his claims of an “election fraud” was called out for spreading fake news. 75-year-old Trump is a veteran of the fighting game, having hosted many boxing matches in the 1980s and '90s at his casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Prior to his single-term presidency, Trump styled himself as a business adviser to Mike Tyson and promoted a handful of the world’s biggest fights and names in the late 1980s and early 90s. (With inputs from agencies)

Donald Trump to offer commentary on boxing match on 20th anniversary of 9/11 attacks

The prosecution of alleged September 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others restarts Tuesday, just days before the 20th anniversary of the attacks, stirring new hopes for justice and retribution.

Mohammed and his co-defendants, who have been locked up at the "War on Terror" prison at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for nearly 15 years, will appear in the military tribunal here for the first time since early 2019.&nbsp;

But after a 17-month halt due to the coronavirus pandemic, the proceedings appear likely to continue where they left off, mired in the defense's efforts to disqualify most of the government's evidence as tainted by the torture the defendants underwent in CIA custody.

On Sunday, the new military judge, Air Force Colonel Matthew McCall &nbsp;-- the case's eighth -- signaled a slow start, deciding that an initial hearing focused on his own qualifications will take place on Tuesday. Lawyers for both sides are allowed in a war crimes tribunal to question a new judge for possible bias.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/freedom-tower-the-skyscraper-symbolising-new-yorks-resilience-411055">'Freedom Tower' - the skyscraper symbolising New York's resilience</a>

The rest of the week will mostly involve meetings with the military prosecutors and defense teams.

With scores of motions lined up to demand evidence that military prosecutors refuse to hand over, defense attorneys said the pretrial phase could easily last another year, placing far over the horizon any hope for a jury trial and verdict.

Asked if the case could ever reach that point, one defense attorney, James Connell, replied, "I don't know."

Lasting impact of torture

Attorneys say the five defendants -- Mohammed, Ammar al-Baluchi, Walid bin Attash, Ramzi bin al-Shibh and Mustafa al-Hawsawi -- are all weak and suffer the lasting effects of severe torture endured in secretive CIA "black" sites between 2002 and 2006.

Added to that, the attorneys say, is the cumulative impact of 15 years in harsh, isolated conditions since arriving.&nbsp;

They will appear in an ultra-secure military commissions courtroom surrounded by fences of razor wire, each with his own defense team.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-911-changed-air-travel-more-security-less-privacy-411141">How 9/11 changed air travel: More security, less privacy</a>

In the audience will be family members of some of the 2,976 people they are accused of murdering two decades ago, as well as a large contingent of reporters to mark the confluence with the somber anniversary on Saturday.

The five face the death penalty on charges of murder and terrorism in the war crimes tribunal.

They are represented by attorneys assigned by the military, as well as pro-bono lawyers from the private sector and non-governmental organizations.

Open and shut?

Since the case started, prosecutors have regarded it as open-and-shut, even without the tainted information reaped from the brutal CIA interrogations.

Instead, prosecutors maintain that the defendants all provided solid evidence of conspiring in the 9/11 attacks during so-called "clean-team" interrogations conducted by the FBI in 2007, after the five arrived at Guantanamo.

But defense attorneys argue that the 2007 interrogations were hardly "clean" because the FBI also took part in the CIA's torture program, and their interrogations carried a similar menace.

The defendants, still feeling the impact of torture at that time, spoke to the FBI under the real fear that it would start again, the defense contends.

"Make no mistake, covering up torture is the reason that these men were brought to Guantanamo" instead of the US federal justice system, said Connell, who represents Baluchi.

"The cover-up of torture is also the reason that we are all gathered at Guantanamo for the 42nd hearing in the 9/11 military commission," he said.

Delays

To prove their case, the defense is demanding huge amounts of classified materials that the government is resisting turning over, on everything from the original torture program to conditions at Guantanamo to health assessments.&nbsp;

Defense lawyers also want to interview dozens more witnesses, after 12 already appeared before the court, including two men who oversaw the CIA program.

The demands have delayed the trial, but the defense blames the government for actively hiding materials relevant to the case.

Alka Pradhan, another defense attorney, noted that it took the government six years to admit that the FBI took part in the CIA's torture program.

"This case wears you down," she said.&nbsp;

"They are withholding things that are normal procedure in court."

The prosecution of alleged September 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others restarts Tuesday, just days before the 20th anniversary of the attacks, stirring new hopes for justice and retribution.

The prosecution of alleged September 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others restarts Tuesday, just days before the 20th anniversary of the attacks, stirring new hopes for justice and retribution. Mohammed and his co-defendants, who have been locked up at the "War on Terror" prison at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for nearly 15 years, will appear in the military tribunal here for the first time since early 2019. But after a 17-month halt due to the coronavirus pandemic, the proceedings appear likely to continue where they left off, mired in the defense's efforts to disqualify most of the government's evidence as tainted by the torture the defendants underwent in CIA custody. On Sunday, the new military judge, Air Force Colonel Matthew McCall -- the case's eighth -- signaled a slow start, deciding that an initial hearing focused on his own qualifications will take place on Tuesday. Lawyers for both sides are allowed in a war crimes tribunal to question a new judge for possible bias. Also Read | 'Freedom Tower' - the skyscraper symbolising New York's resilience The rest of the week will mostly involve meetings with the military prosecutors and defense teams. With scores of motions lined up to demand evidence that military prosecutors refuse to hand over, defense attorneys said the pretrial phase could easily last another year, placing far over the horizon any hope for a jury trial and verdict. Asked if the case could ever reach that point, one defense attorney, James Connell, replied, "I don't know." Lasting impact of torture Attorneys say the five defendants -- Mohammed, Ammar al-Baluchi, Walid bin Attash, Ramzi bin al-Shibh and Mustafa al-Hawsawi -- are all weak and suffer the lasting effects of severe torture endured in secretive CIA "black" sites between 2002 and 2006. Added to that, the attorneys say, is the cumulative impact of 15 years in harsh, isolated conditions since arriving. They will appear in an ultra-secure military commissions courtroom surrounded by fences of razor wire, each with his own defense team. Also Read | How 9/11 changed air travel: More security, less privacy In the audience will be family members of some of the 2,976 people they are accused of murdering two decades ago, as well as a large contingent of reporters to mark the confluence with the somber anniversary on Saturday. The five face the death penalty on charges of murder and terrorism in the war crimes tribunal. They are represented by attorneys assigned by the military, as well as pro-bono lawyers from the private sector and non-governmental organizations. Open and shut? Since the case started, prosecutors have regarded it as open-and-shut, even without the tainted information reaped from the brutal CIA interrogations. Instead, prosecutors maintain that the defendants all provided solid evidence of conspiring in the 9/11 attacks during so-called "clean-team" interrogations conducted by the FBI in 2007, after the five arrived at Guantanamo. But defense attorneys argue that the 2007 interrogations were hardly "clean" because the FBI also took part in the CIA's torture program, and their interrogations carried a similar menace. The defendants, still feeling the impact of torture at that time, spoke to the FBI under the real fear that it would start again, the defense contends. "Make no mistake, covering up torture is the reason that these men were brought to Guantanamo" instead of the US federal justice system, said Connell, who represents Baluchi. "The cover-up of torture is also the reason that we are all gathered at Guantanamo for the 42nd hearing in the 9/11 military commission," he said. Delays To prove their case, the defense is demanding huge amounts of classified materials that the government is resisting turning over, on everything from the original torture program to conditions at Guantanamo to health assessments. Defense lawyers also want to interview dozens more witnesses, after 12 already appeared before the court, including two men who oversaw the CIA program. The demands have delayed the trial, but the defense blames the government for actively hiding materials relevant to the case. Alka Pradhan, another defense attorney, noted that it took the government six years to admit that the FBI took part in the CIA's torture program. "This case wears you down," she said. "They are withholding things that are normal procedure in court."

Trial of accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed restarts, days before attack's 20th anniversary

A car passed, the driver's window rolled down and the man spat an epithet at two little girls wearing their hijabs: "Terrorist!"

It was 2001, mere weeks after the twin towers at the World Trade Center fell, and 10-year-old Shahana Hanif and her younger sister were walking to the local mosque from their Brooklyn home.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trial-of-accused-911-mastermind-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-restarts-days-before-attacks-20th-anniversary-411259">Trial of accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed restarts, days before attack's 20th anniversary</a>

Unsure, afraid, the girls ran.

As the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks approaches, Hanif can still recall the shock of the moment, her confusion over how anyone could look at her, a child, and see a threat.

"It's not a nice, kind word. It means violence, it means dangerous. It is meant to shock whoever ... Is on the receiving end of it,"&nbsp;she says.

But the incident also spurred a determination to speak out for herself and others that has helped get her to where she is today: a community organizer strongly favoured to win a seat on the New York City Council in the upcoming municipal election.

Like Hanif, other young American Muslims have grown up under the shadow of 9/11. Many have faced hostility and surveillance, mistrust and suspicion, questions about their Muslim faith and doubts over their Americanness.

They've also found ways forward, ways to fight back against bias, to organize, to craft nuanced personal narratives about their identities. In the process, they've built bridges, challenged stereotypes and carved out new spaces for themselves.

There is "this sense of being Muslim as a kind of important identity marker, regardless of your relationship with Islam as a faith,"&nbsp;says Eman Abdelhadi, a sociologist at The University of Chicago who studies Muslim communities.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-dogs-of-911-their-failed-searches-for-life-helped-sustain-it-411164">The dogs of 9/11: Their failed searches for life helped sustain it</a>

"That's been one of the main effects in people's lives,&nbsp;it has shaped the ways the community has developed."

&nbsp;A poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted ahead of the 9/11 anniversary found that 53 per cent of Americans have unfavourable views toward Islam, compared with 42 per cent&nbsp;who have favourable ones. This stands in contrast to Americans' opinions about Christianity and Judaism, for which most respondents expressed favourable views.

Mistrust and suspicion of Muslims didn't start with 9/11, but the attacks dramatically intensified those animosities. 
Accustomed to being ignored or targeted by low-level harassment, the country's wide-ranging and diverse Muslim communities were foisted into the spotlight, says Youssef Chouhoud, a political scientist at Christopher Newport University in Virginia.

"Your sense of who you were was becoming more formed, not just Muslim but American Muslim,"&nbsp;he says.

"What distinguished you as an American Muslim? Could you be fully both, or did you have to choose? There was a lot of grappling with what that meant."&nbsp;In Hanif's case, there was no blueprint to navigate the complexities of that time.

"Fifth-grader me wasn't naive or too young to know Muslims are in danger,"&nbsp;she later wrote in an essay about the aftermath of 9/11. "...Flashing an American flag from our first-floor windows didn't make me more American. Born in Brooklyn didn't make me more American."

A young Hanif gathered neighbourhood friends, and an older cousin helped them write a letter to then-President George W. Bush asking for protection.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/is-911-a-day-or-is-it-an-era-411151">Is 9/11 a day, or is it an Era?</a>

"We knew," she says, "that we would become like warriors of this community." But being warriors often carries a price, with wounds that linger.

Ishaq Pathan, 26, recalls the time a boy told him he seemed angry and wondered if he was going to blow up their Connecticut school.&nbsp;He remembers the helplessness he felt when he was taken aside at an airport for additional questioning upon returning to the United States after a college semester in Morocco.

The agent looked through his belongings, including the laptop where he kept a private journal and started reading it. 
"I remember being like, Hey, do you have to read that?"&nbsp;Pathan says. The agent 'just looks at me like, You know, I can read anything on your computer. I'm entitled to anything here.' And at that point, I remember having tears in my eyes. I was completely and utterly powerless."&nbsp;Pathan couldn't accept it.

"You go to school with other people of different backgrounds and you realize ... What the promise of the United States is,"&nbsp;he says. "And when you see it not living up to that promise, then I think it instils in us a sense of wanting to help and fix that."&nbsp;He now works as the San Francisco Bay Area director for the nonprofit Islamic Networks Group, where he hopes to help a younger generation grow confident in their Muslim identity.

Pathan recently chatted with a group of boys about their summer activities. At times, the boys ate watermelon or played on a trampoline. At other moments, the talk turned serious: What would they do if a student pretended to blow himself up while yelling "Allahu akbar,"&nbsp;or "God is great"? What can they do about stereotypical depictions of Muslims on TV?

"I had always viewed 9/11 as probably one of the most pivotal moments of my life and of the lives of Americans across the board,"&nbsp;Pathan says.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-911-changed-air-travel-more-security-less-privacy-411141">How 9/11 changed air travel: More security, less privacy</a>

"The aftermath of it ... Is what pushed me to do what I do today."

That aftermath has also helped motivate Shukri Olow to do what she is doing;&nbsp;run for office. Born in Somalia, Olow fled the civil war with her family and lived in refugee camps in Kenya for years before coming to the United States when she was 10.

She found a home in a vibrant public housing complex in the city of Kent, south of Seattle. There, residents from different countries communicated across language and cultural barriers, borrowing salt from each other or watching one another's kids. Olow felt she flourished in that environment.

Then 9/11 happened. She recalls feeling confused when a teacher asked her, "What are your people doing?"&nbsp;But she also remembers others who said that "this isn't our fault... And we need to make sure that you're safe."

In a 2017 Pew Research Center survey of US&nbsp;Muslims, nearly half of respondents said they experienced at least one instance of religious discrimination within the year before; yet 49 per cent said someone expressed support for them because of their religion in the previous year.

Overwhelmingly, the study found respondents proud to be both Muslim and American. For some, including Olow, there were occasional identity crises growing up. 
'Who am I?',&nbsp;which I think is what many young people kind of go through in life in general,"&nbsp;she says. "But for those of us who live at the intersection of anti-Blackness and Islamophobia ... It was really hard."

But her experiences from that time also helped form her identity. She is now seeking a seat on the King County Council.

"There are many young people who have multiple identities who have felt that they don't belong here, that they are not welcomed here,"&nbsp;she says. "I was one of those young people. And so, I try to do what I can to make sure that more of us know that this is our nation, too."

After 9/11, some American Muslims chose to dispel misconceptions about their faith by building personal connections. They shared coffee or broke bread with strangers as they fielded myriad questions:&nbsp;from how Islam views women and Jesus to how to combat extremism.

Mansoor Shams has travelled across the US&nbsp;With a sign that reads: "I'm Muslim and a US&nbsp;Marine, ask anything."&nbsp;It's part of the 39-year-old's efforts to teach others about his faith and counter hate through dialogue.

Shams, who served in the Marines from 2000 to 2004, was called names like "Taliban,"&nbsp;"terrorist"&nbsp;and "Osama bin Laden"&nbsp;by some of his fellow Marines after 9/11.

One of his most memorable interactions, he says, was at Liberty University in Virginia, where he spoke in 2019 to students of the Christian institution. Some, he says, still call him with questions about Islam.

"There's this mutual love and respect,"&nbsp;he says.&nbsp;

Shams wishes his current work wasn't needed but feels a responsibility to share a counternarrative he says many Americans don't know.

A car passed, the driver's window rolled down and the man spat an epithet at two little girls wearing their hijabs: "Terrorist!" It was 2001, mere weeks after the twin towers at the World Trade Center fell, and 10-year-old Shahana Hanif and her younger sister were walking to the local mosque from their Brooklyn home.

A car passed, the driver's window rolled down and the man spat an epithet at two little girls wearing their hijabs: "Terrorist!" It was 2001, mere weeks after the twin towers at the World Trade Center fell, and 10-year-old Shahana Hanif and her younger sister were walking to the local mosque from their Brooklyn home. Also read | Trial of accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed restarts, days before attack's 20th anniversary Unsure, afraid, the girls ran. As the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks approaches, Hanif can still recall the shock of the moment, her confusion over how anyone could look at her, a child, and see a threat. "It's not a nice, kind word. It means violence, it means dangerous. It is meant to shock whoever ... Is on the receiving end of it," she says. But the incident also spurred a determination to speak out for herself and others that has helped get her to where she is today: a community organizer strongly favoured to win a seat on the New York City Council in the upcoming municipal election. Like Hanif, other young American Muslims have grown up under the shadow of 9/11. Many have faced hostility and surveillance, mistrust and suspicion, questions about their Muslim faith and doubts over their Americanness. They've also found ways forward, ways to fight back against bias, to organize, to craft nuanced personal narratives about their identities. In the process, they've built bridges, challenged stereotypes and carved out new spaces for themselves. There is "this sense of being Muslim as a kind of important identity marker, regardless of your relationship with Islam as a faith," says Eman Abdelhadi, a sociologist at The University of Chicago who studies Muslim communities. Also read | The dogs of 9/11: Their failed searches for life helped sustain it "That's been one of the main effects in people's lives, it has shaped the ways the community has developed." A poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted ahead of the 9/11 anniversary found that 53 per cent of Americans have unfavourable views toward Islam, compared with 42 per cent who have favourable ones. This stands in contrast to Americans' opinions about Christianity and Judaism, for which most respondents expressed favourable views. Mistrust and suspicion of Muslims didn't start with 9/11, but the attacks dramatically intensified those animosities. Accustomed to being ignored or targeted by low-level harassment, the country's wide-ranging and diverse Muslim communities were foisted into the spotlight, says Youssef Chouhoud, a political scientist at Christopher Newport University in Virginia. "Your sense of who you were was becoming more formed, not just Muslim but American Muslim," he says. "What distinguished you as an American Muslim? Could you be fully both, or did you have to choose? There was a lot of grappling with what that meant." In Hanif's case, there was no blueprint to navigate the complexities of that time. "Fifth-grader me wasn't naive or too young to know Muslims are in danger," she later wrote in an essay about the aftermath of 9/11. "...Flashing an American flag from our first-floor windows didn't make me more American. Born in Brooklyn didn't make me more American." A young Hanif gathered neighbourhood friends, and an older cousin helped them write a letter to then-President George W. Bush asking for protection. Also read | Is 9/11 a day, or is it an Era? "We knew," she says, "that we would become like warriors of this community." But being warriors often carries a price, with wounds that linger. Ishaq Pathan, 26, recalls the time a boy told him he seemed angry and wondered if he was going to blow up their Connecticut school. He remembers the helplessness he felt when he was taken aside at an airport for additional questioning upon returning to the United States after a college semester in Morocco. The agent looked through his belongings, including the laptop where he kept a private journal and started reading it. "I remember being like, Hey, do you have to read that?" Pathan says. The agent 'just looks at me like, You know, I can read anything on your computer. I'm entitled to anything here.' And at that point, I remember having tears in my eyes. I was completely and utterly powerless." Pathan couldn't accept it. "You go to school with other people of different backgrounds and you realize ... What the promise of the United States is," he says. "And when you see it not living up to that promise, then I think it instils in us a sense of wanting to help and fix that." He now works as the San Francisco Bay Area director for the nonprofit Islamic Networks Group, where he hopes to help a younger generation grow confident in their Muslim identity. Pathan recently chatted with a group of boys about their summer activities. At times, the boys ate watermelon or played on a trampoline. At other moments, the talk turned serious: What would they do if a student pretended to blow himself up while yelling "Allahu akbar," or "God is great"? What can they do about stereotypical depictions of Muslims on TV? "I had always viewed 9/11 as probably one of the most pivotal moments of my life and of the lives of Americans across the board," Pathan says. Also read | How 9/11 changed air travel: More security, less privacy "The aftermath of it ... Is what pushed me to do what I do today." That aftermath has also helped motivate Shukri Olow to do what she is doing; run for office. Born in Somalia, Olow fled the civil war with her family and lived in refugee camps in Kenya for years before coming to the United States when she was 10. She found a home in a vibrant public housing complex in the city of Kent, south of Seattle. There, residents from different countries communicated across language and cultural barriers, borrowing salt from each other or watching one another's kids. Olow felt she flourished in that environment. Then 9/11 happened. She recalls feeling confused when a teacher asked her, "What are your people doing?" But she also remembers others who said that "this isn't our fault... And we need to make sure that you're safe." In a 2017 Pew Research Center survey of US Muslims, nearly half of respondents said they experienced at least one instance of religious discrimination within the year before; yet 49 per cent said someone expressed support for them because of their religion in the previous year. Overwhelmingly, the study found respondents proud to be both Muslim and American. For some, including Olow, there were occasional identity crises growing up. 'Who am I?', which I think is what many young people kind of go through in life in general," she says. "But for those of us who live at the intersection of anti-Blackness and Islamophobia ... It was really hard." But her experiences from that time also helped form her identity. She is now seeking a seat on the King County Council. "There are many young people who have multiple identities who have felt that they don't belong here, that they are not welcomed here," she says. "I was one of those young people. And so, I try to do what I can to make sure that more of us know that this is our nation, too." After 9/11, some American Muslims chose to dispel misconceptions about their faith by building personal connections. They shared coffee or broke bread with strangers as they fielded myriad questions: from how Islam views women and Jesus to how to combat extremism. Mansoor Shams has travelled across the US With a sign that reads: "I'm Muslim and a US Marine, ask anything." It's part of the 39-year-old's efforts to teach others about his faith and counter hate through dialogue. Shams, who served in the Marines from 2000 to 2004, was called names like "Taliban," "terrorist" and "Osama bin Laden" by some of his fellow Marines after 9/11. One of his most memorable interactions, he says, was at Liberty University in Virginia, where he spoke in 2019 to students of the Christian institution. Some, he says, still call him with questions about Islam. "There's this mutual love and respect," he says. Shams wishes his current work wasn't needed but feels a responsibility to share a counternarrative he says many Americans don't know.

Two decades after 9/11, Muslim Americans still fighting bias

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