WASHINGTON - Exactly three months after the first plane smashed into the World Trade Center, America's national anthem rang from the White House to outer space as President George W. Bush vowed to defeat tyranny.
At 8.46 am (2.46 am New Zealand time yesterday), across the United States, throughout the world and on board the International Space Station orbiting Earth, The Star-Spangled Banner was played in honour of the nearly 3300 people who died in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania in the attacks.
Bush and his wife, Laura, blinking back tears, stood side by side, hands on their hearts as a Marine band struck up the national anthem in the East Room of the White House, itself a potential target in the assaults by hijacked aeroplanes.
"We remember the cruelty of the murderers and the pain and anguish of the murdered," said Bush.
"Every one of the innocents who died on September 11 was the most important person on Earth to somebody. Every death extinguished a world."
From Albania to Zimbabwe, at US embassies and elsewhere, similar events were meant to remind the world that more than 80 countries lost citizens in the destruction and to stiffen the resolve of Bush's international anti-terror coalition.
Bush vowed to "right this huge wrong".
"When we fight terror, we fight tyranny, and so we remember," he said. "Today a wrong is being righted, and justice is being done.
"We still have far to go and many dangers lie ahead, yet there can be no doubt how this conflict will end."
In the audience were firefighters, police officers, rescue workers and families of the victims, including Lyzbeth Glick, the widow of Jeremy Glick.
Glick was a passenger involved in an uprising against the hijackers on United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania, killing 44. Many believe the rebellion kept the plane from crashing into the US Capitol or the White House.
More than 320km above Earth, on the orbiting International Space Station, American and Russian astronauts marked the solemn anniversary by playing both countries' national anthems.
"People all around the world were affected by this terrible event," said Frank Culbertson, the station commander, who saw the fires in New York and Washington from orbit with his Russian crewmates, Vladimir Dezhurov and Mikhail Turin.
In Dresden, Germany, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder led a silent tribute and in Athens, Greece, an open-air concert marked the anniversary.
- REUTERS
Story archives:
Links: Terror in America - the Sept 11 attacks
Timeline: Major events since the Sept 11 attacks
Bush tearful and defiant on tragic anniversary
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