America vows to never forget 9/11 attacks, 18 years on as victims’ relatives condemn gun violence and Rep. Ilhan Omar’s remarks

Americans commemorated September 11 with solemn ceremonies and vows on Wednesday to “never forget” 18 years after the deadliest terror attack on American soil. Victims’ relatives assembled at ground zero, where the observance began with a moment of silence and the tolling of bells at 8.46am – the exact time a hijacked plane slammed into the World Trade Centre’s north tower. “As long as the city will gift us this moment, I will be here,” Margie Miller, who lost her husband, Joel, said at the ceremony, which she attends every year. “I want people to remember.” After so many years of anniversaries, she has come to know other victims’ relatives and to appreciate being with them. “There’s smiles in between the tears that say we didn’t do this journey on our own, that we were here for each other,” she said. Elsewhere around the country, President Donald Trump laid a wreath at the Pentagon, saying: “This is your anniversary of personal and permanent loss.” And Vice-President Mike Pence was expected to speak at the third crash site, near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The nation is still grappling with the aftermath of September 11, 2001. The effects are visible from airport security checkpoints to Afghanistan, where the US invasion has become America’s longest war. Earlier this week, Trump called off a secret meeting at Camp David with Taliban and Afghan government leaders and declared the peace talks “dead”. As the September 11 anniversary began in Afghanistan, a rocket exploded at the US Embassy just after midnight. Uncle Joey, I wish I got to know you Joseph Henry, nephew of a victim The political legacy of September 11 flowed into the ground zero ceremony, too. After reading victims’ names, Nicholas Haros Jnr used his turn at the podium to tear into Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota over her recent “some people did something” reference to the tragedy. “Madam, objectively speaking, we know who and what was done,” Haros, who lost his mother, Frances, said as he reminded the audience of the al-Qaeda attackers. “Our constitutional freedoms were attacked, and our nation’s founding on Judeo-Christian values was attacked. That’s what ‘some people’ did. Got that now?” he said to applause. Omar, one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress, has said she did not intend to minimise what happened on September 11, and she accused critics of taking her words out of context. Haros’ remarks weren’t the only political message to draw applause at ground zero. So did Debra Epps’ plea for tighter gun laws. “This country – in 18 years, you would think it had made changes to bring us to more peace. However, gun violence has gone rampant,” said Epps, who lost her brother, Christopher. Rocket blast at US embassy in Kabul on 9/11 anniversary The anniversary ceremonies centre on remembering the nearly 3,000 people killed when hijacked planes slammed into the World Trade Centre, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001. All those victims’ names are read aloud at the ground zero ceremony by loved ones – now, quite often, ones too young to have known their lost relatives. “Uncle Joey, I wish I got to know you,” Joseph Henry said of his uncle and namesake, firefighter Joseph Patrick Henry. Others made a point of spotlighting the suffering of firefighters, police and others who died or fell ill after exposure to the smoke and dust at ground zero. A compensation fund for people with health problems potentially related to September 11 has awarded more than US$5.5 billion so far. More than 51,000 people have applied. Over the summer, Congress made sure the fund will not run dry. The sick gained new recognition this year at the memorial plaza at ground zero, where the new September 11 Memorial Glade was dedicated this spring. September 11 has also become known also a day of service. People around the country volunteer at food banks, schools, home-building projects, park clean-ups and other charitable endeavours on and near the anniversary.