Trump marks September 11 anniversary as ‘endless’ war with Islamists rages on
DONALD Trump marked his third 9/11 anniversary as President with a moment of silence as his frustration grows over what he calls the “endless war” in Afghanistan, where al-Qaida conceived the attacks.
It has been 18 years since al-Qaida hijackers commandeered four US commercial airliners and crashed them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Like Presidents Barack Obama and George W Bush, Mr Trump marked the day with the war still raging.
Mr Trump participated in a moment of silence yesterday on the White House South Lawn with first lady Melania Trump and White House staff.
He went to the Pentagon afterwards to honour those who died in the largest attack on American soil.
Meanwhile, a new oral history of 9/11 has revealed graphic accounts of how the professionals in the aviation front line responded as the horror of the day unfolded.
A total of 2,977 people died after Islamist hijackers took over four transcontinental aircraft — two departing from Boston, one from New York Newark and one from Washington Dulles.
Garrett M Graff, author of The Only Plane In The Sky, listened to 2,000 personal stories and has compiled the key extracts.
Peter Zalewski was the air traffic controller at the Boston Center in New Hampshire.
Mohamed Atta, the leader of the 19 terrorists, had killed the pilots on a Boeing 767 and taken
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump observe a moment of silence with survivors, families of victims and White House staff
over the flight deck. He had intended to address the passengers. But instead he spoke to air traffic control.
“I remember him saying: ‘Nobody move, please. We’re going back to the airport’. I will never forget that feeling. Oh, my God! The plane’s being hijacked.”
The pilots who were on board United 175 also heard Atta’s commands and reported to New York air traffic control: “We heard a suspicious transmission on our departure from BOS — sounds like someone keyed the mic and said: ‘Everyone stay in your seats’.”
Ten minutes later controllers attempted to pass on more instructions.
“United 175, do you read New York?” There was no response.
On board the Boeing 767, passengers made frantic calls to their loved ones.
Peter Hanson, who was travelling
with his wife Sue and twoyear-old daughter Christine, told his father: “I think they intend to go to Chicago or someplace and fly into a building. Don’t worry, dad, if it happens it’ll be very fast.”
Christine Hanson was the youngest victim on September 11.