Give Kids A Place To Go For 9/11 Anniversary

Nickelodeon, Ellberbee give kids a place go for 9/11 anniversary

Of all the programming coming in the next several weeks related to the 10th anniversary of 9/11, the most important for children might well be the special edition of "Nick News with Linda Ellerbee" scheduled for Sept. 1, "What Happened?: The Story of September 11, 2001." The commercial-free special is designed to give children a tailor-made forum for emotions and understanding regarding the tragic events.

Ellerbee said she found there was all kinds of misinformation among kids about 9/11, such as "I heard that there were 500 planes that disappeared in the air."

"The most stunning one was, 'I heard that 9/11 never happened,'" Ellberbee said.

In her 20 years of producing groundbreaking news specials aimed at children, Ellerbee said she has learned not to talk down to children and not to be afraid to be straight with them. She also has a philosophy about addressing tragedy.

"Wherever you see bad stuff happening, you see good people trying to make it better," she said.

Posted: Fri, July 29, 2011, 3:12 PM


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Intrepid Museum Honors Organizers Of Multi-City September 11th Run

Runners from across the nation are getting ready to lace up their sneakers on September 11th.

A kickoff event for the 9/11 Heroes Run was held at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum Thursday.

The five-kilometer run is being held in 25 cities on the 10th anniversary of the terror attacks.

Proceeds will go to the Travis Manion Foundation, which assists wounded veterans and their families.

Before being killed in combat, Manion visited Rescue One, a first-responder unit which lost nearly all of their men on September 11th.

"He came home with a 9/11 hat that they had given him, and the words on the hat said '9/11 Never Forget.' And he handed that to my husband and he said 'Dad, I want you to wear this while I'm gone.' This is why I'm fighting for our freedom," said Janet Manion, Travis' mother.

For more information, visit 911HeroesRun.com.

Ground Zero Cross to be permanent artifact at 9/11 Museum

One of those artifacts, a cross-shaped steel beam found amid the rubble, has stirred controversy in recent days. American Atheists, a nonprofit group, filed a lawsuit arguing that the cross, which became a symbol of hope to many in the days after the attacks, violated the Constitution because it is a religious symbol and the museum is partly financed by the government.

Mr. Bloomberg, asked about the lawsuit, defended the cross, saying it was a part of history.

“In a museum you want to show things that impacted people’s behavior back then, even if you don’t think it was right,” he said. “Museums are for history.”

He noted that other religious artifacts would be displayed, including a Star of David cut from the steel of the towers, a Jewish prayer shawl and a Bible.

“A lot of people looked to religion for strength after the attack,” he said. “You shouldn’t tell people what religion to practice or whether to practice a religion, but you also shouldn’t prevent people from practicing any religion they want in any ways they want.”

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Presidents to Participate in 9/11 10th Anniversary Ceremony

MANHATTAN — President Barack Obama will join former President George W. Bush at the name-reading ceremony commemorating the 10th Anniversary of the September 11 attacks, marking the first time a president has participated in the event.

Speaking on his weekly radio show, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that both presidents will be reading poems to mark the solemn day.

"There are no speeches whatsoever," the mayor said. “This cannot be political. That’s why there’s a poem or a quote or something that each of the readers will read."

While both presidents have visited the site before, this is the first time either will participate in the ceremony, a spokeswoman for the mayor confirmed


The highest-ranked White House officials to have participated in the official ceremony in the past have been Vice President Joseph Biden, who was there in 2009 and 2010 and Vice President Dick Cheney, who was there for the 2003 ceremony, the mayor's office said.


While the ceremony has always included the reading of the names of those who died at Ground Zero during the attack, the names of those who died at the Pentagon as well as in the plane crash in Shanksville, Pa., will also be recited for the first time this year.

There will be moments of silence to mark when the planes hit and when the towers crumbled, as well as to commemorate the two additional attacks.

The presidents will be joined by a select group of officials including governors Andrew Cuomo, Chris Christie of New Jersey and George Pataki, who was governor at the time of the attacks.

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani will also participate, alongside Bloomberg.

“That’s it,” Bloomberg said.

"There’s an awful lot of people who would like to participate and you just can't do that."

In addition to the readings, the family members in attendance will be allowed to walk through the memorial plazas and look at their family members' names on the memorial wall.

The public will be allowed access the next day.



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General Motors Helps Expand 9/11 Heroes Run

NEW YORK, July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As the nation nears the 10th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the General Motors Foundation and Chevrolet today donated $250,000 to the Travis Manion Foundation to help grow participation around the country in the 9/11 Heroes Run.

The 9/11 Heroes Run will bring communities together in more than 25 U.S. cities to honor military, police, firefighters and first responders who have given their lives to protect and save others. Proceeds from the 5K races will go to the families of fallen heroes.

The Manion family formed the foundation in 2007 after Marine 1st Lt. Travis Manion was killed by sniper fire while defending against an enemy ambush during a patrol mission in Fallujah, Iraq. In an unusual move, the Iraqis named their operating base Combat Outpost Manion, one of few Iraqi facilities named for an American service member.

Before leaving for his last tour, Manion visited Rescue One in New York City, the First Responder unit that lost more than half its members helping others following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"After a day of sharing their experiences with Travis, he came home even more inspired to serve our country," said his mother Janet Manion. "He gave his father a Rescue One hat that read 'Never Forget' and asked that his father wear it while he was gone. That's why we started the 9/11 Heroes Run four years ago... to honor and remember."

In addition to the 9/11 Heroes Run, the foundation operates the Character Does Matter Leadership Program, programs to Honor the Fallen, and funds Good Grief seminars, scholarships and community service projects that benefit U.S. veterans and families of the fallen.

"We hold our nation's military personnel and their families in the highest regard, and it's our honor to support the families of our fallen heroes," said GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson. "I'm personally honored to know the Manion family and to be associated with such a worthwhile endeavor in Travis' name and memory."

Manion, whose father was also a Marine, excelled in the classroom and as an athlete at the Naval Academy, winning several leadership awards and being a nationally ranked wrestler. He was also awarded the Silver Star and the Bronze Star with Valor for his actions in Iraq. Manion Hall at the Basic School in Quantico, Va., is named after Travis and stands as a reminder to future generations of Marine officers of his leadership on and off the battlefield.

Chevrolet is the official pace vehicle of the 9/11 Heroes Run, the brand's latest support for military families. Chevrolet's longstanding commitment includes the GM Military Discount program which provided more than 70,000 discounts in 2010 to military personnel and their families with a cumulative value of more than $60 million.

Those who want to volunteer or register to participate in one of the runs can learn more here.

About the Travis Manion Foundation

Not long after Travis was killed by enemy sniper fire in Iraq, checks in his memory began appearing at the Manion's home. In lieu of flowers, checks from all over the country and the world soon amounted to more than $100,000 and Tom and Janet vowed to give every penny to worthy causes. The year following Travis' death, the newly formed Travis Manion Foundation presented $180,000 in scholarships, $85,000 to Fellowships for wounded and disabled veterans through The Mission Continues, and more than $45,000 for Good Grief seminars to help families of the fallen. Today, the Foundation operates three major programs that Honor the Fallen by Challenging the Living through a Character Does Matter Leadership program, a program that Honors the Fallen, and the 9/11 Heroes Run each September 11th – while still funding Good Grief seminars, scholarships, and community service projects that benefit our Nation's veterans and Families of the Fallen.

About Chevrolet

Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 120 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers "gas-friendly to gas-free" solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com

About the GM Foundation
Since its inception in 1976, the GM Foundation has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to deserving American charities, educational organizations and to disaster relief efforts worldwide. The GM Foundation focuses on supporting Education, Health and Human Services, Environment and Energy and Community Development initiatives, mainly in the communities where GM operates. Funding of the GM Foundation comes solely from GM. The last contribution to the GM Foundation was made in 2001. For more information, visit www.gm.com/corporate/responsibility/community.


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State Department issues new Worldwide Caution of Terrorist Threat

July 26, 2011

The Department of State has issued this Worldwide Caution to update information on the continuing threat of terrorist actions and violence against U.S. citizens and interests throughout the world. U.S. citizens are reminded to maintain a high level of vigilance and to take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness. This replaces the Worldwide Caution dated January 31, 2011, to provide updated information on security threats and terrorist activities worldwide.

The Department of State remains concerned about the continued threat of terrorist attacks, demonstrations, and other violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests overseas. The Department of State believes there is an enhanced potential for anti-American violence given the death of Osama Bin Laden in May 2011. Current information suggests that Al-Qa’ida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks against U.S. interests in multiple regions, including Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. These attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics including suicide operations, assassinations, kidnappings, hijackings, and bombings.

Extremists may elect to use conventional or non-conventional weapons, and target both official and private interests. Examples of such targets include high-profile sporting events, residential areas, business offices, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, public areas, and other tourist destinations both in the United States and abroad where U.S. citizens gather in large numbers, including during holidays.

U.S. citizens are reminded of the potential for terrorists to attack public transportation systems and other tourist infrastructure. Extremists have targeted and attempted attacks on subway and rail systems, aviation, and maritime services. In the past several years, these types of attacks have occurred in cities such as Moscow, London, Madrid, Glasgow, and New York City.

Current information suggests that Al-Qa’ida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks against U.S. and Western interests in Europe. European governments have taken action to guard against terrorist attack, and some have spoken publicly about the heightened threat conditions. In the past several years, attacks have been planned or occurred in various European cities.

Credible information indicates terrorist groups also seek to continue attacks against U.S. interests in the Middle East and North Africa. For example, Iraq remains dangerous and unpredictable. Attacks against military and civilian targets throughout Iraq continue. Methods of attack have included roadside improvised explosive devices, mortars, and shootings; kidnappings still occur as well. Security threat levels remain high in Yemen due to terrorist activities there. The U.S. Embassy has had to close several times in response to ongoing threats by Al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). U.S. citizens as well as other Westerners have been targeted for attack in Yemen. U.S. citizens have also been the targets of numerous terrorist attacks in Lebanon in the past (though none recently) and the threat of anti-Western terrorist activity continues to exist there. In Algeria, terrorist attacks occur regularly, particularly in the Kabylie region of the country. In the past, terrorists have targeted oil processing facilities in both Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

The events of the last few months in many countries in the Middle East, including Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, and Syria, have resulted in civil unrest and large-scale protests and demonstrations. The situation in Libya remains volatile and dangerous and the threat of violent military and terrorist operations remains high, even in opposition-controlled areas. U.S. citizens are warned that demonstrations intended to be peaceful can escalate into violent clashes. U.S. citizens are reminded that demonstrations and riots can occur with little or no warning. U.S. citizens are urged to avoid areas of demonstrations if possible and to exercise caution if within the vicinity of a demonstration.

A number of Al-Qa’ida operatives and other extremists are believed to be operating in and around Africa. Since the July 11, 2010 terrorist bombings in Kampala, Uganda, for which the Somalia-based, U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility, there have been increased threats against public areas across East Africa. The terrorist attacks of August and September 2010 against the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and African Union (AU) peacekeeping forces in Somalia, as well as the bombing of hotels and minibuses in Somalia, highlight the vulnerabilities to terrorist attacks in East Africa and around the world. Additionally, the terrorist group Al-Qa’ida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has declared its intention to attack Western targets throughout the Sahel (which includes Mali, Mauritania, and Niger). It has claimed responsibility for kidnappings, attempted kidnappings, and the murder of several Westerners throughout the region, including southern Algeria.

U.S. citizens considering travel by sea near the Horn of Africa or in the southern Red Sea should exercise extreme caution, as there has been a notable increase in armed attacks, robberies, and kidnappings for ransom by pirates. Merchant vessels continue to be hijacked in Somali territorial waters, while others have been hijacked as far as 1,000 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia, Yemen, and Kenya in international waters.

The U.S. government maritime authorities advise mariners to avoid the port of Mogadishu and to remain at least 200 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia. In addition, when transiting around the Horn of Africa or in the Red Sea, it is strongly recommended that vessels travel in convoys and maintain good communications at all times. U.S. citizens traveling on commercial passenger vessels should consult with the shipping or cruise-ship company regarding precautions that will be taken to avoid hijacking incidents. Commercial vessels should review the Department of Transportation Maritime Administration's suggested piracy countermeasures for vessels transiting the Gulf of Aden, which can be found at http://www.marad.dot.gov/

The U.S. government continues to receive information that terrorist groups in South and Central Asia may also be planning attacks in the region, possibly against U.S. government facilities, U.S. citizens, or U.S. interests. The presence of Al-Qa’ida and its affiliates [Taliban elements, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, indigenous sectarian groups, and other terror organizations, many of which are on the U.S. government's list of Foreign Terror Organizations (FTOs), poses a potential danger to U.S. citizens in the region. Terrorists and their sympathizers have demonstrated their willingness and ability to attack targets where U.S. citizens or Westerners are known to congregate or visit. Their actions may include, but are not limited to, vehicle-born explosive attacks, improvised explosive device attacks, assassinations, carjackings, rocket attacks, assaults, or kidnappings.

Such attacks have occurred in a number of South Asian states, including Pakistan, where a number of extremist groups continue to target U.S. and other Western citizens and interests, and Pakistani government and military/law enforcement personnel. Suicide bombing attacks continue to occur throughout the country on a regular basis, often targeting government authorities such as police checkpoints and military installations, as well as public areas such as mosques, and shopping areas. In Afghanistan, remnants of the former Taliban regime and the Al-Qa’ida terrorist network, as well as other groups hostile to International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)/NATO military operations, remain active. There is an ongoing threat of kidnapping and assassination of U.S. citizens and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) workers throughout the country. There is an increased threat of terrorism in India. Terrorists have targeted public placesin Indiafrequented by Westerners, including luxury and other hotels, trains, train stations, markets, cinemas, mosques, and restaurants in large urban areas.

Supporters of terrorist groups such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Al-Qa’ida, the Islamic Jihad Union, and the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement are active in the Central Asian region. Members of these groups have expressed anti-U.S. sentiments and attacked U.S. government interests in the past. Previous terrorist attacks conducted in Central Asia have involved improvised explosive devices, suicide bombings, assassinations, and kidnappings.

Before You Go

The Department of State encourages U.S. citizens living overseas or planning to travel abroad to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). When you enroll in STEP, we can keep you up to date with important safety and security announcements. Enrolling will also make it easier for the Embassy to contact you in the event of an emergency. You should remember to keep all of your information in STEP up to date; it is particularly important when you enroll or update your information to include a current phone number and e-mail address.

U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance, be aware of local events, and take the appropriate steps to bolster their personal security. For additional information, please refer to "A Safe Trip Abroad".

U.S. government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert. These facilities may temporarily close or periodically suspend public services to assess their security posture. In those instances, U.S. embassies and consulates will make every effort to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens. U.S. citizens abroad are urged to monitor the local news and maintain contact with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

As the Department of State continues to develop information on potential security threats to U.S. citizens overseas, it shares credible threat information through its Consular Information Program documents, such as Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, Country Information, and country specific Messages and Emergency Messages, all of which are available on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website at http://travel.state.gov/. Stay up to date by bookmarking our website or downloading our free Smart Traveler iPhone App for travel information at your fingertips. Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well.

In addition to information on the internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or, from other countries, on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Monday through Friday, Eastern Time (except U.S. federal holidays).
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"9/11: Day that Changed the world," two-hour special from Smithsonian Channel

The upcoming 10th anniversary of 9/11 will set off a spate of programming reflecting on the tragedy. A newly announced two-hour special from Smithsonian Channel, "9/11: Day that Changed the world," aims to put a new spin on the subgenre. In it, the channel said Tuesday, the story of the historic day will be told from the point of view of insiders and those in power.

Among those interviewed are then-First Lady Laura Bush, former Vice President Dick Cheney, former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and former White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card. Also included will be then-New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, who will make rare appearance in a 9/11 retrospective, something he often shies away from. Giuliani is to host the evening and offer his views on the day and the anniversary.

Martin Sheen will narrate the special, which will debut on Sept 5.

The programming, Smithsonian said in a statement, will track the 24 hours of 9/11 "to show how the events of the day developed in the airplanes, offices, bunkers, and military headquarters where the President, advisors, security personnel and military were trying to piece together what was happening, who was attacking, and what might happen next.”

In addition to television, the program will be available free of charge on iTunes and on SmithsonianChannel.com. "Day" joins "Rebirth," Jim Whitaker's Sundance hit about the victims of the attack, which is to air on Showtime in conjunction with the anniversary, as well as what will likely be other broadcast and cable specials.

National Geographic secures George Bush exclusive for 9/11 doc

National Geographic Channel (NGC) is to mark the forthcoming anniversary of 9/11 with an exclusive interview with George W Bush (pictured), in which the former president recounts and reflects on his personal experiences of the terror attacks a decade ago.

George W. Bush: The 9/11 Interview will air on NGC in the U.S. on August 28 and in the UK on September 6, representing the cornerstone of the network’s 9/11-themed programming.

The documentary was taped over the course of a two-day interview, and sees Bush opening up “with candid details and personal experiences on the grueling hours and pressure-packed days following the attacks,” according to the network.

The doc will also feature never-before-released archival footage and exclusive materials directly from the George W. Bush Presidential Library. With the interview, the president did not request final approval or ask to see the questions beforehand, but stipulated that the questioning be limited solely to 9/11, and not to other aspects of his presidency.

Recalling his visit to Ground Zero on September 14, Bush says in the doc: “From the air it looked like… a giant scar. But when I actually got to the site, it was like walking into hell.” Elsewhere, he reflects on the death of Osama Bin Laden, saying, “I didn’t feel any great sense of happiness or jubilation. I felt a sense of closure. And I felt a sense of gratitude that justice had been done.”

The interview represents a notable coup for Nat Geo. Bush has received thousands of interview requests since leaving office in 2008, but has kept a low profile. The doc will represent the first time the former president has discussed on camera what he was thinking and feeling, and what drove his real-time decisions in the first minutes, hours and days after the attacks.

The doc is produced by Partisan Pictures. The director-producer is Peter Schnall; the producer-writer is Don Campbell; the editor is Connie Rinehart; the coordinating producer is Whitney Johnson, and the associate producer is Kyle Giddens.

For National Geographic Channels International, the exec producer is Allan Butler, while the senior VP of programming and production is Michael Cascio.

In the UK, the special will form part of Nat Geo’s ’9/11 Week,’ premiering from September 5-9 and encompassing eight hours of new programming. During the week the net will investigate not only what happened and why, but also subsequent events, including the hunt for Bin Laden.

As previously reported, Seconds From Disaster (airing September 5 at 9 p.m. GMT) focuses on the critical minutes as air traffic controllers and the U.S. air force reacted to the hijackings and attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Elsewhere, 9/11: Washington Under Attack (September 5 at 10 p.m.) tells the stories of the people of Washington DC, the other 9/11 city where a passenger jet was crashed into the Pentagon; while 9/11: Ten Years Later (September 7 at 9 p.m.) updates a doc filmed partly inside the Twin Towers by two French filmmakers in the chaos after the attacks.

The film has been updated 10 years on to tell what happened to some of the surviving firemen featured in the original film, which was simply called 9/11.

Finally, 9/11: The World’s Fallen (September 8 at 9 p.m.) looks at “the lives of those who were making a new life in America when they found themselves in the Twin Towers on the fateful day,” according to the network; while Inside 9/11: What Happened Next (September 9 at 9 p.m.) is the story of what occurred after the attacks – America’s war on terror, the invasion of Afghanistan and the secret operations to take out Al Qaeda figures.

“9/11 is a terrible milestone in world history. Ten years on we have the benefit of time to take a closer look at these unforgettable stories,” said National Geographic Channel UK general manager Simon Bohrsmann.



Read more: http://realscreen.com/2011/07/27/nat-geo-secures-george-bush-exclusive-for-911-doc/#ixzz1TMXfrAqI

Yahoo!, communities across U.S. to honor 9/11 anniversary

On September 11, 2011, business as usual at Yahoo! will pause for a Digital Moment of Silence to honor those killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. At 8:26 a.m. ET, the moment the first plane crashed into the World Trade Center, normal service on the site will cease for one minute. During that time, Yahoo! will encourage visitors to reflect on the victims of the attack and to share their own stories about how 9/11 affected them. Visitors will also have the opportunity to donate to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.

Communities across the country will also be honoring those who were lost in the tragedy. Below is a list of how some areas plan to remember the fallen. If your city, town, neighborhood, or civic group is planning to hold a ceremony or a moment of silence to honor the day, share it with us.

New York City: The 9/11 Memorial will officially open on September 11 with a ceremony for victims' families at Ground Zero. The Memorial will then open to the public on the next day for visitors who reserved passes in advance. On September 10, Community Board 1 will hold Hands Across Lower Manhattan, an event open to all on the West Side Waterfront.

Washington, D.C.: Those who died in the attack at the Pentagon will be honored at a ceremony featuring 700 people, including family members of the deceased and members of the military. It will take place at the Pentagon Memorial, which opened in 2008.

Shanksville, Pennsylvania: A commemorative service to honor those who gave up their lives on Flight 93 will take place at 9:30 a.m. ET on September 11 at the Memorial Plaza. Musical tributes, wreath layings, and additional activities will continue throughout the afternoon.

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PBS Announces Plans for 9/11 Anniversary

PBS has announced plans to commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9/11 with a mixture of new programs and repeats. The schedule, starting in the week leading up to the anniversary, is to include “America Remembers — 9/11,” a “PBS NewsHour” presentation exploring the lasting effects that the terrorist attacks have had across the United States; the New York Philharmonic 10th Anniversary Concert for 9/11, conducted by Alan Gilbert and taped the day before; and “Engineering Ground Zero,” about the construction of One World Trade Center, including interviews with the architect David Childs and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. “Frontline” will also contribute new programs and presentations of previous documentaries focusing on the response to the attacks. PBS.org will supplement the television shows with full-episode streaming.

Bin Laden's Failed Plan to Attack Trains on 9/11 Anniversary

Osama bin Laden was working to assemble a team of militants to attack the U.S. on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, according to communications Navy SEALs seized from his Pakistani hideout when they killed the al Qaeda leader this spring.

Bin Laden and his operations chief, Attiyah Abd al-Rahman, swapped views about the composition of the attack team, with bin Laden repeatedly rejecting names that Mr. Rahman suggested, according to U.S. officials familiar with the intelligence taken from the bin Laden compound.

The plans were only in the discussion phase, U.S. officials said. They haven't seen any signs the nascent plot ever went beyond the early planning, the officials said.

Still, earlier this month in his first meeting with senior staff at the Central Intelligence Agency, acting Director Michael Morell told his staff that one of their top priorities would be to make sure that neither that plan nor any others were carried out.

Plans for an anniversary attack were one of the few specific potential threats to emerge from the trove of documents and other materials taken from bin Laden's residence in Abottabad, Pakistan, in the May 2 raid. An initial analysis of the evidence said al Qaeda hoped to attack trains in the U.S., possibly on the anniversary of Sept. 11.

Other plotting with Mr. Rahman focused on recruiting attackers who had legitimate passports and other travel documents.

Bin Laden communicated with Mr. Rahman largely via documents saved to flash drives that were delivered by trusted couriers, according to people briefed on the communications.

Much of the other threat information in the trove of materials was general in nature or well known, such as al Qaeda's interest in attacking trains.

In the days following the bin Laden raid, officials said the materials seized from the compound showed enthusiasm for carrying out attacks on dates of symbolic significance, prompting U.S. officials to worry about July 4 and Sept. 11. But officials didn't disclose at that time that there had been specific planning for another attack on Sept. 11 this year.

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Work advanced in June on the Sept. 11 Memorial in New York. It is scheduled to be dedicated this year.
.Mr. Rahman ascended within the terrorist organization after al Qaeda's third-in-command, Sheik Sa'id al-Masri, was killed last year in a CIA drone attack in Pakistan. Mr. Rahman has long been on the list of al Qaeda leaders targeted by the U.S.

The bin Laden documents show how central a figure Mr. Rahman had become for the al Qaeda organization, said people briefed on the documents. "Many were not aware of the day-to-day operations role that Attiyah played," said one person.

U.S. intelligence agencies don't know whether al Qaeda ever fielded an attack team or if other details were discussed. For instance, the U.S. doesn't know what targets, if any, bin Laden considered attacking.

Some U.S. officials cautioned that other materials in the trove showed bin Laden was often ignored by his underlings.

"What we found was that he was very isolated, and it is clearly the case he was struggling to continue to hold on to the type of influence and to direct operations in ways he may have been able to do in the past," a U.S. official said.

Counterterrorism officials from half-a-dozen U.S. agencies have completed their reviews of the bin Laden materials, much of which were held at a secure facility at CIA headquarters in Langley, Va.

Beyond the planning for an anniversary attack, the bin Laden trove produced few concrete leads of any sort, largely because information that might have located other terrorist leaders, such as phone numbers, ceased to have value almost the instant the U.S. government obtained it, officials said.

"The treasure trove has not led to any big takedowns, because the bad guys knew we had it" and adapted, a senior U.S. official said.

For example, the two phone numbers that bin Laden had sewn into his clothing at the time he was killed didn't provide actionable leads, the official said. One connected to a public phone center in the tribal areas of Pakistan. The other turned out to be a dead end.

Phone numbers retrieved from phones obtained at the bin Laden compound also led nowhere.

The Obama administration, worried about leaks inside the Pakistani government, did not warn Islamabad prior to the bin Laden raid, and the mission has incited a backlash of anti-U.S. anger. U.S. officials believe some elements of the Pakistani government knew bin Laden's whereabouts.

Since the raid, CIA officials have met repeatedly with their Pakistani counterparts to repair relations.

The most recent such meeting came on Thursday, when Pakistan's intelligence chief, Lt. Gen. Ahmad Shuja Pasha, met with Mr. Morell at CIA headquarters. U.S. officials said the two men agreed on several steps to improve counterterrorism cooperation between the two nations. Gen. Pasha also met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

Past meetings have had mixed results. At a previous meeting, Mr. Morell provided Gen. Pasha with the locations of two bomb-making facilities. American officials were dismayed to discover subsequently that the militants abandoned the facilities before Pakistani authorities raided them.

Write to Siobhan Gorman at siobhan.gorman@wsj.com

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304521304576446213098582284.html

What Did You Keep From Sept. 11, 2001?

Published: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at 8:09 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at 8:09 p.m.
I have my 9/11 relics. I don’t know why I keep them; I can’t say that they make me feel any better. But I keep them nevertheless, as reminders of a world-altering moment, close to where I live and work.

I have a couple of crosses, one made from World Trade Center marble and given to me by a police officer, and another made from the twin towers steel and given to me by a friend who lost someone very close to him. Her name was Ann Nelson, she was from North Dakota, and well after she died, her mother discovered a to-do list on Ann’s laptop: “learn a foreign language; Kilimanjaro; never be ashamed of who I am. ...”

I have the construction helmet that I wore when I camped out near the site with the National Guard, several days after the collapse. I have a flier from the Dakota Roadhouse bar in Lower Manhattan, saying in colorful language that since Osama bin Laden has us working overtime, it’s time to drink. There are other things.

What relics do you have? Do you have scraps of the papers that blew all the way to Brooklyn? A photograph or two that you need to brace yourself to see again? Does your community have a memorial that incorporates something from the catastrophe? The New York Times would like to know. Please send photographs of the relics you have to pix@nyt.com. Tell us, in 125 words or less, why you saved these items and what they mean to you. Some photos will appear in a special report to be published in print and online this Sept. 11. Thank you very much. – DAN BARRY

Note: Your name will be associated with your submission on NYTimes.com. We encourage readers to use their real name or initials


By submitting to us, you are promising that the content is original, doesn’t plagiarize from anyone or infringe a copyright or trademark, doesn’t violate anybody’s rights and isn’t libelous or otherwise unlawful or misleading. You are agreeing that we can use your submission in all manner and media of The New York Times and that we shall have the right to authorize third parties to do so. And you agree to the rules of our Member Agreement, found online at http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/agree.html

Names of all 9/11 victims to be read on anniversary

NEW YORK (AP) — The names of all the Sept. 11 victims will be read for the first time during a ceremony in New York City on the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

Besides the names of those killed at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, relatives will read the names of those lost in terrorist plane crashes at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and in Shanksville, Pa. They also will read the names of the victims of the 1993 trade center bombing.

In all, 2,983 names will be read. In addition, the names will be inscribed in bronze on the memorial plaza.

President Barack Obama is to attend the ceremony, which also marks the opening of the national Sept. 11 memorial to relatives of the victims on Sept. 11, and to the public the next day.

The ceremony will pause six times, each representing when a twin tower was struck and fell, the attack on the Pentagon and the Flight 93 crash in Shanksville. The first moment of silence will be at 8:46 a.m. Eastern time. Local houses of worship are encouraged to sound their bells at that instant.

A "Tribute in Light" commemoration will take place at sundown, with two bolts of light shooting up into the sky symbolizing the towers.

Tickets for the national memorial must be reserved online at www.911memorial.org. The memorial museum is to open next year.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office informed victims' families of the anniversary details by letter this month before releasing the information Tuesday.

Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

A Decade, and Counting, of Publicly Mourning 9/11

Carla Gilkerson, a 54-year-old school bus driver, sits at a table with friends at Abner's diner on Main Street in this small Ohio town. She's never been to New York City and doesn't know a soul who died on Sept. 11 — but talk of the terror attacks a decade ago immediately moves her to tears.

Step outside of Abner's and there, across the road at Main and Center Streets, is one of the largest Sept. 11 memorials outside the attack sites; a granite monument etched with all the victims' names, surrounded by four giant pieces of World Trade Center steel.

Gilkerson often walks and bikes past the memorial, stopping to run her finger over the names. "I feel like I knew them," she said. "And that I can keep their memory alive."

A decade of public mourning for the nearly 3,000 people killed in the nation's worst terror attack hasn't abated; in fact, it thrives in this country, from the steel memorial parks to the fake Statue of Liberty outside a Las Vegas casino to a tiny chapel by ground zero. The attacks have spawned a ritual of extravagant public mourning that hasn't waned; even Americans who didn't lose a loved one on Sept. 11 are still grieving as if they had.

Gilkerson says it best: "I think we'll always mourn our losses from that day."


AP
ADVANCE FOR USE SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2011 AND... View Full Caption
ADVANCE FOR USE SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2011 AND THEREAFTER - Victor, left, and Ben Ortega, brothers from El Paso, Texas, walk along the September 11 memorial outside the New York, New York Hotel and Casino, Wednesday, June 22, 2011, in Las Vegas. Across the country, an extravagant ritual of public grief for "our losses" has not abated in a decade, from public memorials of steel and photos to the palpable sadness of strangers. Experts say Americans are still processing the most tragic public event of their lifetimes, before they can begin to let go. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) CloseExperts in grief say the outsized sorrow for "our losses" is Americans' way of processing the most devastating public event of their lifetimes, which they need to do before they can begin to let go. "This," says Michael Katovich, a Texas sociology professor who teaches on death and dying, "is a process of solidifying our memories."

They're still grieving in Hilliard, a suburb of the state capital of Columbus, and an eight hour's drive from New York City. None of its 28,000 residents died on Sept. 11, yet the people who live in the new subdivisions and work in the small brick buildings that line the downtown still mourned. Mayor Don Schonhardt was one of the mourners, and he went to New York to ask authorities there for trade center steel for the city's memorial.

"We felt it was important to be a community in middle America that would say to the U.S. and the world, that we do remember what happened that day," Schonhardt said.

The memorial fills a city block in the center of town with its two pieces of rusted track from the subway that ran underneath the World Trade Center, and two other large hunks of twisted metal from the towers themselves.

Las Vegas has a permanent memorial at the fake Statue of Liberty outside the New York, New York-Hotel Casino. There's a rotating exhibit of items that were left at the casino in the days after the attacks. Recently, about a dozen Fire Department and police T-shirts from around the U.S. were on display in the shadow boxes, which are lighted at night. The hundreds of other items are archived and stored at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. In a city of excess and fantasy, the memorial — which is across the street from the MGM Grand casino and its golden Lion statue and from Excalibur, a medieval-themed gambling hall — is a sober reminder of reality, and visitors stop and peer into the shadow boxes while walking from one casino to the next.

EDITOR'S NOTE — Tamara Lush is traveling the country writing about the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/tamaralush.



http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=13933576&page=2

Demand Strong to Visit 9/11 Memorial

Despite a technical hiccup that temporarily prevented some people from reserving tickets to the 9/11 Memorial when it opens to the public, 5,000 passes were distributed within the first hour after the ticket system opened at 9 this morning. Within several hours, 11,000 passes had been reserved.

“Basically, it was just a volume issue,” said Michael Frazier, a spokesman for the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. “But that was quickly addressed.”

By early afternoon, all the passes for Sept. 12 and Sept. 13 were taken, and only a handful of times were available for Sept. 14. Tickets for the following weekend, Sept. 17 and 18, were also gone. Mr. Frazier said the memorial encouraged people to reserve passes online for the memorial, which will open on the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks with a ceremony for the families of victims. It will open to the public the next day.
The tickets, which are free, are available on the memorial’s Web site. Groups of 10 or more can reserve tickets by telephone, (212) 266-5200. Each ticket is marked with a half-hour block of time during which the visitor can pass through the security checkpoint, but once visitors are inside they can spend as much time as they wish on the memorial plaza, which can hold 1,500 people.

The memorial lists 2,983 names of victims inscribed in bronze on the walls of two pools that stand where the World Trade Center towers once did. Visitors with passes will enter the memorial at 1 Albany Street. A space for the families of victims, who will use a separate reservation system, will be open at 90 West Street.

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/11/demand-strong-to-visit-911-memorial/

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9/11 Memorial Reservations online starting July 11th

With two months to go before its scheduled opening, the 9/11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan will start taking reservations online on Monday morning.

The passes will be free but will be necessary to enter the memorial, which will open to the public on Sept. 12. The ceremony to unveil the memorial is scheduled for Sept. 11, the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attack that destroyed the World Trade Center and killed almost 3,000 people. But only members of the victims’ families will be allowed to visit the memorial that day.

Starting at 9 a.m. Monday, other people interested in visiting the memorial will be able to obtain passes for half-hour blocks of time through the memorial’s Web site, 911memorial.org. At the time printed on their passes, visitors will be cleared to join the line to enter the memorial’s security screening station. But the length of time each pass holder can spend on the memorial plaza will not be limited, said Joe Daniels, president of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.

On Monday, the memorial will also open a telephone line for reservations for groups of 10 or more, Mr. Daniels said. And each day, a limited number of passes will be available to walk-up visitors at the 9/11 Memorial preview site a couple of blocks away at 20 Vesey Street, he said

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/09/nyregion/911-memorial-reservations-to-be-offered-on-web-site.html

TSA warns of possible airline threat involving implanted bombs

By Christi Parsons

July 6, 2011, 7:48 a.m.
The government has warned airlines that terrorists are considering surgically implanting explosives into people in an attempt to circumvent screening procedures, according to U.S. officials.

There is no indication of an immediate plot, but the new information could lead to additional screening procedures at the nation’s airports. Existing scanners would not necessarily detect bombs implanted under a person’s skin, experts said.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-pn-tsa-implants-20110706,0,7473541.story

How CIA tracked down Bin Laden

(AP) WASHINGTON - After Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden, the White House released a photo of President Obama and his Cabinet inside the Situation Room, watching the daring raid unfold.


Hidden from view, standing just outside the frame of that now-famous photograph was a career CIA analyst. In the hunt for the world's most-wanted terrorist, there may have been no one more important. His job for nearly a decade was finding the al Qaeda leader.


The analyst was the first to put in writing last summer that the CIA might have a legitimate lead on finding bin Laden. He oversaw the collection of clues that led the agency to a fortified compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. His was among the most confident voices telling Obama that bin Laden was probably behind those walls.


Special section: The Killing of Osama bin Laden
A prayer for Osama bin Laden?
Photos: Americans react to death of Osama bin Laden


The CIA will not permit him to speak with reporters. But interviews with former and current U.S. intelligence officials reveal a story of quiet persistence and continuity that led to the greatest counterterrorism success in the history of the CIA. Nearly all the officials insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters or because they did not want their names linked to the bin Laden operation.


The Associated Press has agreed to the CIA's request not to publish the agent's full name and withhold certain biographical details so that he would not become a target for retribution.


Call him John, his middle name.


John was among the hundreds of people who poured into the CIA's Counterterrorism Center after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, bringing fresh eyes and energy to the fight.


He had been a standout in the agency's Russian and Balkan departments. When Vladimir Putin was coming to power in Russia, for instance, John pulled together details overlooked by others and wrote what some colleagues considered the definitive profile of Putin. He challenged some of the agency's conventional wisdom about Putin's KGB background and painted a much fuller portrait of the man who would come to dominate Russian politics.


That ability to spot the importance of seemingly insignificant details, to weave disparate strands of information into a meaningful story, gave him a particular knack for hunting terrorists.


"He could always give you the broader implications of all these details we were amassing," said John McLaughlin, who as CIA deputy director was briefed regularly by John in the mornings after the 2001 attacks.


From 2003, when he joined the counterterrorism center, through 2005, John was one of the driving forces behind the most successful string of counterterrorism captures in the fight against terrorism: Abu Zubaydah, Abd al-Nashiri, Khalid Sheik Mohammed, Ramzi bin Alshib, Hambali and Faraj al-Libi.


But there was no greater prize than finding bin Laden.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/07/05/national/main20076770.shtml?tag=strip

How CIA tracked down Bin Laden

(AP) WASHINGTON - After Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden, the White House released a photo of President Obama and his Cabinet inside the Situation Room, watching the daring raid unfold.


Hidden from view, standing just outside the frame of that now-famous photograph was a career CIA analyst. In the hunt for the world's most-wanted terrorist, there may have been no one more important. His job for nearly a decade was finding the al Qaeda leader.


The analyst was the first to put in writing last summer that the CIA might have a legitimate lead on finding bin Laden. He oversaw the collection of clues that led the agency to a fortified compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. His was among the most confident voices telling Obama that bin Laden was probably behind those walls.


Special section: The Killing of Osama bin Laden
A prayer for Osama bin Laden?
Photos: Americans react to death of Osama bin Laden


The CIA will not permit him to speak with reporters. But interviews with former and current U.S. intelligence officials reveal a story of quiet persistence and continuity that led to the greatest counterterrorism success in the history of the CIA. Nearly all the officials insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters or because they did not want their names linked to the bin Laden operation.


The Associated Press has agreed to the CIA's request not to publish the agent's full name and withhold certain biographical details so that he would not become a target for retribution.


Call him John, his middle name.


John was among the hundreds of people who poured into the CIA's Counterterrorism Center after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, bringing fresh eyes and energy to the fight.


He had been a standout in the agency's Russian and Balkan departments. When Vladimir Putin was coming to power in Russia, for instance, John pulled together details overlooked by others and wrote what some colleagues considered the definitive profile of Putin. He challenged some of the agency's conventional wisdom about Putin's KGB background and painted a much fuller portrait of the man who would come to dominate Russian politics.


That ability to spot the importance of seemingly insignificant details, to weave disparate strands of information into a meaningful story, gave him a particular knack for hunting terrorists.


"He could always give you the broader implications of all these details we were amassing," said John McLaughlin, who as CIA deputy director was briefed regularly by John in the mornings after the 2001 attacks.


From 2003, when he joined the counterterrorism center, through 2005, John was one of the driving forces behind the most successful string of counterterrorism captures in the fight against terrorism: Abu Zubaydah, Abd al-Nashiri, Khalid Sheik Mohammed, Ramzi bin Alshib, Hambali and Faraj al-Libi.


But there was no greater prize than finding bin Laden.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/07/05/national/main20076770.shtml?tag=strip

How CIA tracked down Bin Laden

(AP) WASHINGTON - After Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden, the White House released a photo of President Obama and his Cabinet inside the Situation Room, watching the daring raid unfold.


Hidden from view, standing just outside the frame of that now-famous photograph was a career CIA analyst. In the hunt for the world's most-wanted terrorist, there may have been no one more important. His job for nearly a decade was finding the al Qaeda leader.


The analyst was the first to put in writing last summer that the CIA might have a legitimate lead on finding bin Laden. He oversaw the collection of clues that led the agency to a fortified compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. His was among the most confident voices telling Obama that bin Laden was probably behind those walls.


Special section: The Killing of Osama bin Laden
A prayer for Osama bin Laden?
Photos: Americans react to death of Osama bin Laden


The CIA will not permit him to speak with reporters. But interviews with former and current U.S. intelligence officials reveal a story of quiet persistence and continuity that led to the greatest counterterrorism success in the history of the CIA. Nearly all the officials insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters or because they did not want their names linked to the bin Laden operation.


The Associated Press has agreed to the CIA's request not to publish the agent's full name and withhold certain biographical details so that he would not become a target for retribution.


Call him John, his middle name.


John was among the hundreds of people who poured into the CIA's Counterterrorism Center after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, bringing fresh eyes and energy to the fight.


He had been a standout in the agency's Russian and Balkan departments. When Vladimir Putin was coming to power in Russia, for instance, John pulled together details overlooked by others and wrote what some colleagues considered the definitive profile of Putin. He challenged some of the agency's conventional wisdom about Putin's KGB background and painted a much fuller portrait of the man who would come to dominate Russian politics.


That ability to spot the importance of seemingly insignificant details, to weave disparate strands of information into a meaningful story, gave him a particular knack for hunting terrorists.


"He could always give you the broader implications of all these details we were amassing," said John McLaughlin, who as CIA deputy director was briefed regularly by John in the mornings after the 2001 attacks.


From 2003, when he joined the counterterrorism center, through 2005, John was one of the driving forces behind the most successful string of counterterrorism captures in the fight against terrorism: Abu Zubaydah, Abd al-Nashiri, Khalid Sheik Mohammed, Ramzi bin Alshib, Hambali and Faraj al-Libi.


But there was no greater prize than finding bin Laden.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/07/05/national/main20076770.shtml?tag=strip