Fallen Firefighter Heroes Honored at St. Patrick Cathedral

Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

A tear-soaked crowd thronged St. Patrick's Cathedral yesterday to pay tribute to the 343 members of the FDNY who died at the World Trade Center - heroes who never flinched as they ran toward unthinkable danger.

The decade that has passed since the Fire Department's darkest day has done nothing to dull the memories of those lost, according to the speakers at the emotional afternoon service.

"This is an awfully tough week for the FDNY," said Mayor Bloomberg. "It's an awfully tough week for all of us."

"The emotions keep rushing back along with so many memories and so many stories," Bloomberg said. "We'll remember the brave 343. We'll honor them. We salute them."

An image of each firefighter killed that fateful morning was flashed on a video screen on the altar as their loved ones dabbed at tears.

"I really wish I could have met you," said 9-year-old Patrick Lyons, born just weeks after the death of his firefighter father, who shared his name.

"As I get older, everyone says I walk like you," said Patrick, who read a letter to his dad. "I play flag football like you did, and I play the same position you did, quarterback."

An honor guard of firefighters carrying American flags solemnly filed down the aisle at St. Patrick's to begin the memorial service, presided over by Archbishop Timothy Dolan.

Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano, who was nearly killed during the attacks, spoke movingly about how the FDNY has honored those lost a decade ago.

"Out of the depths of this tragedy, we rebuilt the greatest fire department in the world," said Cassano.

The challenges for the FDNY did not end in the moments after the towers fell, killing the 343 Bravest and many of the department's top leaders.

Hundreds of firefighters worked for weeks at the smoldering World Trade Center site, and the exposure to the toxins has killed 55 FDNY members - and made scores more ill. "The world may have called them 'Brave,'" said Cassano, "but we called it doing our job."

Hundreds of firefighters packed the midtown house of worship, and dozens more - many from departments around the globe - stood outside to pay their respects.

"We're here to show our support for our brothers in New York," said Steve Joudrey, 52, of London, Ontario.

Amid prayers that no one be harmed during the 10th anniversary of the attacks, a hushed silence fell over the crowd as Ashley Fodor remembered her slain father, Michael.

"To us, Dad was untouchable, a constant in our lives," she said, "but he was taken away, lost in a city he loved, buried under buildings he had admired, doing his job with honor and vigor."

The children of firefighters who were killed then each lit a candle to conclude the Mass, moments before the bagpipes blared and the flags marched out of the cathedral again.

"That roll call, my friends, is nothing less than a litany of saints," said Dolan.

"Those firefighters were and you firefighters are what the Bible calls prophets. You go against everything that degrades human life.

Later yesterday, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly attended a memorial service honoring slain officers at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. "We know that the city, the world, owes you a debt that we can never repay," Kelly said.

With Clare Trapasso

jlemire@nydailynews.com
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/09/10/2011-09-10_343_stars_still_shining_fallen_bravest_honored_during_st_pats_mass.html

FBI ALERT: Small plane threats 9/11 Anniversary

The FBI and Homeland Security have issued a nationwide warning about Al Qaeda threats to small airplanes, just days before the anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Authorities say there is no specific or credible terrorist threat for the 10-year anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. But they have stepped up security across America as a precaution.

According to a five-page law enforcement bulletin issued on Friday, as recently as early this year, Al Qaeda was considering ways to attack airplanes.
The alert, issued ahead of the summer's last busy travel weekend, said terrorists have considered renting private planes and loading them with explosives.

'Al Qaeda and its affiliates have maintained an interest in obtaining aviation training, particularly on small aircraft, and in recruiting Western individuals for training in Europe or the United States, although we do not have current, credible information or intelligence of an imminent attack being planned,' according to the bulletin
The bulletin also says Al Qaeda would like to use sympathetic Westerners to get flight training, then get them to become flight instructors.

Matthew Chandler, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, described the bulletin as routine.
'We shared this information with our partners to highlight the need for continued awareness and vigilance,' he said
Aviation security is much tighter than it was a decade ago, but Al Qaeda remains keenly interested in launching attacks on airplanes, believing large attacks with high body counts are more likely to grab headlines.

Threats to small airplanes are nothing new. After the 2001 attacks, the government grounded thousands of crop dusters amid fears the planes could be used in an attack.

In 2002, U.S. officials said they uncovered an Al Qaeda plot to fly a small plane into a U.S. warship in the Gulf. And in 2003, U.S. officials uncovered an Al Qaeda plot to crash an explosives-laden small aircraft into the American consulate in Karachi, Pakistan.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2033535/FBI-DHS-warn-small-plane-terror-threats-ahead-9-11-anniversary.html

First Reponders at Ground Zero not Covered For Cancer Treatment

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Ralph and Barbara Geidel have spent close to $100,000 on his medical treatment since 2003, when the former fireman and 9/11 first responder was first diagnosed with tongue and neck cancer.

"We've already used up all of our savings," said his wife, Barbara. "We're now living paycheck to paycheck."

The Geidels were hoping to finally get some health insurance help with their mounting medical bills, when President Obama earlier this year signed into law the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.

The Zadroga Act, also known as the First Responders Bill, sets aside $1.5 billion in federal and New York City funds to cover all costs for treating certain 9/11-related illnesses, and $2.7 billion in compensation for victims who suffered economic hardship as a result of the attacks.

But the law hasn't done a thing for the Geidels when it comes to filling the health insurance gap, because cancer is not one of the medical conditions currently approved to be covered by the fund.

Illnesses that are eligible for full coverage include asthma, lung disease, chronic cough syndrome, laryngitis, sleep apnea, sinusitis, digestive disorders, depression, post traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, which is administering the fund, there isn't enough scientific evidence linking cancer in first responders to their exposure to toxic substances from the 9/11 attacks.

The fund took effect on July 1, and since then it has received 86 applications, enrolled 25 people and paid out just over $1 million dollars in claims.

"This bill was rushed. It should have included coverage for cancer," said Barbara Geidel, expressing a view widely held by cancer stricken first responders and their families.

New research
A new study released Thursday by The Lancet medical journal examines the link between the incidence of cancer and exposure to 9/11 related substances, and seems to support her point.

It tracked 9,853 firefighters and found that those who were exposed to substances at Ground Zero are 19% more likely to develop cancer than firefighters who were not exposed.

Firefighters responding to 9/11 at increased cancer risk
Ralph Geidel, 54, retired from the FDNY in 1985 and moved to California to mine for gold. It was there that he met his wife Barbara. He returned to New York on Sept. 14, 2001, to rejoin his former unit Rescue Co. 1 and search for his brother Gary, also a firefighter who was in the World Trade Center on Sept. 11.

He's currently on a cross-country trip from California to Ground Zero on his Harley-Davidson, which is his way to honor his brother and find closure.

Ralph worked 36 straight hours when he first got to New York three days after 9/11, and then for months after that at Ground Zero.

Hounded by bill collectors
He has health insurance through the FDNY. But after his cancer diagnosis, he returned to California and was treated by specialists who were out of network and therefore not covered by his insurance.

That meant the Geidels had to pay much more out of pocket for Ralph's cancer treatments, including radiation and surgeries.

Although his doctors haven't clearly established the link between exposure to 9/11 toxins and his cancer, Barbara said one specialist did tell the couple that the toxins were probably what caused his type of cancer to show up at a much younger age than it typically does.

"His oncologist said this type of cancer is seen in a 60 -70 year old who's a heavy smoker and drinker," she said, adding that her husband was diagnosed at 44 and is neither a heavy drinker or smoker

Look, we're tired of begging for help. We're hounded by bill collectors. We're not asking for a handout. We're asking for a hand," said Barbara.

It's a different story for Chris Doran, 42, a first responder and former New York City police officer who called the Zadroga Act a huge relief.

In the 10 years since the terror attacks, Doran has suffered many sleepless nights thanks to his injuries and his medical bills.

But now, he says, "the government is paying for all of my therapy and medications."

Prior to the Zadroga Act, Doran was struggling to pay the steep out-of-pocket costs for treating post-traumatic stress disorder and a sinus condition so severe that it has required five sinus operations.

Companies in the Twin Towers: Before and after
"I went there on Sept. 14 but I didn't last very long," said Doran. After 14 hours at Ground Zero, his blood pressure shot up and he couldn't breathe.

He didn't return to Ground Zero after that. Three years later, Doran retired from the New York Police Department, moved to Texas and hasn't worked since.

Fortunately, Doran continued to get health insurance through the NYPD. But because his income dropped substantially after retiring, he too struggled to pay his out-of-pocket medical costs.

"I was paying $7,000 a year for medications. I had to file for bankruptcy," he said. Doran has also attempted suicide twice.

Under the Zadroga Act, all of Doran's medical costs will be paid for by the government because his illnesses are approved for coverage by the fund.

The bill isn't perfect, said John Feal, a first responder who founded the first responder advocacy group Feal Good Foundation in 2005, but at least it's a start.

"When this bill passed, my first words were 'This is good,'" he said. "But I give it a six out of 10."

Feal hopes that an amendment is made to the Act soon to cover cancer, and the agency has said it will continue to review its policy on cancer coverage as new research and findings are released. Such a review is expected early to mid-2012.

"These first responders are heroic people who are financially devastated because of their illnesses," he said.

First Published: September 2, 2011: 5:55 AM ET
http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/02/news/economy/911_health_insurance/index.htm

The French Will Never Forget 9/11 Towers Replica

Twin Towers replica in Paris for 9/11 anniversary
A replica of the Twin Towers destroyed in the September 11 attacks will be built on a square opposite the Eiffel Tower in Paris to mark the tenth anniversary of the atrocity, organisers said on Tuesday.

The Eiffel Tower itself will be illuminated by a special light show later the same day, "The French will never forget" group that is hosting a series of events next month said in a statement.

US ambassador to Paris Charles Rivkin will inaugurate the replica that will be constructed on Trocadero square, it said, adding that the 25-metre (82-foot) towers will bear the names of the people killed in the attacks.

"The French will never forget" was set up in 2003 by a group of French entrepreneurs living in the United States to try and ease the anti-French sentiment sparked by Paris's criticism of the US invasion of Iraq.

Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks, 2,753 at the World Trade Center and the others in attacks on the Pentagon and in a hijacked plane that crashed in Pennsylvania.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8731532/Twin-Towers-replica-in-Paris-for-911-anniversary.html

50 TV Programs dedicated to 9/11 Anniversary

The 10th anniversary of 9/11 is the focus of stepped-up media coverage, with more than 50 programs dedicated to the event. What to watch? Here's our channel-by-channel guide.

MNN.COM›Lifestyle›Arts & Culture
Remembering 9/11: A guide to the 10th anniversary on TV
The 10th anniversary of 9/11 is the focus of stepped-up media coverage, with more than 50 programs dedicated to the event. What to watch? Here's our channel-by-channel guide.
By Gerri MillerWed, Aug 24 2011 at 10:51 AM EST

Every year since 2001, networks and news organizations have commemorated the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks with specials and documentaries, dramas and retrospectives. This year, the 10th anniversary of the Al Qaeda-perpetrated tragedy that claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pa., is the focus of stepped-up media coverage, with more than 50 programs dedicated to the event. What to watch? We help you sort them out with this channel-by-channel guide.

ABC
Beginning at 8 AM ET on Sept. 11, Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos anchor three hours of live coverage, “9/11: America Remembers Ten Years Later.” That night, “Primetime” presents the special edition “Remembrance and Renewal—10 Years After the 9/11 Attacks” (Sept. 11, 10 p.m.).

CBS
Six hours of coverage on the anniversary includes the special "9/11: America Remembers," anchored by Scott Pelley from Ground Zero (8 a.m. EST), followed by "Face the Nation" from the same location. An all-9/11 edition of "60 Minutes" airs that night (7 p.m.) followed by "9/11: Ten Years Later." "The Early Show" and "CBS Evening News" will emanate from Ground Zero all weekend.

NBC
Eleven of the 3,000 kids who lost a parent in the attacks speak out in "Children of 9/11," which follows a year in their lives (Sept. 5, 10 p.m.). Tom Brokaw hosts a two-hour 9/11 "Dateline" (Sept. 8, 9 p.m.). Incorporating the three official memorial ceremonies, "America Remembers" will air the morning of Sept. 11 (8 a.m. EDT/5 a.m. PDT), and that evening Brian Williams anchors "NBC Nightly News" from Ground Zero (6:30 p.m.).
MNN.COM›Lifestyle›Arts & Culture
Remembering 9/11: A guide to the 10th anniversary on TV
The 10th anniversary of 9/11 is the focus of stepped-up media coverage, with more than 50 programs dedicated to the event. What to watch? Here's our channel-by-channel guide.
By Gerri MillerWed, Aug 24 2011 at 10:51 AM EST

NEVER FORGET: Firefighters display a flag at the Pentagon on Sept. 12, 2001. (Photo: Flickr)
Every year since 2001, networks and news organizations have commemorated the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks with specials and documentaries, dramas and retrospectives. This year, the 10th anniversary of the Al Qaeda-perpetrated tragedy that claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pa., is the focus of stepped-up media coverage, with more than 50 programs dedicated to the event. What to watch? We help you sort them out with this channel-by-channel guide.

ABC
Beginning at 8 AM ET on Sept. 11, Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos anchor three hours of live coverage, “9/11: America Remembers Ten Years Later.” That night, “Primetime” presents the special edition “Remembrance and Renewal—10 Years After the 9/11 Attacks” (Sept. 11, 10 p.m.).

CBS
Six hours of coverage on the anniversary includes the special "9/11: America Remembers," anchored by Scott Pelley from Ground Zero (8 a.m. EST), followed by "Face the Nation" from the same location. An all-9/11 edition of "60 Minutes" airs that night (7 p.m.) followed by "9/11: Ten Years Later." "The Early Show" and "CBS Evening News" will emanate from Ground Zero all weekend.

NBC
Eleven of the 3,000 kids who lost a parent in the attacks speak out in "Children of 9/11," which follows a year in their lives (Sept. 5, 10 p.m.). Tom Brokaw hosts a two-hour 9/11 "Dateline" (Sept. 8, 9 p.m.). Incorporating the three official memorial ceremonies, "America Remembers" will air the morning of Sept. 11 (8 a.m. EDT/5 a.m. PDT), and that evening Brian Williams anchors "NBC Nightly News" from Ground Zero (6:30 p.m.).



PBS
Public broadcasting's extensive slate of 9/11 programming includes a "Frontline" portrait of FBI counterterrorism agent turned World Trade Center security chief — and victim — John O'Neill, called "The Man Who Knew" (Aug. 30, 9 p.m.), an examination of anti-terrorism operations, "Top Secret America" (Sept. 6, 9 p.m.), and "Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero," which addresses spiritual questions (Sept. 7, 10 p.m.). On "Nova," "Engineering Ground Zero" (above) follows the construction of One World Trade Center and the September 11 Memorial and Museum (Sept. 7, 9 p.m.), and on the anniversary date, "PBS Newshour" presents "America Remembers 9/11," examining the significance of the day throughout the nation (8 p.m.), followed by "Great Performances: The New York Philharmonic 10th Anniversary Concert for 9/11," a performance of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection," taped at Lincoln Center.

HBO
Rebroadcasts of the documentaries "Nine Innings From Ground Zero," focusing on the how the Yankees rallied New Yorkers during the post-9/11 World Series, and "In Memoriam: New York City 9/11/01," released on the one-year anniversary, will air several times over the weekend of Sept. 11.

FX
"Rescue Me," the drama series about New York firemen in the aftermath of 9/11 comes full circle in a series finale that bids farewell to a fallen comrade and pays tribute to the heroic FDNY. (Sept. 7, 10 p.m.)

HISTORY CHANNEL
Frantic phone messages and final goodbyes made moments before the towers fell are the basis of "Voices From Inside the Towers" (Sept. 10, 9 p.m.). Focusing on the tragedy's aftermath via archival footage, "9/11: The Days After", will air commercial-free (Sept. 10, 9 p.m.). It's from the filmmakers of the Emmy-winning "102 Minutes that Changed America," which will be simulcast on History, A&E and in 150 countries starting at 8:46 a.m. EST on Sept. 11 — the moment of the first impact at One World Trade Center. "Making the 9/11 Memorial" documents the creation of the "Reflecting Absence" memorial leading up to its unveiling (Sept. 11, 8 p.m.).


MNN.COM›Lifestyle›Arts & Culture
Remembering 9/11: A guide to the 10th anniversary on TV
The 10th anniversary of 9/11 is the focus of stepped-up media coverage, with more than 50 programs dedicated to the event. What to watch? Here's our channel-by-channel guide.
By Gerri MillerWed, Aug 24 2011 at 10:51 AM EST

NEVER FORGET: Firefighters display a flag at the Pentagon on Sept. 12, 2001. (Photo: Flickr)
Every year since 2001, networks and news organizations have commemorated the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks with specials and documentaries, dramas and retrospectives. This year, the 10th anniversary of the Al Qaeda-perpetrated tragedy that claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pa., is the focus of stepped-up media coverage, with more than 50 programs dedicated to the event. What to watch? We help you sort them out with this channel-by-channel guide.

ABC
Beginning at 8 AM ET on Sept. 11, Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos anchor three hours of live coverage, “9/11: America Remembers Ten Years Later.” That night, “Primetime” presents the special edition “Remembrance and Renewal—10 Years After the 9/11 Attacks” (Sept. 11, 10 p.m.).

CBS
Six hours of coverage on the anniversary includes the special "9/11: America Remembers," anchored by Scott Pelley from Ground Zero (8 a.m. EST), followed by "Face the Nation" from the same location. An all-9/11 edition of "60 Minutes" airs that night (7 p.m.) followed by "9/11: Ten Years Later." "The Early Show" and "CBS Evening News" will emanate from Ground Zero all weekend.

NBC
Eleven of the 3,000 kids who lost a parent in the attacks speak out in "Children of 9/11," which follows a year in their lives (Sept. 5, 10 p.m.). Tom Brokaw hosts a two-hour 9/11 "Dateline" (Sept. 8, 9 p.m.). Incorporating the three official memorial ceremonies, "America Remembers" will air the morning of Sept. 11 (8 a.m. EDT/5 a.m. PDT), and that evening Brian Williams anchors "NBC Nightly News" from Ground Zero (6:30 p.m.).



PBS
Public broadcasting's extensive slate of 9/11 programming includes a "Frontline" portrait of FBI counterterrorism agent turned World Trade Center security chief — and victim — John O'Neill, called "The Man Who Knew" (Aug. 30, 9 p.m.), an examination of anti-terrorism operations, "Top Secret America" (Sept. 6, 9 p.m.), and "Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero," which addresses spiritual questions (Sept. 7, 10 p.m.). On "Nova," "Engineering Ground Zero" (above) follows the construction of One World Trade Center and the September 11 Memorial and Museum (Sept. 7, 9 p.m.), and on the anniversary date, "PBS Newshour" presents "America Remembers 9/11," examining the significance of the day throughout the nation (8 p.m.), followed by "Great Performances: The New York Philharmonic 10th Anniversary Concert for 9/11," a performance of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection," taped at Lincoln Center.

HBO
Rebroadcasts of the documentaries "Nine Innings From Ground Zero," focusing on the how the Yankees rallied New Yorkers during the post-9/11 World Series, and "In Memoriam: New York City 9/11/01," released on the one-year anniversary, will air several times over the weekend of Sept. 11.

FX
"Rescue Me," the drama series about New York firemen in the aftermath of 9/11 comes full circle in a series finale that bids farewell to a fallen comrade and pays tribute to the heroic FDNY. (Sept. 7, 10 p.m.)

HISTORY CHANNEL
Frantic phone messages and final goodbyes made moments before the towers fell are the basis of "Voices From Inside the Towers" (Sept. 10, 9 p.m.). Focusing on the tragedy's aftermath via archival footage, "9/11: The Days After", will air commercial-free (Sept. 10, 9 p.m.). It's from the filmmakers of the Emmy-winning "102 Minutes that Changed America," which will be simulcast on History, A&E and in 150 countries starting at 8:46 a.m. EST on Sept. 11 — the moment of the first impact at One World Trade Center. "Making the 9/11 Memorial" documents the creation of the "Reflecting Absence" memorial leading up to its unveiling (Sept. 11, 8 p.m.).



NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
Devoting a week of prime time to the anniversary starting Aug. 28, Nat Geo will present rebroadcasts with updated footage and new specials including "Inside 9/11: The War Continues," examining terrorism, Al-Qaeda, and the killing of Osama Bin Laden (Aug. 28, 9 p.m.), "George W. Bush: The 9/11 Interview," the most in-depth interview the former president has ever given on the subject (Aug. 28, 10 p.m.), "CIA Confidential: 9/11 Mastermind," about the pursuit of terrorist Khalid Sheik Mohammed (Aug. 29, 10 p.m.), and "9/11: Where Were You?" following people who made critical decisions during the crisis (Aug. 30, 10 p.m.).

DISCOVERY
Produced by Steven Spielberg, the six-hour event "Rising: Rebuilding Ground Zero" chronicles the massive effort that represents the reclamation and renaissance of Lower Manhattan, presented commercial-free Aug. 25-Sept. 1 (8-11 p.m. each night).

A&E
Photographer Andrea Booher tracks down the people she photographed that fateful day in "Portraits From Ground Zero," a commercial-free world premiere (Sept. 10, 10 p.m.).

NICKELODEON
"Nick News with Linda Ellerbee: 'What Happened?: The Story of September 11, 2001'" answers kids' questions and helps them understand the world-changing event (Sept. 1, 9 p.m.).

OWN
Twins who lost a sibling on 9/11 tell their stories in "Twins of the Twin Towers" (Sept. 11, 9 p.m.) and "From the Ground Up" focuses on the widows of firefighters (Sept. 11, 10:15 p.m.).

TLC
"9/11: Heroes of the 88th Floor" recounts the selfless bravery of two men who died saving others in the Twin Towers (Sept. 4, 9 p.m.).
INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY
"ID Investigates: 9/11 Crime Scene Investigators" (above) profiles the NYPD's Crime Scene Unit and its search for survivors and evidence at Ground Zero in the aftermath of the WTC attack (Sept. 4, 9 p.m.).

SMITHSONIAN CHANNEL
A chronological account of the first 18 hours, "9/11: Day that Changed the World" includes interviews with former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Vice President Dick Cheney, and former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld (Sept. 5, 8 & 11 p.m.; Sept. 6, 5 p.m.). Personal objects from victims and survivors represent the bigger picture in "9/11: Stories in Fragments" (Sept. 5, 9:35 p.m.; Sept. 6, 12:35 a.m., 8 p.m.).

ANIMAL PLANET
A 9/11-themed edition of the series "Saved" profiles two New York families impacted by the attacks whose pets helped them deal with their loss (Sept. 7, 9 p.m.).

SHOWTIME
Grounded in New York on 9/11, Paul McCartney (above) thought the best way to help was to stage a benefit concert, the preparation for which — including rehearsals — and portions of the concert itself, are the basis of the documentary "The Love We Make" (Sept. 10, 9 p.m.). Juxtaposed against time-lapse images of the rebuilding of Ground Zero, "Rebirth" movingly tracks five people — a badly burned survivor and four who lost loved ones — in yearly interviews that show how it's possible to heal despite overwhelming loss (Sept. 11, 9 p.m.).

CNN
As noted in the 9/11 Commission Report, eight people who played small but significant roles that day are the subject of "Footnotes of 9/11" (Sept. 6, 11 p.m.). Medical expert Sanjay Gupta reports on the health conditions affecting Ground Zero responders in "Terror in the Dust" (Sept. 7, 11 p.m.) and Soledad O'Brien focuses on female rescue workers in "Beyond Bravery: The Women of 9/11" (Sept. 8, 11 p.m.). "Beyond 9/11: Portraits of Resilience" interweaves photographs and interviews with officials, survivors and first responders (Sept. 9, 11 p.m.).

USA
Oscar winner Melissa Leo (above) plays a flight attendant reluctantly charged with the care of an unaccompanied Pakistani-American boy after they're grounded en route from New York to L.A. on the morning of 9/11 in "The Space Between," airing commercial-free on Sept. 11 (9 p.m.), followed by the Oscar-winning short documentary "Twin Towers," which follows an elite NYPD rescue unit that was to be the subject of a reality series before fate intervened, claiming many of the members' lives.

BIO CHANNEL
"When Pop Culture Saved America" explains how entertainers buoyed and helped heal the nation in the aftermath of 9/11 (Sept. 5, 8 p.m.). "I Survived 9/11" interviews those who escaped death that day (Sept. 6, 8 p.m.) and "Beyond: Messages From 9/11" profiles people who claim to have received messages from deceased loved ones (Sept. 10, 10 p.m.).

FOX NEWS CHANNEL
In "Freedom Rising with Shepard Smith," the anchor focuses on the rebuilding of Ground Zero and the people making it happen (Sept. 2, 9 p.m.). The channel presents all-day coverage of the anniversary on Sept. 11 starting with a two-hour program at 8 a.m. EDT, simulcast on Fox.

MSNBC
Richard Engel and Rachel Maddow report on the decade since 9/11 in "Day of Destruction — Decade of War" (Sept. 1, 9 p.m., repeating Sept. 9, 10, 11). "On Native Soil" focuses on the 9/11 Commissions report (Sept. 10, 3 p.m.; Sept 11, 9 p.m.) and "9/11: In Our Own Words" blends footage and commentary from the reporters that covered the events of the day (Sept. 11, 8 p.m.).

CNBC
A special edition of "American Greed" entitled "9/11 Fraud" focuses on those who seek to illegally profit from tragedy (Sept. 7, 9 p.m.) and on Sept. 10 "The Suze Orman Show" discusses the money lessons of 9/11 (9 p.m., 12 a.m.).


http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/stories/remembering-911-a-guide-to-the-10th-anniversary-on-tv

California to New York - Firefighters Cycle to 9/11 Anniversary

Kent native Adam Loeser, left, now a firefighter in California, is part of the "Ride for 9-11" group of firefighters who are cycling cross-country to New York City to honor the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Ten firefighters are riding from the southern California area to honor the 343 firefighters killed in the attacks at Ground Zero. The riders left July 24 and plan to arrive in New York City on Sept. 9 — with stops along the way across the country, including in Loeser's hometown of Kent, OH. Courtesy Adam Loeser Photos (1)
Among the firefighters riding 3,300 miles cross country under the "Ride for 9-11" banner is 1992 Theodore Roosevelt High School graduate Adam Loeser, who has been coordinating his hometown stop with Kent firefighter Brock Murphy.

"They were originally talking about staying in Akron, but since Adam is a Roosevelt grad from Kent he was instrumental in getting them to stay the night in Kent," Murphy said. "So we talked to our fire chief, and he OK’d us to have them spend the night at the station.”

Loeser, who now works as a firefighter at station one in Fullerton, CA, said six of the firefighters are on the road full-time. He rode the first 500 miles the first week and will join the team to ride the last 1,100 miles into New York City.

"The biggest point … is just that it’s a group of firefighters that are honoring the 343 firefighters that died during 9-11, and to remember the people that have supported us and kind of taken up the torch of service personnel that are around the world and protect us on a day-to-day basis," Loeser said. "I’m excited that we’re able to go through Kent."

Loeser said two firefighters in Los Angeles County came up with the idea to ride to Ground Zero in New York a few years ago to honor the firefighters killed in the attacks. He joined the ride to represent firefighters from Orange County and south of Los Angeles County.

A support team is driving along — at a slow crawl — in a motorhome behind the cyclists, and a two-man film crew is shooting the trip for a documentary. All 10 riders from the southern California area serve as financiers, ride organizers, marketers, cooks, drivers and bicycle mechanics.

"It was a lot of different hats that all 10 of us have had to wear to learn a little bit about how to make the whole ride work," Loeser said. "It’s working great. It’s been well received in every city and town that we’ve gone through."

The riders hit St. Louis, MO, Monday. Days earlier they were greeted by firefighters in Oklahoma City, OK.

Loeser will join the group either in Indiana or Toledo. They will then ride into Akron before traveling through Cuyahoga Falls and Stow on their way into Kent. The route can be traced here.

Murphy said they plan to have a police and fire escort guide the riders from the Stow-Kent border east on S.R. 59 to downtown Kent, where the Kent Jaycees will welcome the riders with a meal in Home Savings Plaza. Information on their stop in Kent is available here.

Murphy said he encourages Kent-area residents to line the route and cheer on the firefighters as they ride into Kent next Tuesday. They're expected to arrive in Kent between 3 and 4:30 p.m. Aug. 30.

"It’s hard to say that far out," Murphy said.

They will leave Kent for Pittsburgh the next day.

The riders left California July 24 with the goal of hitting New York in 45 days with stops in Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., along the way. They plan to arrive in New York City on Sept. 9 and finish the ride at the FDNY Firefighters Wall.

The ride is raising money for The Leary Firefighters Foundation and the Wounded Warrior Project.

Loeser, a long-time athlete, said the riders trained on 100-mile marathon rides for the memorial trip. One of the toughest parts was stringing together 100-mile bike rides day after day.

But he said it's not about the length of the trip, the lightning, hail storms and other obstacles the riders have run across.

"It's not so much about me or the individual guys," he said. "It's just a group of guys who are trying to make a little bit of a difference."

http://kent.patch.com/articles/911-tribute-ride-will-bring-firefighters-through-kent

Al-Qaeda down but not out

By David Ignatius, Published: August 23
Government officials refer to it blandly as the “SSE,” or Sensitive Site Exploitation. That’s their oblique term for the extraordinary cache of evidence that was carried away from Osama bin Laden’s compound the night the al-Qaeda leader was killed.

With the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks a few weeks away, it’s possible to use this evidence to sketch a vivid portrait of al-Qaeda, drawing on material contained in more than 100 computer storage devices, including thumb drives, DVDs and CDs, and more than a dozen computers or hard drives — all collected during the May 2 raid.

U.S. officials say three strong themes emerge from their reading of the files, most of which were communications between bin Laden and his top deputy Atiyah Abd al-Rahman. Indeed, because the Libyan-born Atiyah (who’s known to analysts by his first name) was the boss’s key link with the outside, officials see him as more important than bin Laden’s nominal successor, Ayman al-Zawahiri.

Here are the highlights:

●Bin Laden retained until his death a passion to launch a significant attack against the United States, ideally linked to the 10th anniversary of 9/11. He and Atiyah communicated often about who might carry out such a strike, with Atiyah proposing names and bin Laden rejecting them. Bin Laden was still looking for a history-changing attack on big, economically important targets — one that would match, if not outdo, the impact of 9/11. Zawahiri, by contrast, favored an opportunistic strategy of smaller strikes.

●Bin Laden was a hands-on chief executive, with a role in operations planning and personnel decisions, rather than the detached senior leader that U.S. analysts had hypothesized. Zawahiri, whom the analysts had imagined as the day-to-day leader, was actually quite isolated — and remains so, despite a dozen communications this year. Zawahiri suffers from mistrust between his Egyptian faction of al-Qaeda and other operatives, such as Atiyah.

●Bin Laden was suffering badly from drone attacks on al-Qaeda’s base in the tribal areas of Pakistan. He called this the “intelligence war,” and said it was “the only weapon that’s hurting us.” His cadres complained that they couldn’t train in the tribal areas, couldn’t communicate, couldn’t travel easily and couldn’t draw new recruits to what amounted to a free-fire zone. Bin Laden discussed moving al-Qaeda’s base to another location, but he never took action.

Analysts did not find in the material any smoking gun to suggest Pakistani government complicity in bin Laden’s presence in Abbottabad. And it’s clear he was paranoid about being found and killed: He ordered his subordinates to restrict movements to help preserve what remained of al-Qaeda in Pakistan. Fear of being discovered was a subject of regular conversation between bin Laden, Atiyah, Zawahiri and others.

Bin Laden also worried that al-
Qaeda’s status among Muslims was dwindling, and that the West had at least partially succeeded in distancing al-Qaeda’s message from core Islamic values. Concerned about this eroding base, bin Laden counseled affiliates in North Africa and Yemen to hold back on their efforts to develop a local Islamic extremist state in favor of attacking the United States and its interests.

This fear that al-Qaeda’s extreme tactics were burning too hot and alienating Muslims was also the theme of a remarkable message that Atiyah sent in 2005 to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the murderous chief of al-Qaeda in Iraq. In this document, made public five years ago by the United States, Atiyah warned that fomenting Sunni-Shiite violence (which was Zarqawi’s trademark) was potentially ruinous.

The al-Qaeda that emerges from these documents is a badly battered and disoriented group. The June 3 death of Ilyas Kashmiri in a drone attack illustrates the organization’s continuing vulnerability. Kashmiri was a ruthless operator who planned the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people and was plotting deadly attacks on Europe last winter that were stopped only because of aggressive counterterrorism work. (Security services from Europe and Turkey arrested about 20 of Kashmiri’s operatives before they could carry out the attacks.)

When top U.S. officials summarize their view of al-Qaeda now, in the run-up to the 9/11 anniversary, they describe an organization that is down but certainly not out. They don’t know of any specific plots targeting the United States, 10 years on. But they’re looking, pulsing every channel they know. They recognize that it’s what we still don’t know about al-Qaeda that’s most dangerous.

davidignatius@washpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/10-years-after-911-al-qaeda-is-down-but-not-out/2011/08/23/gIQARQ3tZJ_story.html

On Eve Of 9/11 Anniversary, NYPD And FDNY Push For National Emergency Radio Network

The city's fire and police commissioners urged Congress Wednesday to approve a national emergency radio network in time for the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Our Cunningham and Gendar report:

Gathered at a Staten Island firehouse that lost five members in the attacks, Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano and Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said their crews couldn't talk to any federal agencies if another terror strike happened tomorrow.

"We've gone light years ahead of where everybody else has gone," Cassano said. "But to have a nationwide system would be even better."

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a key proponent of the national radio network, noted, "Congress has yet to fulfill one of the key, outstanding recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Report....We needed to have interoperability between local, state and federal first responders."

The nation's police, fire and rescue operations use more than 55,000 separate radio networks.

The goal would be to create a single network on the radio spectrum so rescuers could talk across city, state and regional lines - and share crucial documents like building blueprints or arrest records.

"To reserve part of the spectrum for first responders is critically important to New York and nationally," Kelly said.

Money is not the primary congressional stumbling block.

A review by the Congressional Budget Office estimated a nationwide system would pay for itself through the auction of unused broadband - generating up to $6.5 billion in surplus that could go toward cutting the nation's debt.

The legislation has languished amid partisan squabbling over whether the government or private companies should own and run the network.

"We're going to go back [to Capitol Hill] in September," said Gillibrand, who joined Cassano and Kelly at the station housing Engine 160 and Rescue Company 5. "I think we'll have the support when we have the vote."

"The status quo is unacceptable," she added
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2011/08/on-eve-of-911-anniversary-nypd-and-fdny-push-for-national-emergency-radio-netw

.MSNBC Announces 9/11 Anniversary Coverage Plans

On Thursday, September 1st at 9:00 PM/ET, MSNBC will debut 'Day of Destruction - Decade of War.'

The documentary draws from the unparalleled field experience of NBC News’ Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel and the distinct analysis and insight of MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow to take a broad look at the decade since September 11, 2001. The report explores how America responded to the attacks and how the country has changed. “Day of Destruction: Decade of War” will re-air in its entirety on September 9th, 10th and 11th. Produced by Peacock Productions.

Premiering on Saturday, September 10th at 3:00 PM/ET and re-airing on Sunday, September 11th at 9:00 PM/ET, MSNBC presents the riveting story of the 9/11 Commission hearings with “On Native Soil.”

"On Native Soil" captures the content of the 9/11 Commission's report while exposing new details, including interviews with witnesses who testified for the Commission behind closed doors. It is the story of a loose collection of ordinary Americans - united by their single-minded passion for answers - who challenged a bureaucracy and triumphed. “On Native Soil” is narrated by Kevin Costner and Hilary Swank.

On Sunday, September 11th from 8:00–11:00 AM/ET, MSNBC will simulcast the NBC special.

Later that evening on Sunday, September 11 at 8:00 PM/ET, “9/11: In Our Own Words” will air on MSNBC. In this unique documentary, NBC News anchors and correspondents recall their personal memories of reporting live the morning of September 11, 2001. Weaving together the live footage of that morning with present-day interviews, the special covers the first several hours of reporting as the terrorist attacks on America unfolded.

From Matt Lauer and Tom Brokaw in the NBC News studios in New York, to David Gregory with President Bush, Jim Miklaszewski at the Pentagon and Andrea Mitchell at the Washington Bureau – the NBC News team relives the developments and emotions of that fateful day. “9/11: In Our Own Words ” is an MSNBC original production and was produced for MSNBC by Peacock Productions.

http://www.newsonnews.net/msnbc/11181-msnbc-announces-9-11-anniversary-coverage-plans.html

Emergency Responders Ready To Protect Florida for 9/11 Anniversary

Hundreds of emergency responders discussed plans to keep South Florida safe from terrorism and other threats during the quarterly summit of the Southeast Regional Domestic Security Task Force.

The meeting on Thursday at the Marriott in West Palm Beach covered preparations to secure the area during the 10th anniversary of 9-11.

Hundreds of agencies plan to have extra people working around the clock in the days leading up to the anniversary, including ocean crews escorting cruise ships arriving and leaving local ports

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, chairman of the task force, kicked off the all-day event that joined law enforcement and emergency responders from Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/fl-domestic-security-task-force-20110818,0,5313037.story

FDNY Fire Fighters Release 9/11 Tribute Album fo Anniversary

As we prepare to mark the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, three veteran New York firefighters have released a moving tribute album -- Beyond The Call: A Musical Tribute to Courage, Honor & Sacrifice.

NYC firefighters Frank Pizarro and Regina Wilson -- both of whom were all the front lines that fateful day on September 11, 2001 -- joined forces with a friend, fellow firefighter Billy Arce, to create the musical group, Beyond The Call.

To mark the anniversary of the worst ever terrorist attack on U.S. soil, the three -- all of whom are accomplished singers -- decided to raise their voices in order to raise money to help those who keep our safe country, be it firefighters, military or first responders -- and their families.

New York Yankees legend-turned-musician Bernie Williams heard about the project and volunteered to play guitar for one of the songs on the CD -- Hallelujah.

RadarOnline.com had the honor of talking with Frank and Regina about their searing memories http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2011/08/new-york-firefighters-release-tribute-album-mark-911-anniversary

Concern of 'Lone Wolf' Attacks on 9/11 Anniversary

Newsroom America) -- President Barack Obama said Wednesday he was less concerned about a spectacular terrorist attack on the upcoming 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and more worried about attacks that could be carried out by individual radicals.

"The most likely scenario that we have to guard against right now ends up being more of a lone wolf operation than a large, well coordinated terrorist attack," he told CNN during a campaign swing through Iowa on a three-day bus tour that included stops in Minnesota and Missouri.

"We still have to stay on top of it, though. We're never letting our guard now, that's part of our job," he said, adding that the U.S. would remain on "heightened" alert with "extra vigilance" on the anniversary.

Obama was asked about the prospects of a new large-scale terror assault on the anniversary of the attacks that destroyed the twin World Trade Center towers in New York City and damaged the Pentagon near Washington, D.C., as well as retaliation for the raid that killed Osama bin Laden in May.

The president said U.S. national security officials were "constantly monitoring potential risks," but a stepped-up campaign against al Qaeda around the globe had left the organization largely defensive and on the run.

"The risk is always there, and obviously on a seminal event like the tenth anniversary of 9/11, that makes us more concerned -- it means we've got heightened awareness," said Obama.

However, he added, "the biggest concern we have right now is not the launching of a major terrorist operation -- although that risk is always there.

"The risk that we're especially concerned over right now is the lone wolf terrorist, somebody with a single weapon being able to carry out wide-scale massacres of the sort we saw in Norway recently," he said.

CNN Original Documentaries Marking 9/11 Anniversary

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Soledad O’Brien, Drew Griffin and TIME/HBO Presentation Report: 9/11 Ten Years Later
During the week leading up to the tenth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, CNN will premiere four one-hour productions on its domestic network. In investigations led by chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, investigative correspondent Drew Griffin, and anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien, CNN is reporting new insights into the health consequences experienced by the first responders working at New York’s Ground Zero, examining the events of that day through the eyes of people who were on the front lines of one of America’s most tragic days, and profiling several unsung heroines who saved lives on that day. A fourth presentation from TIME in association with HBO features a collection of TIME magazine oral histories from people who experienced the events of that day as they unfolded, and their reflections as the nation reacted in the days, months, and years afterwards.

“It was a day that changed us all and CNN is leveraging its unmatched resources to cover remembrances from around the nation and the world as we look back on 9/11 and what it means a decade later,” says Bart Feder, senior vice president of programming for CNN. “In addition, these documentaries tell stories we feel will evoke pride in the heroism and bravery of the Americans who risked their lives, and some who sacrificed themselves on that day to save others. And, they present an opportunity to remember the difficult work of first responders – and our servicemen and women on the front lines overseas – who continue to try to keep this nation safe each day.”
On Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 11:00pm (replay on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 8:00pm), CNN will debut FOOTNOTES OF 9/11, featuring interviews with people who went to work on Sept. 11, 2001 – and unexpectedly became part of history. Each of the eight people profiled by investigative correspondent Drew Griffin for this documentary is mentioned in The 9/11 Commission Report – their unique experiences are drawn from the 1,742 footnotes of that report and offer critical detail to the tragic events of that day – are literal and figurative footnotes to one of America’s darkest days. They include ticket agents who checked in some of the terrorists, a maintenance technician who answered a call from one of the planes under attack, and the Lt. Col. in the Massachusetts Air National Guard – also a United Airlines pilot – who scrambled to provide defense to New York, and faced possibly having to shoot down a passenger plane.

On Wednesday, Sept. 7 at 11:00pm (replay on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 9:00pm), DR. SANJAY GUPTA REPORTS: TERROR IN THE DUST, will examine how responders who breathed in the toxic dust and noxious fumes at New York City’s Ground Zero are coping with the health effects of the attacks. The environmental hazards at the World Trade Center disaster site – mercury from fluorescent light bulbs, dioxin and benzene emitted as the jets burned, asbestos from the building materials, and more – have caused severe respiratory ailments, immune problems and, some suspect, a greatly increased cancer risk. Among those who speak to Dr. Gupta are two brothers – firefighters who searched for survivors in the pile of the collapsed towers – one whose lungs are now failing and the other who appears to have had no permanent physical effects. Ten years after the attacks chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks to first responders who continue to experience emotional trauma. Dr. Gupta’s investigation includes never before broadcast footage of the collapse of the Twin Towers, the medical consequences of the killer dust, and safety recommendations for future crisis responses.

BEYOND BRAVERY: THE WOMEN OF 9/11 will air on Thursday, Sept. 8 at 11:00pm (replay on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 9:00pm), and profiles the sometimes overlooked female rescue workers who raced to the Twin Towers in the wake of the attack. Anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien looks at the work of these rescue workers over the decade following their life-altering experiences. Among the stories of these heroic women of New York’s Ground Zero is an African-American firefighter whose company lost seven of the 342 firefighters who died that day. She is pushing to recruit more women to this dangerous job, even as the number of female firefighters has dropped to less than one percent of the NYFD. O’Brien also speaks with the family of a decorated police officer and mother who was photographed rescuing survivors just moments before the collapse of the towers. O’Brien reports the present-day health and emotional struggles of these unsung heroines and hears about their determination to be prepared for the next attack – and to restore hope.

On Friday, Sept. 9 at 11:00pm (with replays on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 8:00pm and 11:00pm), CNN will premiere a special presentation from TIME in association with HBO, BEYOND 9/11: PORTRAITS OF RESILIENCE. Captured in words and moving images, this documentary features untold stories drawn from 40 women and men who led and sacrificed for America in the hours, days, and months that followed the attacks. Working with the editors of TIME, award-winning photographer Marco Grob produced an astonishing set of portraits which are coupled with dramatic recollections from government leaders, survivors of the towers, and first responders.

Kathleen Johnston, Brian Rokus, and Bud Bultman produced FOOTNOTES of 9/11, Stephanie Smith and Roni Selig produced TERROR IN THE DUST, and Rose Arce and Geraldine Moriba produced BEYOND BRAVERY.

CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively-syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media

First Responders Not Invited To 9/11 Anniversary Ground Zero Ceremony

First responders who were called to the World Trade Center site in the days and weeks following 9/11 will reportedly be on the outside looking in at next month's anniversary ceremony.

According to the Daily News, police officers, firefighters and rescue workers will not be invited to take part in the primary 10th anniversary ceremony activities.

Instead, they will be asked back at the site another day for a separate ceremony.

The News cites security and a lack of room as the reason of the decision.

The presence of President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush will create mounting security concerns.

Thousands of family members will also be on hand.

It's estimated as many as 91,000 people took part in the initial search and rescue at the World Trader Center site.

http://www.ny1.com/content/special_reports/911_a_decade_later/144997/report--first-responders-not-invited-to-9-11-anniversary-ceremony

Seal Team 6 shot down on Rescue Mission

..KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The 30 American service members — most of them elite Navy SEALs — who died when their helicopter was shot down had rushed to help Army Rangers who had come under fire, two U.S. officials said Sunday.

The heavy loss shows that clandestine tactics carry huge risks despite the huge success of the SEAL mission that killed Osama bin Laden more than three months ago. Most of the SEALs who died Saturday were from the same unit that killed bin Laden, although none of the men took part in that mission.

The U.S.-led coalition plans to rely more on special operations missions as it reduces the overall number of combat troops by the end of 2014.

This weekend, the rescue team had subdued attackers who had pinned down the Rangers and were departing in their Chinook helicopter when the aircraft was apparently hit, one of the officials said.

Thirty Americans and eight Afghans were killed in the crash, making it the deadliest single loss for U.S. forces in the decade-long war in Afghanistan. The Rangers, special operations forces who work regularly with the SEALs, secured the crash site in the Tangi Joy Zarin area of Wardak province, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) southwest of Kabul, the other official said.

Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the event, as the investigation is still ongoing. The SEAL mission was first reported by CNN.

NATO was recovering the remains of the twin rotor Chinook helicopter. A current and a former U.S. official said the Americans included 22 SEALs, three Air Force combat controllers and a dog handler and his dog. The two spoke on condition of anonymity because military officials were still notifying the families of the dead.

All but two of the SEALs were from SEAL Team 6, the unit that killed bin Laden, U.S. officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.

Eight Taliban fighters were also killed in the battle, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement.

Afghanistan has more U.S. special operations troops, about 10,000, than any other theater of war. The forces, often joined by Afghan troops, are among the most effective weapons in the coalition's arsenal, conducting surveillance, infiltration and capture missions and night raids.

From April to July this year, 2,832 special operations raids captured 2,941 insurgents and killed 834, twice as many as during the same time period last year, according to NATO.

SEALs, Rangers, and other special operations troops are expected to be the vanguard of the American military effort in Afghanistan as international military forces start pulling out. By the time combat troops plan to have left the country, the coalition will have handed control of security to the Afghan forces they have spent tens of billions of dollars arming and training.

Special operations troops are expected to remain in the country after 2014 for counterterrorism missions and advisory support. Just how many will remain has not yet been negotiated with the Afghan government, but the United States is considering from 5,000 to 20,000, far fewer than the 100,000 U.S. troops there now.

Special forces are frequently used to target insurgent commanders as part of an effort to force the Taliban's leadership to agree to a negotiated peace. The operations, mostly in the form of night raids, are often carried out by Afghan and coalition special operations forces.

Night raids have drawn criticism from human rights activists and infuriated Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who says they anger and alienate the Afghan population.

But NATO commanders have said the raids are safer for civilians than relatively imprecise airstrikes.

As U.S. forces removed the wreckage Sunday, nearby Afghan and NATO forces battled insurgents as they carried out clearing operations in the areas around the crash site, a region that is just a stone's throw from the capital. The province, which borders Kabul, has increasingly come under Taliban control in recent months — even as the U.S.-led coalition has begun handing over security for parts of Afghanistan over to the government of President Hamid Karzai.

"There have been a small number of limited engagements in the same district" as Saturday's helicopter crash, NATO said in a statement. "However those clashes have not been in the direct vicinity of the crash site. As of now, we have no reporting to indicate any coalition casualties resulting from these engagements."

___

Associated Press Intelligence Writer Kimberly Dozier contributed to this story from Washington. Associated Press writer Lolita C. Baldor also contributed from Washington.

..

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


Read more: http://weblogs.variety.com/on_the_air/2011/07/nick-ellberbee-give-kids-a-place-go-for-911-anniversary-.html#ixzz1TbO9ioMh
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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.”

.

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

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

Angola gets ready for 9/11 beam, 15,000 motorcycles

ANGOLA, Ind. (WANE) - Over 15,000 motorcyclists are expected to gather in Angola on July 1 as a memorial beam from the World Trade Center travels through the area.

An Angola Fire Department spokesman said the 8-foot beam will be at the old Scott's parking lot from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. All county public safety agencies have been invited to have a unit on display.

The following day, Saturday, July 2, beginning at 6:30 a.m., bikers will gather at the old Scott’s parking lot to get ready to escort the beam to its next stop in Elkhart.

When the group leaves Angola at at 10:28 a.m., the motorcyclists will go up State Road 127 to State Road 120 and then west on 120 through Orland. Police officers will block the intersections that have stop lights and stop signs so the line of bikes will be a continuous