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World Leaders, U.S., Remember 9/11

Leaders from around the world on Monday marked the fifth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks upon the United States. As Asian and European leaders gathered for a two-day summit met, they began their proceedings with a moment of silence in remembrance of the nearly 3,000 victims of the 9/11 attacks. The leaders, and other top officials, from at least 38 Asian and European nations commemorated the events of that dark day in at 10:30 AM local time.

The United States themselves commemorated the fifth anniversary of the September 11 attacks with wreath-laying ceremonies, memorial services and personal tributes to remember those who perished. President Bush spoke of the anniversary, reaffirming his commitment to fight the war on terror. Other members of the Bush Administration did their best to justify the U.S.-led coalition effort in Iraq.

Back in Europe, the European Union`s Finnish presidency released a statement, saying "These horrific attacks clearly demonstrated that terrorism is a threat to all states and to all peoples. It (terrorism) poses a serious threat to our security, to the values of our democratic societies and to the rights and freedoms of people, especially through the indiscriminate targeting of innocent people. No cause, no grievance, can justify acts of terrorism."