voa1.doc

VOA 1 It is 15:30 Universal Time. I’m Steve Ember in Washington. [1] Vice President Joe Biden and others have gathered in New York City for a memorial service. The ceremony marks the anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks, nine years ago this day. The group observed two separate minutes of silence to mark the time that each airplane crashed into the World Trade Center buildings. In Washington, President Obama joined Defense Secretary Robert Gates at the Pentagon military headquarters for a similar memorial service. Events are being held across the country to honor the 2752 victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks. First lady Michelle Obama and former first lady Laura Bush are in Shanksville, Pennsylvania where the fourth hijacked plane crashed after passengers attacked the hijackers. [2] The Christian religious leader who had threatened to burn copies of the Koran arrived in New York late Friday from his home in Florida. Reverend Terry Jones was hoping to meet with the imam Feisal Abdul Rauf. The Muslim religious leader is involved in plans to build a Muslim religious center near where the attack on the World Trade Center took place. Mr. Rauf says there are no plans for a meeting with Mr. Jones. He also says there are no plans to move the planned religious center. On Friday, President Obama said the Koran burning plan endangered American troops. He noted the riots in Afghanistan as an example. Mr. Obama appealed for respect for all religions. He also repeated his opinion that Muslims have a right to build a Mosque wherever they want. [3] The Taliban is using the anniversary of the September 11th attacks to say the United States should withdraw from Afghanistan. A Taliban statement criticized what it called America’s wrong policy. It warned that the United States war effort is putting Americans in danger around the world. A Taliban message also claimed that the United States had been defeated in Afghanistan. The United States sent t