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Ten Years Since 9/11 Ten Years Since 9/11 Continued from Page 29 In addition to the destruction, the anger, the sadness, and the war it spawned, 9/11 also brought out good in many people. Rescue workers worked tirelessly for months and regular citizens came together to help each other in ways they rarely had before. The Governor of New York at the time, George Pataki, said it well: “On that terrible day, a nation became a neighborhood.” There was a lot of debate over whether the towers should be rebuilt, and if so, whether they should be the same as before. 1 World Trade (Freedom Tower) is currently under construction next to where the towers used to be. It will be 1,776 feet high — symbolizing the year the Declaration of Independence was signed. It will be officially taller than the World Trade Center towers because of a lighted mast that will raise it to its symbolic height. A for the plot. refugees and dedicated to religious freedom memorial is also being dedicated on the tenth •2011 (Jan.): Two Frenchmen are killed in should find references to divinity in its symbols, anniversary that includes reflecting pools in the Niger. France highly suspects the al-Qaeda songs, mottoes, and oaths." “footprints” of the towers. Organization in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). There's a growing chorus of Americans On September 11, the nation will take •2011 (April): Men claiming to be Moroccan — religious and non-religious alike — calling time to honor and remember the people who members of AQIM appear on the internet and on Mayor Bloomberg to reconsider his decision. unexpectedly lost their lives that day, including threaten to attack Moroccan interests. The And in the past week, we have heard from the emergency responders who saved so many following week a bomb killing 15 people, thousands of Americans who have signed our lives that morning but in many cases not their including 10 foreigners, explodes in Marrakesh, letter urging Mayor Bloomberg to change his own. Many will also give thanks to those who Morocco.[] mind. He still has time to act. He should clear work to protect our freedom … and continue to the way for clergy and religious leaders to hope that nothing like this ever happens again. Reconsider 9/11 memorial, participate — to pray for our nation, and to pray Major Terrorist Acts Mayor Bloomberg for those who are still suffering from the pain and loss of Sept. 11, 2001.[] Suspected of or Inspired By Jay Sekulow The ‘X’ Zone Radio Show by al-Qaeda Sept. 11th revealed terrible and great Podcasts Are Available at Continued from Page 18 truths. The terrible was obvious: Evil is real, www.xzonepodcast.com and evil men can inflict great harm. But the greatness gives us strength to this day. There is and •2009 (Dec.): A Nigerian man on a flight from a deep well of courage in the American spirit — Apple iTunes Amsterdam to Detroit attempted to ignite an courage displayed at Ground Zero, at the explosive device hidden in his underwear. The Pentagon, and in the air over Pennsylvania. explosive device that failed to detonate was a There's also a deep well of faith — faith mixture of powder and liquid that did not alert displayed even as the smoke still poured from security personnel in the airport. The alleged the World Trade Center site. bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, told officials later that he was directed by the OUR VIEW: Respect families' wishes at terrorist group al-Qaeda. The suspect was Ground Zero ceremony already on the government's watch list when he attempted the bombing; his father, a respected New York City Mayor Michael Nigerian banker, had told the U.S. government Bloomberg's decision not to invite clergy of any that he was worried about his son's increased faith to commemorate the anniversary Sunday extremism. at Ground Zero is a mistake. The move is deeply •2009 (Dec.): A suicide bomber kills eight offensive to the many Americans who find Americans civilians, seven of them CIA agents, solace and healing in prayer. For many, 9/11 is at a base in Afghanistan. It's the deadliest attack not a distant memory. It's still very real. Many on the agency since 9/11. The attacker is face day-to-day struggles to cope with the loss reportedly a double agent from Jordan who was of loved ones. acting on behalf of al-Qaeda. In the days following 9/11, prayer was •2010 (Oct.): Two packages are found on an integral part of the grieving process. separate cargo planes. Each package contains a Thousands attended the "Prayer for America" bomb consisting of 300 to 400 grams (11-14 oz) event at Yankee Stadium, where representatives of plastic explosives and a detonating of many faiths offered prayers. It was an event mechanism. The bombs are discovered as a that united, not divided, Americans. result of intelligence received from Saudi The nation has a long and cherished Arabia's security chief. The packages, bound history of prayer, from the first prayer in from Yemen to the United States, are discovered Congress in 1774 to the National Day of Prayer at en route stop-overs, one in England and one celebrated each year. Even the Supreme Court in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. A week acknowledges our religious heritage. Justice after the packages are found, al-Qaeda in the Sandra Day O'Connor put it this way: "It is Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) takes responsibility unsurprising that a nation founded by religious