New York: US President Barack Obama on Thursday made a symbolic visit to the Ground Zero site of the fallen twin towers and said that 9/11 orchestrator Osama bin Laden's death shows America's unfailing commitment to bring terrorists to "justice".
During his solemn visit to New York, days after bin Laden was killed by US forces, Obama told a crew of fire fighters that lost 15 members on 9/11 that bin Laden's death was a string message both to the world and to Americans.
"When we say we will never forget, we mean what we say," he said at a stop before laying down a wreath at the site of the terror attack.
"What happened on Sunday... sent a message around the world, but also sent a message here back home... that our commitment to making sure that justice is done is something that transcended politics, transcended party," he said.
Obama said it did not matter which administration was in, America was always going to make sure "the perpetrators of that horrible act - that they received justice".
After laying wreath at the site, Obama met relatives of around 3,000 people who had died in the attacks of September 11, 2001.
Obama said while the lost ones would never return, but he hoped the efforts of the US forces to hunt down the perpetrator in Pakistan would bring some sense of closure to the victims.
"So it's some comfort, I hope, to all of you to know that when those guys took those extraordinary risks going into Pakistan, that they were doing it in part because of the sacrifices that were made in the States. They were doing it in the name of your brothers that were lost," he said.
He also visited a Manhattan police station to speak to some of the first responders and told them: "I am here basically to shake your hand and say how proud I am of all of you".
As Obama visited the Ground Zero, crowds with flags and cameras lined up the street.
Earlier, White House spokesman Jay Carney said the president hoped his visit would help "New Yorkers and Americans everywhere to achieve a sense of closure."
"The President thinks it's entirely fitting and appropriate to visit the site of Ground Zero in the wake of this significant and cathartic moment for the American people," he said.
Former President George W Bush, who was invited for the event did not attend.
Comments
0 comment