The United States has been marking the 5th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Moments of silence were observed in New York, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania - all sites where the terrorists struck on the morning of Tuesday the 11th September 2001.
As the Bush administration insists its actions have kept the United States safe, and pledges to continue its pursuit of terrorists around the world, there are still those who believe that security loopholes exists in the nation's security.
CRI Washington correspondent Liu Wei reports.
Reporter:
 The World Trade Centre site in New York City fell silent four times on Monday- twice each time to mark the moments jet airliners crashed and the collapse of its iconic towers.
At Ground Zero - which is a cavernous pit still largely unchanged from the first anniversary - spouses, partners, famliy members and friends recited the 2,749 names of New York's 9/11 victims as they have done on previous anniversaries.
Mourners with bouquets of roses descended to the lowest level of the trade centre site, gathering around two small reflecting pools that mark where the two towers once stood; many held photos of loved ones lost in the attacks, when hijackers seized four commercial airliners and turned them into weapons.
Former New York Mayor Rudolph Guiliani spoke at the ceremony.
"Five years from the date of the attack that changed our world, we've come back to remember the valour of those we've lost - those who innocently went to work that day and the brave souls who went in after them. We also come to be ever mindful of the courage of those who grieve and the light that still shines in their hearts."
US President George W. Bush opened the day at a historic New York firestation, mingling with firefighters and police officers who were among the first to rush to the burning skyscrapers.
Later, he also visited the sites in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon where hijacked airliners also crashed .
Earlier on Monday, US vice president Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld attended the ceremony at the Pentagon.
Rumsfeld pledged to continue pursuing terrorists around the world.
In Shanksville, hundreds of people gathered and prayed at a temporary memorial — a 10-foot chainlink fence covered with American flags, firefighter helmets and children's drawings.
But as the whole nation remembers the tragedy of five years ago, some are still doubtful about how secure the United States is today. Analice Hougler worked in the aviation industry before the 9/11 attacks.
For most Americans, life has returned to normal. And while worries over security are decreasing, doubt about the Bush Administration’s policy on Iraq is increasing.
Liu Wei, CRI News, Washington.
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