Posted on 09/11/2003 10:01:36 AM PDT by knighthawk
British victims of the September 11 attacks were being remembered on the second anniversary of the terrorist atrocity.
Families of the 67 Britons who died when two hijacked passenger planes slammed into the twin towers of New York's World Trade Centre were gathering at a garden dedicated to their memory.
More than 750 relatives and guests were visiting the site in London's Grosvenor Square, which is overlooked by the United States Embassy and which was the focus of grief in the aftermath of the tragedy.
The Princess Royal was officially opening the garden of remembrance which contains a small pavilion bearing three bronze plaques listing the names of victims for the UK, UK Overseas Territories and those with dual nationalities.
The plaques were designed by Richard Kindersley who created the memorial to the victims of the Dunblane shooting.
A spokesman for the Department of Culture said the idea for the garden originated from the families themselves.
"They felt it would be fitting for their loved ones. Grosvenor Square was where people came to leave flowers after September 11.
"Although most of the families had private memorial services, there have been no funerals. There's still the issue of body parts.
"When the families had a private viewing of the garden early in the summer they were very, very moved by it."
Buried beneath the garden is a twisted metal girder recovered from the devastation of Ground Zero. Preserved in resin, the half tonne of rusted steel from One World Trade Centre was placed underground because it was too distressing to be displayed.
It rests beneath a memorial stone which dedicates the garden to "all those who lost their lives in the 11th September 2001 terrorist attacks".
Too bad it isn't shown. They UK should experience some distress to remind them of why Tony Blair is supporting us in the war on terror.
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