Reactions to the September 11 attacks

A museum panel showing headlines on September 12 in America and around the world. Most of the images on the headlines are images of United Airlines Flight 175 hitting the South Tower.

Reactions to the September 11 attacks included condemnation from world leaders, other political and religious representatives and the international media, as well as numerous memorials and services all over the world. The attacks were widely condemned by the governments of the world, including those traditionally considered hostile to the United States, such as Cuba, Iran, Libya, and North Korea. However, in a few cases celebrations of the attacks were also reported, and some groups and individuals accused the United States in effect of bringing the attacks on itself.

Many countries introduced anti-terrorism legislation^[1] and froze the bank accounts^[2] of businesses and individuals they suspected of having connections with al-Qaeda and its leader Osama bin Laden, the accused perpetrators of the attacks.

United States

In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, the Bush administration declared a war on terrorism, with the stated goals of bringing Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda to justice and preventing the emergence of other terrorist networks. These goals were to be accomplished by means including economic and military sanctions against states perceived as harboring terrorists and increasing global surveillance and intelligence sharing. Within hours after the September 11 attacks, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld speculated on possible involvement by Saddam Hussein and ordered his aides to make plans for striking Iraq;^[3] although unfounded, the association contributed to public acceptance for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The second-biggest operation of the US Global War on Terrorism outside of the United States, and the largest directly connected to terrorism, was the overthrow of the Taliban rule from Afghanistan, by a US-led coalition.

Muslim Americans

In a Joint Statement by the American Muslim Alliance, American Muslim Council, Association of Muslim Scientists and Engineers, Association of Muslim Social Scientists, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Islamic Medical Association of North America, Islamic Circle of North America, Islamic Society of North America, Ministry of Imam W. Deen Mohammed, Muslim American Society and Muslim Public Affairs Council, stated:^[4]

American Muslims utterly condemn the vicious and cowardly acts of terrorism against innocent civilians. We join with all Americans in calling for the swift apprehension and punishment of the perpetrators. No political cause could ever be assisted by such immoral acts.

Controversial Christian American reactions

Two days following the attacks, on the Christian television program The 700 Club, television evangelist Jerry Falwell called the event a punishment from God and laid the blame on "paganists", "abortionists", "feminists" and "gays and lesbians", claiming that they "helped this happen". Host Pat Robertson concurred with the statements. Both evangelists came under attack from President George W. Bush for their statements,^[5] and Falwell subsequently apologized.^[6][7]

Western world

After the attacks many governments and organizations in the western world expressed shock and sympathy, and were supportive of burgeoning efforts to combat terrorism. Among them:

•  Australia: Australian Prime Minister John Howard was in Washington D.C on the morning of the attacks and invoked the ANZUS Treaty, saying it demonstrated "Australia's steadfast commitment to work with the United States."^[8][9]
•  Austria: Church bells tolled in unison.^[10]
•  Belgium: Hundreds of people held hands to form a human chain showing solidarity in front of the Brussels World Trade Center.^[11]
•  Bulgaria: People gathered in town squares to light candles and pray.^[11]
•  Canada: Operation Yellow Ribbon was commenced by Transport Canada and Nav Canada in response to the first plane hitting the first World Trade Center, allowing all commercial flights entering the U.S. to land at Canadian airports and remain there. Prime Minister Jean Chretien said of the attacks, "It is impossible to fully comprehend the evil that would have conjured up such a cowardly and depraved assault upon thousands of innocent people."^[12]
•  Croatia: Many school children in Dubrovnik took time to observe a moment of silence, and declared a National Day of Mourning.^[11]
•  Czech Republic: National Days of Mourning was declared.^[11]
•  Finland: Buses and other public transportation came to a stop to pay tribute to the victims of the attacks.^[11]
•  France: The French newspaper of record, Le Monde, ran a front-page headline reading "Nous sommes tous Américains", or "We are all Americans". Following the attacks, then-French president Jacques Chirac released a statement: "It is with great emotion that France has learned of these monstrous attacks—there is no other word—that have recently hit the United States of America. And in these appalling circumstances, the whole French people—I want to say here—is beside the American people. France expresses its friendship and solidarity in this tragedy. Of course, I assure President George Bush of my total support. France, you know, has always condemned and unreservedly condemns terrorism, and considers that we must fight against terrorism by all means."
•  Germany: Chancellor Gerhard Schröder described the attacks as "a declaration of war against the civilized world." Authorities urged Frankfurt, the country's financial capital, to close all its major skyscrapers. The new Jewish museum in Berlin canceled its public opening.^[13] In Berlin 200,000 Germans marched to show their solidarity with America. Three days after the attacks, the crew of the German destroyer Lütjens manned the rails as they approached the American destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill, displaying an American flag and a banner reading "We Stand By You".
•  Greece: Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis expressed his dismay of the attacks on the United States. quoting "Greece condemns, most categorically, these horrific acts. We hope that the culprits be located and brought to justice immediately." Many Greek citizens called the U.S. embassy to offer their support and express their outrage over the attacks. Security was also ramped up at American and other European embassies in Athens. Opposition candidate Kostas Karamanlis was in the United States at the time, attending the opening of a Greek Studies Department at Tufts University in Boston. Karamanlis also condemned the attacks.^[14]
•  Greenland: People gathered in Nuuk, and other town squares to light candles and offer prayers.^[11]
•  Hungary: Firefighters tied black ribbons to their trucks in honor of the victims.^[11]
•  Ireland: A National Day of Mourning was held on September 14 and a remembrance mass held on September 12, 2001; Ireland was one of the few countries to hold a service day. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and President Mary McAleese were both in attendance.
•  Italy: race car drivers preparing for the Italian Grand Prix silenced their engines out of respect for the victims of the attacks.^[11]
•  New Zealand: New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark stated "It's the sort of thing the worst movie scenario wouldn't dream up,"^[15] and a New Zealand Herald DigiPoll revealed that after the attacks that two thirds of New Zealanders supported a NZ pledge of troops to Afghanistan.^[9][16]
  • In 2003, New Zealand began administering a "Pacific Security Fund" to vulnerable nations in the Pacific region aiming at securing and preventing terrorism from entering the region, there is an annual fund of NZD$3 million that is paid by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and is used to provide support to Pacific Island countries.^[17]
•  Norway: Trams and buses also halted in Norway out of respect.^[11]
•  Poland: Firefighters and other professional rescue workers sounded their vehicle sirens, letting loose a collective wail one warm afternoon. Many Poles also expressed their sympathy by lighting hundreds of candles in front of the U.S. embassy in Warsaw.^[11][18]
•  Sweden: Trams and buses in Sweden came to a halt out of respect for the victims.^[11]
•  United Kingdom: British security forces across the world were placed on maximum alert. Prime Minister Tony Blair pledged that Britain would stand "full square alongside the U.S." in the battle against terrorism. Queen Elizabeth expressed "growing disbelief and total shock."^[13] In London, the U.S. national anthem was played at the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace under orders from Her Majesty, and traffic on The Mall came to a halt during the tribute.^[19] A Service of Remembrance was held at St. Paul's Cathedral attended by the Queen, the Prince of Wales, Prime Minister Tony Blair, U.S. Ambassador William Farish, and a congregation of thousands inside and outside the cathedral.^[20]

Muslim world

Iranian girl with her mother turning candle light at Tehran, remembering the September 11 attacks

Almost all Muslim political and religious leaders condemned the attacks. The leaders vehemently denouncing the attacks included the leaders of Egypt (Hosni Mubarak), the Palestinian Authority (Yasser Arafat), Libya (Muammar Gaddafi), Syria (Bashar al-Assad), Iran (Mohamed Khatami) and Pakistan (Pervez Musharraf).^[4][21] The sole exception was Iraq, when the then-president Saddam Hussein, said of the attacks that "the American cowboys are reaping the fruit of their crimes against humanity".^[22] Saddam would later offer sympathy to the Americans killed in the attacks.^[23]

•  Afghanistan: Taliban rulers condemned the attacks, but vehemently rejected suggestions that Osama bin Laden, who had been given asylum in Afghanistan, could be behind them.^[24]
•  Azerbaijan: Azerbaijanis gathered in town squares to light candles, pray and offered good wishes.
•  Bahrain: King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa condemned the 9/11 attacks.
•  Bangladesh: People gathered in mosques in prayer, and clerics condemned the attacks.^[11]
•  Egypt: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak vehemently denounced the attacks.
•  Indonesia: President Megawati Sukarnoputri expressed public support for a global war on terrorism and promised to implement United Nations counter terrorism resolutions, thought the Indonesian government said it opposed unilateral US military action in Afghanistan. Thus the Indonesian government taken limited action in support of international anti terrorist efforts.^[9] Many Indonesians also gathered on beaches to pray for the victims of the attacks.^[11]
•  Iran: Despite Iran's rocky relations with the U.S., both Iranian president Mohamed Khatami^[25][26][27] and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei condemned and denounced the attacks and the terrorists who carried out the attacks. Iranians who gathered for a soccer match in Tehran two days after the 9/11 attacks observed a moment of silence. There was also a candlelight vigil. Huge crowds attended candlelit vigils in Iran, and 60,000 spectators observed a minute's silence at Tehran's soccer stadium.^[28][29] On Tuesday, September 25th, in 2001, Iran's fifth president, Mohammad Khatami meeting British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, said: "Iran fully understands the feelings of the Americans about the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington on September 11." He said although the American administrations had been at best indifferent about terrorist operations in Iran (since 1979), the Iranians instead felt differently and had expressed their sympathetic feelings with bereaved Americans in the tragic incidents in the two cities." He also stated that "Nations should not be punished in place of terrorists." ^[30] According to Radio Farda's website, in 2011, on the anniversary of the attacks, United States Department of State, published a post at its blog, in which the Department thanked Iranian people for their sympathy and stated that they would never forget Iranian people's kindness on those harsh days. This piece of news at Radio Farda's website also states that after the attacks' news was released, some Iranian citizens gathered in front of the Embassy of Switzerland in Tehran, which serves as the protecting power of the United States in Iran, to express their sympathy and some of them lit candles as a symbol of mourning. ^[31]
• Iraq: After first justifying the 9/11 attacks, Saddam Hussein, a few months later, offered his sympathy for the victims and Americans killed in the attacks.
•  Jordan: King Abdullah II condemned the 9/11 attacks. Many Jordanians signed letters of sympathy.
•  Kazakhstan: Kazakhstani government offered the use of its airspace for relief and offered its condolences.^[11]
•  Kuwait: The Kuwaiti government condemned and denounced the 9/11 attacks. Some Kuwaitis lined up at local Red Crescent hospitals to donate blood.
•  Kyrgyzstan: The government of Kyrgyzstan offered its condolences, as well as the use of its airspace.
•  Lebanon: Lebanese President Émile Lahoud and prime minister Rafic Hariri both condemned the 9/11 attacks. Lebanese generals signed and sent letters of sympathy.
• Libya: Muammar Gaddafi condemned the attacks.
•  Malaysia: Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad immediately condemned the attacks and promised to fight terrorism within Malaysia.^[32] Since the attacks, Malaysia together with its neighbor of Singapore began to cooperate with the United States through exchange of intelligence information and coordinating security measures against possible terrorist attacks and pledged full support for the US-led effort to combat terrorism.^[9][33]
•  Pakistan: Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf condemned the attacks. Some Islamic clerics in a few Paskistani mosques also condemned the attacks.^[11] However, a 2004 Pew poll found that 65% of Pakistanis viewed Osama Bin Laden and the 9/11 attacks favorably.^[34]
•  Qatar: Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani condemned the 9/11 attacks and denounced the terrorists who carried them out.
•  Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabian government and the royal Saudi family condemned and denounced the attacks and offered to provide financial aid to the victims.
•  Sudan: The Sudanese leaders and several Muslim clerics in Sudan denounced the attacks.
•  Syria: President Bashar al-Assad also condemned the attacks.
•  Tajikistan: The Tajik government denounced the attacks. People gathered in squares to light candles, prayed and offered good wishes.
•  Turkey: Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit condemned the attacks. The Turkish government then ordered all of its flags at half-mast for one day of mourning.
•  Turkmenistan offered its condolences and offered the use of its airspace for relief.
•  Uzbekistan: Leaders in Uzbekistan condemned the attacks and called the White House to offer its condolences and also offered the use of its airspace.
•  Yemen: Clerics in Yemeni mosques heavily denounced the attacks and labelled them as "cowardly" and "un-Islamic".^[11]

Palestinian celebrations

A group of Palestinians were filmed celebrating in the street in celebration of the local news reports of attacks on the World Trade Center and the deaths of thousands of Americans. Fox News reported that in Ein el-Hilweh, Lebanon's largest Palestinian refugee camp, revelers fired weapons in the air, with similar celebratory gunfire heard at the Rashidiyeh camp near the southern city of Tyre as well.^[24] Yasser Arafat and nearly all the leaders of Palestinian National Authority (PNA) condemned the attacks and attempted to censure and discredit broadcasts and other Palestinian news reports justifying the attacks in America,^[24] with many newspapers, magazines, websites and wire services running photographs of Palestinian public celebrations.^[35][36] The PNA claimed such celebrations were not representative of the sentiments of the Palestinian people, and the Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said the PNA would not allow "a few kids" to "smear the real face of the Palestinians". In an attempt to quash further reporting, Ahmed Abdel Rahman, Arafat's Cabinet secretary, said the Palestinian Authority could not "guarantee the life" of an Associated Press (AP) cameraman if footage he filmed of post-9/11 celebrations in Nablus was broadcast. Rahman's statement prompted a formal protest from the AP bureau chief, Dan Perry.^[37][36]

Annette Krüger Spitta of the ARD's (German public broadcasting) TV magazine Panorama states that footage not aired shows that the street surrounding the celebration in Jerusalem is quiet. Furthermore, she states that a man in a white T-shirt incited the children and gathered people together for the shot. The Panorama report, dated September 20, 2001, quotes Communications Professor Martin Löffelholz explaining that in the images one sees jubilant Palestinian children and several adults but there is no indication that their pleasure is related to the attack. The woman seen cheering (Nawal Abdel Fatah) stated afterwards that she was offered cake if she celebrated on camera, and was frightened when she saw the pictures on television afterward.^[38][39]

There was also rumour that the footage of some Palestinians celebrating the attacks was stock footage of Palestinian reactions to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990.^[40] This rumour was proven false shortly afterwards,^[41] and CNN issued a statement to that effect.^[42] A poll conducted by the Fafo Foundation in the Palestinian Authority in 2005 found that 65% of respondents supported "Al Qaeda's actions like bombings in USA and Europe".^[43]

Rest of the world

•  Brazil: Rio de Janeiro put up billboards that showed the city’s famous Christ the Redeemer statue embracing the New York City Skyline.^[44]
•  Burma: Burmese government issued a letter to the United Nations on 30 November 2002 outlining its commitment to all counter terrorism efforts. The Burmese government stated its opposition to terrorism and declared government officials would not allow the country to be used as a safehaven or a location for the planning and execution of terrorist acts.^[9]
•  China: President Jiang Zemin said he was "shocked" and sent his condolences to President Bush, while the Foreign Ministry said China "opposed all manner" of terrorism.^[9][13] In Beijing, tens of thousands of people visited the U.S. Embassy, leaving flowers, cards, funeral wreaths and hand-written notes of condolence on the sidewalk out front.
•  Cuba: Its government expressed its pain and solidarity with its longtime adversary and offered air and medical facilities to help.^[13]
•  Ethiopia: Ethiopians offered their prayers.
•  India: India declared high alert across most of its major cities and conveyed "deepest sympathies" to the U.S. and condemned the attacks.^[45] Children in the country taped up signs that read, "This is an attack on all of us".^[11]
•  Israel: The day after the 9/11 attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon condemned the attacks and urged the world to fight terrorism and declared a national day of mourning in solidarity with the United States.^[13] To commemorate and honor the victims of terror attacks, the 9/11 Living Memorial Plaza, a Cenotaph designed by Eliezer Weishoff, was built in Ramot, Jerusalem.
•  Japan: Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said, "This outrageous and vicious act of violence against the United States is unforgivable." Special security precautions were ordered at all United States military installations.^[13]
•  Kenya: The Maasai people in a Kenyan village gave 14 cows to help and support the United States after the attacks.^[46]
•  Laos: The government of Laos has stated it condemns all forms of terrorism and supports the global war on terrorism. Its national bank, the Bank of Laos has issued orders to freeze terrorist assets and instructed banks to locate and seize such assets thought the country are still slow to ratify international conventions against terrorism.^[9]
•  Mexico: The Mexican government increased its security, causing enormous traffic jams at the United States border and officials said they were considering closing the entire border. President Vicente Fox expressed "solidarity and our most profound condolences".^[13]
•  Mongolia: Permanent Representative of Mongolia Amb. J. Enkhsaikhan condemned the attacks, calling them "Barbaric" and "Heinous", and claimed: "The world community not only strongly condemned these barbaric acts and reiterated its determination to fight all manifestations of terrorism".^[47]
•  North Korea: A spokesperson for the North Korean Foreign Ministry in Pyongyang was quoted by the state-run news agency KCNA as saying: "The very regretful and tragic incident reminds it once again of the gravity of terrorism. As a UN member, the DPRK is opposed to all forms of terrorism and whatever support to it... and this stance will remain unchanged."^[48]
•  Philippines: Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sent a letter to President Bush assuring the safety of U.S. facilities in the Philippines. She said that "nothing can describe the shock and horror of all humanity in the face of the unimaginable acts of terror inflicted on the United States." She added that the Filipino people extends condolences to all victims of the attacks. Arroyo also ordered the Philippine consulate in New York to search and confirm Filipino casualties of the attacks.^[49] The Philippines has since offering medical assistance for coalition forces, blanket overflight clearance, and landing rights for US aircraft involved in Operation Enduring Freedom as well the Philippine Congress began passing the Anti-Money-laundering Act of 2001 on 29 September.^[9]
•  Russia: Russian troops were put on alert in response to the attacks. President Vladimir Putin held an emergency meeting of security officials and said he supported a tough response to these "barbaric acts".^[13] He also informed Condoleezza Rice by telephone that any and all pre-existing hostility between the two countries would be put aside while America dealt with the tragedy. In Moscow, women who spoke no English and had never been to America were captured on film sobbing in front of a makeshift tribute on a sidewalk. In addition, television and radio stations went silent to commemorate the dead.^[11]
•  Singapore: Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong condemned the attacks and pledge support to US-led anti terrorism operations.^[33] Following the attacks, Singaporean government began to investigate a possible terrorist cell within its borders.^[9]
•  South Africa: South African president halted all broadcasts and was left in solitude for the rest of the day after offering financial support to the U.S.
•  South Korea: Immediately after the attacks, South Korean President Kim Dae-jung instructed all available ministries to assess the situation, and to ensure the safety of all South Korean citizens living in the affected regions.^[50] He later offered his condolences, stating that he "would like to convey our most sincere condolences and sympathies to the people of America for their tremendous loss and the pain and the suffering that they suffer due to the terrorist attack." He also voiced his support for President Bush and the United States, and offered his full support and assistance.^[51] South Korea also has strengthened its domestic legislation and institutions to combat financial support for terrorism, including the creation of a financial intelligence unit.^[9]
•  Taiwan: Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian said Taiwan would "fully support the spirit and determination of the anti-terrorist campaign, as well as any effective, substantive measures that may be adopted" and announced that it would fully abide by the 12 United Nations counter terrorism conventions, even though it is not a member of the United Nations. The country strengthened laws on money laundering and criminal-case-procedure law shortly after the attacks.^[9]
•  Thailand: Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra condemned the attacks and said his country would stand by the United States in the international coalition to combat terrorism. Thai government leaders also condemned the attacks and pledged cooperation on counter terrorism efforts between Thai and US agencies, committed to signing all the United Nations counter terrorism conventions.^[52]
•  Ukraine: Immediately declared solidarity with the United States, and offered moral, technical and military support to the extent of their infrastructure. The Ukrainian parliament passed three resolutions all in favor of assisting the United States following the attacks. Congressman Bob Schaffer expressed gratitude towards Ukraine and its stance on terrorism, saying "Ukraine's condemnation of international terrorism, its much-appreciated support in the war on terrorism, its tough newly enacted laws to combat terrorism, and its commitment to fight at the side of the United States and its allies for civil society and democracy demonstrates the role Ukraine and her people intend to play in the emerging democracy".^[53]
•  Vietnam: Vietnam's leaders sympathized with the United States and condemning terrorism in the days following the attacks but also condemned any US "overreaction retaliation" such as the US airstrikes on Kabul, Afghanistan while supporting a resolution to the Afghanistan situation under the auspices of the United Nations. The country together with its neighbors of Laos as well Burma has signing an agreement on combating international terrorism.^[54]

Non-governmental organizations

•  European Union: European foreign ministers scheduled a rare emergency meeting the next day of the attacks to discuss a joint response, as officials expressed solidarity with the United States. The external relations commissioner, Chris Patten, called the attacks "the work of a madman."^[13]
•  NATO held an emergency meeting of the alliance's ambassadors in Brussels. The secretary general, Lord Robertson, promised the United States that it could rely on its allies in North America and Europe for assistance and support, and pledged that those responsible would not get away with it.^[13]
•  United Nations: The United Nations Security Council members condemned the attacks and adopted resolution 1368 (2001), by which they expressed readiness to take all necessary steps to respond to the attacks of September 11 and to combat all forms of terrorism in accordance with their Charter responsibilities.^[55] Then-Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, said: "We are all traumatized by this terrible tragedy."^[13]

Other Muslim organizations

• Renowned Muslim scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi denounced the attacks and the unprovoked killings of thousands of American civilians as a "heinous crime" and urged Muslims to donate blood to the victims. He did, however, criticize the United States' "biased policy towards Israel" and also called on Muslims to "concentrate on facing the occupying enemy directly", inside the Palestinian territories.^[56] The alleged Hezbollah "spiritual mentor" and Lebanese Shia cleric Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah condemned the attacks.
• Ahmed Yassin, the spiritual leader of Hamas, stated: "We are not ready to move our struggle outside the occupied Palestinian land. We are not prepared to open international fronts, however much we criticize the unfair American position." Yassin also stated: "No doubt this is a result of injustice the U.S practices against the weak in the world."^[24][57]
• Hezbollah condemned targeting civilians in the September 11 attacks.^[58][59]
• The Sahrawi national liberation movement Polisario Front condemned the "criminal attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in the USA and, particularly, against defenceless innocent civilians".^[60]

Polls taken several years later by Saudi-owned Al Arabiya and Gallup suggest some support for the September 11 attacks within the Islamic world, with 38% believing the attacks to be not justified, while 36% believing them to be justified when Saudis were polled in 2011.^[61] Another 2008 study, produced by Gallup, found that 7% of the sample of Muslims polled believing the 9/11 attacks were "completely" justified.^[62]

References