Reactions to the September 11 attacks

Main article: September 11, 2001 attacks

The attacks prompted condemnation from world leaders, other political and religious representatives and the international media, as well as numerous memorials and services all over the world. In Berlin, 200,000 Germans marched to show their solidarity with America. The French newspaper of record, Le Monde, ran a front-page headline reading "Nous sommes tous Américains", or "We are all Americans". A National Day of Mourning was held in Ireland on Friday, September 14, the only country other than the U.S.A. to do so. In London, the U.S. national anthem was played at the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. The attacks were also denounced by the governments of countries traditionally considered hostile to the United States, such as Cuba, Iran, Libya and North Korea. In the immediate aftermath, support for the United States' right to defend itself was expressed across the world, and by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1368. However there were also calls from some quarters for the United States to do more to examine why the attacks might have occurred, and in some cases there were reports of groups of people celebrating the event.

Islamic world

Reactions to the attacks in the Muslim world were mixed. The great majority of Muslim political and religious leaders condemned the attacks, including the Presidents of Egypt,Jordan, Palestine, Libya, Syria, Iran and Pakistan. The sole exception was president of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, who said of the attacks that "The American cowboys are reaping the fruit of their crimes against humanity." Saddam would later offer sympathy to the Americans killed in the attacks..

Renowned Muslim scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi denounced the attacks and the killings of hundreds of civilians as a "heinous crime" and urged Muslims to donate blood to the victims. He did however criticise the United States' "biased policy towards Israel" and also called on Muslims to "concentrate on facing the occupying enemy directly", inside the Palestinian territories.

Ahmed Yassin, whose Islamic militant Hamas group had carried out a series of suicide bombings in Israel, said he was not interested in exporting such attacks to the United States, however he criticized the "unfair American position".

Afghanistan's Taliban rulers condemned the attacks and rejected suggestions that Osama bin Laden, who had been given asylum in Afghanistan, could be behind them.

Huge crowds attended candlelit vigils in Iran, and 60,000 spectators observed a minute's silence at Tehran football stadium.

Muslim Americans

In a Joint Statement by 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:

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.

Controversies

Celebration of some Palestinian protesters

Shortly after the attacks began, about 3,000 people poured into the streets of Nablus ,chanting "God is Great" and — in their traditional gesture of celebration — handed out candy . A Palestinian woman said she was happy because "America is the head of the snake, America always stands by Israel in its war against us".^(VIDEO)

Also, in Ein el-Hilweh, Lebanon's largest refugee camp, where about 75,000 Palestinians live, revelers fired weapons in the air, witnesses said. Similar celebratory gunfire was heard at the Rashidiyeh camp near the southern city of Tyre

Both the Palestinian leadership and media condemned the celebrations.

Saudi donation

New York Mayor Rudi Giuliani rejected a donation of $10 million for disaster relief from Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, after he suggested in a statement that US foreign policy may have contributed to the attacks and that the U.S. should "re-examine its policies .. and adopt a more balanced stand toward the Palestinian cause".

BBC Question Time

The BBC apologised after an edition of its political panel programme Question Time, held two days after the attacks, saw the US ambassador to the UK Philip Lader face hostile criticism of US foreign policy from audience members.

Al-Muhajiroun

The small British Islamist group Al-Muhajiroun announced plans to hold a conference in London and other UK cities on the second anniversary of the attacks hailing the perpetrators as "the Magnificent 19". Mainstream Muslim groups in the UK denounced the move. The Muslim Council of Britain at the time condemned the attacks "utterly" and called for those responsible to be "swiftly" brought to justice