NEW YORK, Sept 11: The Americans observed the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks with President George W. Bush visiting New York’s Ground Zero on Sunday evening and laying wreaths at the site of the World Trade Center.

Mr Bush and wife Laura later attended a prayer service in the nearby St Paul’s chapel with a gathering of families who lost their loved ones in the attack and also shook hands with fire-fighters at a firehouse near the vanished twin towers of the WTC.

Mr Bush said after placing a wreath into a reflecting dark pool at the base of what was the north tower of the WTC, the first to be hit by one of the hijacked planes, that he had vowed to never forget the lessons of that day.

He said: “There’s still an enemy out there that would like to inflict the same kind of damage again. So tomorrow is also a day of renewing resolve.”

At the last estimates 2,749 people were killed in the towers’ collapse after the jets pierced them. In all, there were 2,973 casualties, including in the attacks on Pentagon and in Pennsylvania.

It is estimated that there were 19 hijackers of the planes, who also perished.

At the service at the chapel, the president and Laura Bush sat with the family of Joseph Viviane of the New York Police, who lost his life in the blasts. The service rendered scriptures from the holy Quran and the Bible invoking the themes of love and reconciliation.

Mr Bush was also greeted by a small group of protesters, who had gathered on the street near the church with banners reading: “Arrest Bush now,” “Bring the troops home” and “Stop exploiting 9/11.” They were chanting slogans against the president.

On Monday morning at the solemn ceremonies to mark the day, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg noted after a moment of silence marking the moment that the first plane struck the WTC: “It surely cannot be easy to come to this site.”

In the silence, families and friends of people killed in the attacks lowered their heads. Some clutched flowers and photographs as tears fell.

Mr Bush and his wife did not speak during the ceremony but bowed their heads solemnly during the moments of silence, one at 8:46 and the other at 9:03.

In Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the toll of a bell sounded after each name of the 40 passengers and crew was read out at a remembrance ceremony of United Airlines Flight 93 in which speakers praised the courageous behaviour of those who fought the hijackers.

The Ground Zero was the first stop for the president and his wife in the 24 hours of observance at the three sites of the attacks.

The fifth anniversary falls less than two months before the elections to the Congress, in which the Democrats hope to wrest control from the Republicans. Apparently, the president and his aides have been making use of the anniversary to gain political milieu claiming the Republican rule is a better alternative in countering terrorism.