Military aircraft patrolled the skies over major U.S. cities Thursday as officials pledged to wage "the first war of the 21st Century" against shadowy militants believed responsible for the worst attack ever staged on American soil. A nervous nation reopened its airports while countless bomb threats emptied buildings across the country -- including the U.S. Capitol, where lawmakers were interrupted by evacuation orders as they met to discuss emergency funds to help the nation recover from Tuesday`s terror attack.
President Bush, wiping tears from his eyes, vowed to "whip terrorism" and officials focused on exiled Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden, an implacable U.S. foe with a global network of supporters. Officials decided to move Vice President Dick Cheney from the White House to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland as a "precautionary measure," separating the nation`s two top leaders.
In New York, rescue workers searching the ruins of the World Trade Center, where officials said 4,763 people were still unaccounted for after two hijacked planes destroyed the twin towers that anchored the nation`s financial district.
Tearful New Yorkers clutching pictures of missing friends and relatives roamed the streets, while across the country anxious Arab-Americans worried about reprisals. Worried international economic officials sought to counter growing fears the terror attack could trigger a global recession, while the resumption of stock trading was postponed until Monday. Bureau Report