US president Barack Obama will meet with families of those who died during attacks on America on September 11th, 2001, when he visits Ground Zero in New York today.
The president is to attend private talks with families and will lay a wreath at the former site of the World Trade Center during a ceremony.
Mr Obama's visit comes after he said the publication of photographs of the dead Osama Bin Laden would threaten US national security. He said he would not risk giving propaganda to extremists or gloat by publicising grotesque photos of the terrorist leader, who was shot in the head by US special forces in an attack on a sprawling compound near a military academy in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad, 60km from the capital Islamabad.
To those who doubt the US assertion it's forces killed bin Laden during a military operation in Pakistan this week, Mr Obama said, "You will not see bin Laden walking on this earth again."
His government, meanwhile, insisted killing bin Laden, who was unarmed at the time of his death, was lawful and an act of national self-defence.
Mr Obama's visit to New York is intended to have a more measured tone than that witnessed during then president George W Bush's infamous 'bullhorn moment' during an address to workers at Ground Zero shortly after the 2001 attacks.
When one worker shouted, "I can't hear you," Mr Bush responded: "I can hear you! The rest of the world hears you! And the people - and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!"
Instead, White House spokesman Jay Carney said today's visit would be a "cathartic moment for the American people." Mr Obama will also lay a wreath at the 9/11 memorial.
The emerging skyscraper now being built on the site of the attack and informally known as Freedom Tower, is more than 60 stories high.
The White House said Mr Obama will meet privately with families of those killed in the attacks and with the emergency workers who assisted in the search and recovery operation.
Heightened security put in place in response to the killing of bin Laden will remain for Mr Obama's visit. Police officials said there are no specific threats against the city but also say they assume bin Laden's "disciples" might try to avenge his death with a terror attack.
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