The Hanson family: Murdered by jihadists on Sept. 11, 2001

The Zacarias Moussaoui trial testimony reminds us of the raw anguish that 9/11 family members continue to live with every day. Via AP:

On Monday, nearly every witness cried and needed water or a moment to regain composure. Some wept uncontrollably for brief periods.

Most of the 17 jurors and alternates maintained solemn faces that betrayed no emotion. But four women and one man dabbed discreetly at their eyes or noses with tissues or handkerchiefs.

Moussaoui, who is facing a life-or-death decision from this jury, watched and listened to the early witnesses intently, then shifted in his chair to stare straight ahead with a sober look on his face. At a morning break after the judge and jury had left, he said loudly, “Burn, in the USA.” At the lunch break, he said, “Hollywood, deadly circus.”

Perhaps the day’s most dramatic testimony came from 73-year-old C. Lee Hanson, whose granddaughter, Christine, 2 1/2 , was the youngest 9-11 victim.

Hanson said his son, Peter, called him by cellphone from United Airlines Flight 175 to tell him the plane had been hijacked. Peter said he thought the hijackers were going to crash the plane into a building. “Don’t worry, Dad, if it happens, it will be quick,” Peter said.

“As we were talking,” Hanson told jurors, “he said very softly, ‘Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!’ And there was a scream in the background.” Crying, Hanson said, “I looked at the television and saw the plane fly into the building.”

Days later, Hanson traveled to their Massachusetts home to retrieve DNA samples to help medical examiners identifying remains. All that was ever found of his son was a bone a few inches long.

Here is the Hanson family’s memorial site.