In the US, it was revealed that the public was given false information after the September 11 terrorist attacks

It has been revealed that the public was misinformed in the US after the September 11 terrorist attacks

The New York administration has begun disclosing documents regarding air quality following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. They note the presence of hazardous substances in the air, although the public was told at the time that the air quality was safe.

Even months after the terrorist attacks, asbestos and other hazardous substances were detected in the air in Lower Manhattan. In July 2002, ten months after the attacks, experts still found traces of asbestos in a John Street building less than 1.5 kilometers from the Twin Towers. They were detected on the building's facade, roof, and other areas of Lower Manhattan.

In some samples, asbestos levels exceeded permissible limits. The documents also note that high concentrations of benzene, which can cause cancer, were observed near the area where the towers were destroyed.

At the same time, after the terrorist attacks, the then-Mayor of New York, Rudolph Giuliani, and his successor, Michael Bloomberg, stated that the air quality was safe for residents. They maintained that tests showed air quality was within permissible limits. However, the documents show that people were allowed to return to the World Trade Center area while health risks persisted.

The documents were released following a lawsuit by the organization 9/11 Health Watch. Its director, Ben Chevat, said officials were aware of the danger of toxic substances but continued to tell the public that the air quality was safe.

The new information could help victims receive federal compensation and also serve as the basis for new lawsuits. According to the NYT, in subsequent years, the number of people who died from illnesses resulting from the terrorist attacks may have exceeded the nearly 3,000 people who died on September 11.

According to estimates by Brown University's Costs of War project, the economic consequences of the September 11 terrorist attacks were valued at $35 billion to $109 billion. Meanwhile, military operations and counter-terrorism measures following the attacks cost the US much more. By 2022, associated costs were estimated at $5.8 trillion, and approximately $8 trillion when factoring in future medical care and support for veterans.