NEW YORK, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- One month after two hijacked airliners struck the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center leaving 438 dead and 4,807 missing, a widow sues Osama Bin Laden, New York City's tourism industry is reeling, memorial services continue, there is heightened security and the sale of sleeping pills and anti-anxiety drugs have soared.
Several memorials were held through New York City marking the one-month anniversary of the attacks. A service was held at the edge of the 16-acre site where the World Trade Center once stood. The more than 1,000 firefighters, police and construction workers paused from their work of sifting through the rubble and stood holding their helmets during the 15-minute service and later joined hands in prayer.
"In the name of all of those who we lost here -- the firefighters, police officers, the emergency workers, the citizens who were going about their lives, trying to pursue, in their way, the American dream, all of whom are heroes, we remember them, we will always remember them," Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said.
The first lawsuits were also filed Thursday. Trail lawyers had asked that attorneys hold off any litigation for at least one month after the attacks. A New Jersey widow filed suit against the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the Taliban, Osama bin Laden and the terrorist network al Qaida. The mother of four is identified as Jane Doe and lawsuit seeks $5 million.
Her attorney said that her husband made it to the roof of one of the Twin Towers and said that he and others "were waiting for helicopters to rescue them" before the building collapsed.
A software company, Thor Technologies Inc. sued the World Trade Center in Manhattan state Supreme Court for its $110,000 letter of credit that the landlord held as security. Thor had 42 employees who worked on the 87th floor in the North tower but all escaped on Sept. 11 and are now working in a temporary office in midtown Manhattan.
In addition to the securities, insurance, software and brokerage businesses housed in the World Trade Center that lost more than 100,000 jobs, city officials estimate New York City has lost about $237 million in hotel, restaurant and Broadway show revenue from tourists since the attacks.
While most tourist attractions have reopened, often with beefed up security, the United Nations was open again to visitors Thursday, but the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island remained closed.
Because of the decrease in dining out, travel and attending Broadway shows, cab drivers have had their income drop by as much as 50 percent. In addition, cabs are restricted to parts of Lower Manhattan decreasing business fares while security checkpoints where vehicles are searched keep cabs from making as many fares as before. Since the majority of cab drivers are from the Far East or Middle East, some drivers are losing fares because of ethnic bias.
Since Sept. 11, the restaurant industry has lost up to $10 million daily and 15,000 restaurant workers have been laid off, according to Zagat Survey, a rating service for restaurants.
To boost restaurant sales, city officials have expanded "restaurant week" to get more people to dine out. More than 150 of the city's restaurants will offer discounted prix fixed lunch and dinner beginning Monday and ending Oct. 21. Three-course lunches will available for $20.01, and dinner will be $30.01 with beverages, tax and tip not included.
Restaurants worldwide will donate 10 percent of Thursday's sales to the Windows of Hope Family Relief Fund, a nonprofit established by Windows on the World owner David Emil and the restaurant's chef, Michael Lomonaco to benefit the families of the workers who worked at the 110th floor restaurant.
The sale of anti-depressants, anti-anxiety drugs and sleeping pills soared since the attacks nationwide but the highest increase of up to 27 percent has occurred in New York City.
"With the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington now one month ago, this is the time when cases of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in those who witnessed the events will start being diagnosed," said J. Gayle Beck, an expert in panic and anxiety disorders at the University of Buffalo. "Nightmares, intrusive thoughts and other ways in which we may 're-experience' the trauma, trouble concentrating, hyper-vigilance and feeling anxious or jumpy are all symptoms, but it's their duration that is key to diagnosing PTSD.
"If individuals still are experiencing such symptoms after one month and it's starting to get in the way of their life it's time to seek professional help."
