As the rest of the world stops in silence to remember the tragic events of September 11, Scotland also joined in the world wide act of solemn reflection.

First minister Jack McConnell gave a reading at a 45-minute service of remembrance in St Giles's Cathedral in Edinburgh.

The ecumenical gathering was led by the Rt Rev Dr Finlay Macdonald, the moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

Speaking ahead of the service, McConnell said: "Today with millions of people around the world, I am remembering all those who died in the attack on the twin towers in New York a year ago.

"Each individual death left behind family, friends and work colleagues. In one act of destruction and unimaginable evil, thousands of individual tragedies took place."

He said those untouched by personal grief were not immune to the tragedy

"Of course that terrible day is etched most strongly on the minds of those who lost loved ones. But is leaves its mark too in the minds and hearts of everyone who watched in horror as the unbelievable events unfolded," said the first minister.

"I can clearly remember watching television and seeing the second plane hit the tower. I had visited the World Trade Centre and could visualise the windows through which ordinary people must have watched the aircraft approach.

"To pay my respects from Scotland, I revisited the site in April. Standing on the viewing platform, I was stunned by a photo of a young woman, a victim on the day.

"She could so easily have been my daughter who had opted to spend her year out working in Canada rather than the States.

"The faces that lined the platform were people from all over the world, young and old. Hard working decent, people whose random deaths we must never forget.

"At that moment in April, when I looked up to where the towers had been, I had a fleeting glimpse of what thousands of Americans must have gone through on the morning of September 11."

Since the tragic terror attacks, McConnell said the US had managed to build a sense of "restoration and renewal".

"Restoration and renewal borne from the great spirit of America. A spirit which looks always to the future and with the knowledge that the nation and communities that were devastated a year ago will rise again and be ever stronger," he said.

"The bond between Scotland and the United States is a special one. A bond built from our shared history and traditions and one made stronger by the links in business, culture and education which we have today."

He added that the people of Scotland would stand side by side with their American counterparts.

"That shared past and our shared commitment to building a better future means that today Scotland remembers those who suffered a year ago, whose suffering I am sure continues now. Our thoughts are with you, and our hopes are with you too," he said.

But the day was not without protest or controversy.

MPs including father of the House, Tam Dalyell, were expected to join a CND protest against any war with Iraq.

Meanwhile the Scottish parliament debated Scotland's relations with the US.

Amid criticism from the executive, the SNP used the opportunity to table a motion calling for a UN mandate before a war against Iraq.

Scottish ministers said the nationalists have broken a pledge not to use the debate for party political reasons.

They said that the SNP had agreed to take part in a debate geared towards praising links between Scotland and the US.

But a spokesman for the party said it would be "ridiculous" for MSPs to debate Scotland and the US without exploring the issue of a war with Iraq.