IF the events in the United States showed us anything about the internet, it was that there is a new kind of global community among its users.

As news emerged from Manhattan and Washington about what was happening, the internet became a central point for sharing information as never before.

Within hours of the attacks on the World Trade Centre, several websites had been set up to enable people on Manhattan island to declare themselves safe - or for friends and relatives elsewhere to search for their names.

One of these, the Disaster Message Service (www.viexpo.com/ dmstest/america.html) set up a bulletin board where people could search out loved ones, or even offer mutual moral support.

In the days after the attacks internet users again did all they could to offer some kind of help.

Several people and companies set up ways to make online donations to emergency disaster funds.

Amazon is allowing credit card donations to be made at www.amazon.com.

And images of the aftermath have been made available at spaceimaging.com, home of the IKONOS satellite, which features photographs of the devastated towers of the World Trade Centre from over 400 miles up.