Washington ? The Bush administration backed off a proposal Thursday to restrict foreign air carriers from flying over the three Sept. 11 crash sites during the anniversary of the attacks, administration officials said.

The Pentagon had proposed restricting foreign-owned commercial and cargo aircraft from flying into and from New York and Washington and over Somerset County, Pa., on the anniversary.

But amid protests from carriers, top government officials decided to drop the idea, concluding it was probably illegal, the official said. Foreign carriers will not be treated any differently than domestic ones.