The US is commemorating today 20 years since the bloodiest terrorist attacks in its history. On 11th September 2001, two hijacked planes were crashed into the Twin Towers of New York’s World Trade Center, while another was crashed into the Pentagon building in Washington, both landmark buildings of American economic and military power.
A fourth plane, believed to target the Capitol building, which houses Congress, or the White House, crashed into an empty field in Pennsylvania, after the passengers fought with the terrorists. No person on board the planes survived, with almost 3,000 people being killed in the attacks, most of them from the buildings that were hit. Carefully planned by the head of the Al-Qaida network, the Saudi national Osama bin Laden, the attacks were carried out by 19 men on a kamikaze mission. George W Bush, who was president at the time, placed the army on maximum alert and promised that the perpetrators would be caught and punished. He warned that Washington would make no distinction between terrorists and those who harbour them. The US army entered Afghanistan, where bin Laden and his aides had been given refuge by the Taliban. Most Al-Qaida leaders have been taken out in the meantime. The Taliban, who were removed from power by the Americans but whose insurgency never ended, are now back in power after two decades, amid the withdrawal of western troops, Radio Romania International reports.
Iohannis: We stand with the American people and reaffirm our determination to combat terrorism and violent extremism
President Klaus Iohannis sent a letter to his American counterpart, Joseph R. Biden, on Friday, on the occasion of the commemoration of 20 years since the attacks of September 11, 2001.
”Mr. President, today, 20 years after the terrible attacks of September 11, 2001, our thoughts go to the families of the victims, to survivors, the rescuers and all those whose lives have been affected by that criminal act of hatred. After the terrorist attacks, common suffering has turned into solidarity and a common goal, in the United States and around the world, in Allied and partner countries, including Romania. The general decision to cope with common challenges remains a valuable lesson, always relevant, a period in which we all continue to face threats from both state and non-state actors,” reads the letter of the head of state, according to the Presidential Administration.
President Iohannis reaffirms his determination to fight terrorism and violent extremism and to increase resilience.
“On this day of remembrance, we stand with the American people and reaffirm our determination to combat terrorism and violent extremism, regardless of ideology, and to increase the resilience of our societies by consolidating those common values that underpin them and which strengthen them – democracy, human rights, freedom of expression, the rule of law,” the head of state also states in the letter.
ForMin Aurescu sends letter to US secretary of state Antony Blinken, reaffirms Romania’s firm and long-standing commitment in joint efforts to combat terrorism
The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest also sent a message of solidarity and compassion with the families of the victims, who include four Romanian nationals, and with the rescuers who risked their lives in the aftermath of the attacks. Romanian minister Aurescu sent a letter to US secretary of state Antony Blinken, again stressing that there is no justification for such violent attacks and extremist acts and highlighting Romania’s firm and long-standing commitment and involvement, alongside the US and the international community, in joint efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism.
