The terrorists behind the 9/11 attacks in the United States failed to shake the belief in freedom and democracy, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday, as the world marked the 20th anniversary of the terror strikes.
In a message on Twitter, Johnson said that while the terror threat may not have gone away, people have refused to live in “permanent fear”.
“Today we remember the 2,977 people taken from us on September 11th 2001,” said Johnson in his message.
“But while the terrorists imposed their burden of grief and suffering, we can now say with the perspective of 20 years that they failed to shake our belief in freedom and democracy,” he said.
“That we are coming together today — in sorrow but also in faith and resolve — demonstrates the failure of terrorism,” he said.
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II also offered her sympathies to the victims, survivors and families affected by the attacks 20 years ago.