US ambassador pays poignant tribute at London ceremony marking 25th anniversary of 9/11Warren Stephens said he would ‘never forget the friendship the British people showed us’ in the wake of the terror attacks
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Michael Howie, Senior News Editor1 minute ago
The US ambassador to the UK has paid tribute to the 67 British people who were killed in the 9/11 attacks 25 years ago.
At a poignant and sombre ceremony on Friday morning, Warren Stephens reflected on the friendship Britons showed with “an outpouring of letters and flowers” in the wake of the atrocity.
Mr Stephens laid a white floral wreath at the September 11th Memorial Garden in Grosvenor Square in central London alongside his wife Harriet to pay respects to those killed in the terror attacks.
“Harriet and I want to pay our respects to the 67 UK citizens who were killed on 9/11 25 years ago,” he said.
“It’s hard to believe, it’s 25 years ago for me, for us. Talking about it as we walked in and it’s still hard to believe what happened.
“And it’s a tragedy none of us will ever forget.
“But we’ll also never forget the friendship the British people showed us with an outpouring of letters and flowers from all over the country.”
He said tributes were left across the nation and more than 1,000 remain in the archives of the US embassy in London.
As ceremonies are being held on either side of the Atlantic on Friday to mark the sombre milestone, Andy Burnham warned that terror “still knocks at the door of democracy” and expressed the nation’s unity with the US.
Mr Stephens paid respects to the 67 British people killed in the atrocity (Jordan Pettitt/PA)
The Prime Minister said the UK and US “stand together in memory of those we lost, and in defence of the values we cherish”.
He recalled how in the wake of terrorist outrages in Manchester during his time as mayor of the city region, messages of support had been received from across the US, including the children of those killed on September 11, 2001.
In a note on a wreath at the memorial, Mr Burnham wrote: “In memory of those we lost and in defence of the values we share.
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“Whilst we stand together for freedom and democracy, terror will never define us.”
Meanwhile, Sir Tony Blair, who was prime minister at the time of the murderous atrocity and had to deal with its aftermath, said the anniversary was also a time to “commemorate the unshakeable and essential bond” between the two countries.
Later on Friday, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will take the Royal Salute on the Buckingham Palace forecourt, accompanied by Mr Stephens.
It was on a bright, cloudless day 25 years ago that 2,977 people were killed when passenger jets hijacked by al Qaida terrorists struck the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York, causing both to collapse, and the Pentagon outside Washington, DC.
United States ambassador to the United Kingdom Warren Stephens and his wife Harriet stand by a memorial stone during a moment of silence at a commemoration ceremony at the US Embassy in London (Jonathan Brady/PA)
A fourth plane seized by extremists – United Airlines Flight 93 – crashed into a field in rural Pennsylvania after the crew and passengers fought back and so prevented it from hitting another target, thought to be the congressional building, which houses the US legislature.
It remains the worst terrorist outrage of all time, claiming the lives of victims from more than 90 nations.
In response, the US became the first and only ever country to invoke Nato’s “all for one, and one for all” collective security clause, where members rally to the defence of an ally under attack – a commitment now called into doubt by the current president.
It led to the large-scale deployment of UK forces to conflicts in both Afghanistan and Iraq, which left hundreds of British troops dead, thousands more injured and continues to have global repercussions.
At a ceremony to dedicate a memorial stone to the victims of 9/11 at the US embassy in London on Thursday, Mr Stephens said Britain had rallied in support “in one of America’s darkest hours” and that “despite our disagreements and debates”, the transatlantic relationship “has kept us safe for centuries”.
‘Terror will never define us’, Mr Burnham wrote (Jordan Pettitt/PA)
His comments follow strained relations with President Donald Trump’s White House, most notably over the Iran war, which have tested long-standing ties with traditional allies.
Marking the quarter of a century anniversary, Mr Burnham marked the shared valued of the UK and US.
“On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, we remember the nearly 3,000 people who were killed, including 67 Britons,” he said.
“My thoughts are with all those who lost friends and family members that terrible day. Time may pass, but I know the grief is still felt just as deeply today.
“On this anniversary, we must remember that hatred and fear did not have the last word on 9/11.
“The terrorists sought to weaken and divide America, and everyone who believes in the values our countries share. But our response was clear: those who seek to destroy our way of life will never win.”
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