By Martin Banks - 12th September 2011
The attacks opened an era which symbolically ended on 2 May 2011
Jerzy Buzek
Parliament's president Jerzy Buzek has warned that the threat of terrorism will not end with the death of Osama bin Laden.
Speaking on the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, he said, "The attacks shook the world order murdering almost 3000 people from over 70 nations.
"The attacks opened an era which symbolically ended on 2 May 2011 with the death of Osama bin Laden in the compound of Abbottabad Pakistan.
"Terrorism was not born on 9/11 and it is not over with the death of Osama, but the world has changed in the last decade, and for the better."
He added, "We have learnt the weaknesses of our enemy, its mentality, its techniques and its murderous credo.
"We have also grown stronger in our beliefs, as we know that no attack will be able to shake our convictions in the respect for fundamental liberties, for human dignity, for religious pluralism and justice.
"No terrorist or any criminal organisation is able to weaken our faith in the values which built our united Europe.
"Terrorism is an attack on all of us, an attack on the very fabric of our democratic society. It can never be justified. Let me underline, Europe, the United States, together with our international partners, will always stand united in the fight against terrorism of all kinds. The international community is fighting terrorist activities on a daily basis and has prevented many attacks."
The Polish MEP went on, "Over the last 10 years, we have often been confronted with the question of the delicate trade-off between freedom and security.
"We should never give in to the temptation of sacrificing the former at the altar of the latter: if we did, what we are trying to secure would be void of value. It is the duty of all those that believe in democracy to preserve the highest possible standards of individual liberty."
He said the EU's biggest challenge in the fight against terrorism in the next decade will be "state and institution building".
He added, "Terrorism proliferates in failed states, it in turn affects the neighbouring countries and can destabilise entire regions.
"We see this in Somalia, in the Sahel region and in Yemen. The situation in Pakistan is also of grave concern. In Pakistan alone between 2003 and 2011 some 37,000 people have been killed in terrorist acts.
"This reminds us that those who commit terrorists act do not discriminate. Terrorist attacks kill people all of religions and of none. Al-Qaida has been the greatest threat against the communities it claims to represent."
Elsewhere, further comment came from the US ambassador to the EU William Kennard, who said,"9/11 was a very, very sad day, but in many ways it brought out some wonderful qualities around the world. For me it was a day that the national borders that separate the United States and Europe almost disappeared.
"We were one. As one French newspaper famously said on that day, 'Today we are all Americans.'"
"This anniversary is an opportunity not only to reflect, but also to celebrate our resilience.
"And especially for Americans and Europeans, it is a day to celebrate our very special partnership, to celebrate our values, to celebrate the work that we do together every day in Brussels, in Washington, working together to look outward and to bring hope to others around the world, that they too will be able to enjoy the freedom that we cherish – the freedom that is the foundation of our transatlantic partnership."
The American ambassador to Belgium, Howard Gutman spoke about how the world changed since September 2001, saying, "We are all united now."
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