Twenty years after September 11 2001, standing with America as it remembers its victims of terrorism

It is 20 years since the terror attacks in New York on September 11 2001.

The world has changed greatly in some respects since then but not much at all in others.

The atrocity above all rocked the western world, which in the 56 years after the end of World War II had seemed largely secure.

The American mainland had been mostly immune to domestic terrorism.

Skyscrapers in particular, which were pioneered in the United States, seemed safe and thrilling buildings.

Barely anyone envisaged such a structure being toppled to dust, and with thousands of people inside too (even though the aim of the 1993 Islamist attack on the twin towers had in fact been to bring them down).

Today we report on people’s memories of the attacks, above all the chilling recollection of Louise Traynor from South Armagh, who escaped from the South Tower. She says it made her value what is and is not important in life.

Louise moved there in such of the American dream, as do people from around the globe. So people worldwide will be standing with the US in its painful memorials today (see link below).

The former News Letter editor Rankin Armstrong (also see link below) was in New York for his 50th birthday, and had been at the World Trade Center days before, finding himself trapped in Manhattan with his family.

In Northern Ireland we know only too well the heartbreak caused by terrorism.

Internationally, while the extremist Muslim threat remains very potent, indeed enhanced given the return of the Taliban in Afghanistan, 9/11 has not led to an unmanageable terrorist problem.

• NI survivor who escaped the 101st floor: ‘I thought this was the end and screamed out my mummy’s name’

• Ex News Letter editor: I was in New York on September 11 2001 to celebrate my 50th

• Charlie Lawson: ‘People who grew up in the Troubles got 9/11 it right away’

• NI personalities share their memories of that terrible day 20 years ago

• Ben Lowry: We remember the September 11 attacks because it was meant to terrorise us, and it did

• September 11 20 years on: ‘Dad said goodbye from floor 103 as tower crumbled’

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