The Editor, Sir:

It was with great sadness that I read "If 9/11 hadn't happened", the unfortunate article that appeared in The Gleaner on September 5. I am sure that all of us wish that the terror of that day had not taken place. The tragic fact is that thousands of people from over 90 countries, including Jamaica, were murdered that morning. September 11, 2001 did indeed change the world.

The claim that September 11 was a "low probability event" and justifying that claim by saying that such an event "has not been duplicated once in the subsequent five years" is astounding. The events of September 11 were preceded by a string of actions including a previous attempt at the World Trade Center in 1993 and the Al Qaeda bombings of the U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar Es Salaam Tanzania where the majority of victims were Africans.

Since 2001 other terrorist events have taken place. Residents of London still grieve the victims of the attacks there, and those lost in the Bali and Madrid bombings are not so easily forgotten. As to the lack of recurrence of an event of the scale of 9/11 credit must go to the members of the international community who have worked to prevent further attacks. Witness the recent arrest in Britain of those conspiring to once again use airliners as huge bombs.

The further claim that there has been "almost no" economic impact of the 9/11 attacks is also at odds with reality. The airline industry is still recovering. Closer to home, those involved in the Jamaican tourist industry also know the truth.

The great majority of the world sees terrorists for what they are, understands what would be lost if they should win, and has vowed to defeat them.

I am, etc.,

JAMES T. HEG

Deputy Chief of Mission

U.S. Embassy, Kingston