The Al Qaeda attack on the US homeland on September 11, 2001 (9/11) is the most devastating act of international terrorism. To protect the United States of America, the US government established the US Department of Homeland Security. I had the honour of working with several federal and state authorities in Washington D.C., and in New York City.
I also met with Hon. Tom Ridge, who established the US Department of Homeland Security. As the 1st US Secretary of Homeland Security (January 24, 2003-February 1, 005) and the 1st US Homeland Security Advisor (October 8, 2001-January 24, 2003), his singular mission was to protect the US. To discuss the threat of terrorism, we met on several occasions both in the US and overseas.
On November 16, 2004, we addressed together the Asia-Pacific Homeland Security Summit in Hawaii, USA. During the address of Hon. Ridge, the Great Seal of the US featuring the American Eagle fell on the floor. Although the deafening noise terrified the audience, I noticed that the Hon. Ridge did not flinch.
Brave and brilliant, he was not afraid of terrorism. Even after he retired, we kept in touch. With the rise of the Islamic State, we addressed the World Summit on Counter-Terrorism in Herzliya, Israel in September 2015.
A graduate of Harvard University, he was immensely successful in creating a great institution to protect the US homeland.
– Rohan Gunaratna
Tom Ridge was Pennsylvania’s governor on 9/11 and visited the United Flight 93 crash site just hours after it tragically crashed near Shanksville. He would later go on to serve as the first Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and, on January 24, 2003, became the first Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The creation of the country’s 15th Cabinet Department marked the largest reorganization of government since the Truman administration and another call to service for the former soldier, congressman and governor of Pennsylvania. Gov. Ridge served as Secretary of this historic and critical endeavor until Feb. 1, 2005.
Gov. Ridge was proud to serve as honorary co-chair of the fundraising effort that led to the construction of Flight 93 National Memorial.
To listen to his reflections of 9/11, watch this video.