Mullin Marks 25 Years Since 9/11, Says Attacks Still 'Frustrating'

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin marked the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks on Friday, describing the occasion as both a moment of reflection and a measure of his department's record over a quarter-century.

Speaking at a ceremony at the agency's headquarters, Mullin said the day had reshaped American life and remained a source of deep frustration. He questioned what motivated the attackers, asking whether it was the country's faith, its values or its system of government that they feared.

He pointed to the department's founding in the aftermath of the attacks, saying that for 25 years it had worked to prevent a repeat of the violence. "In the Department of Homeland Security our job is to say never again," Mullin said, adding that the department must confront the humbling reality that another attack is probably not a question of if but of when.

He said any future failure would not stem from a lapse in the department's efforts, but from a single individual intent on harming the country going unnoticed.

Across the United States, Americans observed the anniversary with wreath-layings, moments of silence, vigils and readings of the victims' names.

On September 11, 2001, al-Qaida extremists hijacked four commercial jets and flew them into New York's World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing nearly 3,000 people.