Northern Ireland’s peace process was perhaps the only beneficiary of 9/11 following the worldwide revulsion against terror which it sparked, the Dean of St Anne’s Cathedral said today.
Houston McKelvey told a congregation of former RUC officers their sacrifice was part of the global cost of peace.
He was speaking at the presentation by the RUC's George Cross Foundation of a window, highlighting their service and loss, to the Anglican cathedral in Belfast.
Mr McKelvey said: "9/11 redefined terrorism in the USA, in the free world, and gave a necessary boost to the peace process here.
"On 9/11 terrorism in Ireland lost its false righteousness. There was no longer any room for prevarication in Ireland or Irish America.
"We here in Ireland are perhaps the only beneficiaries of 9/11."
A total of 302 officers died and 8,500 were injured during 30 years of conflict.
Today's service was attended by Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward, Police Service of Northern Ireland chief constable Sir Hugh Orde and other dignitaries.
The Dean praised former members of the police force for their quiet courage and dedication to peace and the rule of law.
"Their values were not destroyed by bomb or bullet," he added. "It was a high price — but the peace-makers and peace-maintainers won through."