Recalling that images of September 11, 2001 had been seared into the minds of Americans, US President Barack Obama has told the world’s media that terror mastermind Osama bin Laden has been killed in a US military operation at a compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, about 150km north of Islamabad.
Crowds gathered in Washington outside the White House in celebration, and remained there a few hours after the news first broke. Jubilant New Yorkers were also gathering at “Ground Zero”, the site of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre, where they were seen waving flags, popping champagne corks and chanting “USA, USA” and “Yes we can, Yes we can”. See the video here.
Obama told CNN that US intelligence operatives had first secured information about Bin Laden’s whereabouts in August 2010, and that, after further research and making 100% sure that all intelligence information was correct, he had given the go ahead today for the operation. There was also the need to ensure that any attack was extremely well planned and executed to avoid US casualties.
No US soldiers were killed in the “firefight” in which Bin Laden was killed. Media reports say that the US has taken custody of Bin Laden’s remains.
Obama said: “Justice has been done.”
According to the Los Angeles Times, after years of speculation, US intelligence operatives eventually found Bin Laden hiding in what officials described as a comfortable mansion surrounded by a high wall in a small town near Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital.
For more on this article: Los Angeles Times Osama bin Laden dead.
How they tracked Bin Laden: “It started with a courier’s name”.
Further headlines from around the world:
“Asian stocks rise on news of Bin Laden’s death”: The New York Times
“Timeline: Tip leads to Bin Laden”: Fox News
“Bin Laden had been hiding in plain sight”: CNN
“Fitting that American forces took Bin Laden out”: Detroit Free Press
“Hit squad swooped on Bin Laden dawn raid”: The Independent