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2011-05-02 08:36:37
By JULIE PACE and MATT APUZZO, Associated Press Julie Pace And Matt Apuzzo,
Associated Press 1 hr 17 mins ago
WASHINGTON Osama bin Laden, the glowering mastermind behind the Sept. 11,
2001, terror attacks that killed thousands of Americans, was slain in his
luxury hideout in Pakistan early Monday in a firefight with U.S. forces, ending
a manhunt that spanned a frustrating decade.
"Justice has been done," President Barack Obama said in a dramatic announcement
at the White House.
A jubilant crowd of thousands gathered outside the White House as word spread
of bin Laden's death. Hundreds more sang and waved American flags at Ground
Zero in New York where the twin towers that once stood as symbols of American
economic power were brought down by bin Laden's hijackers 10 years ago.
Another hijacked plane slammed into the Pentagon on that cloudless day, and a
fourth was commandeered by passengers who forced it to the ground at cost of
their own lives before it could reach its intended target in Washington.
The United States attacked Afghanistan within months, pursuing al-Qaida, and an
invasion of Iraq followed as part of the Bush administration's global war on
terror.
U.S. officials said the CIA tracked bin Laden to his location, then elite
troops from Navy SEAL Team Six, a top military counter-terrorism unit, flew to
the hideout in four helicopters. Bin Laden was shot in the head in an ensuing
firefight, these officials said, adding that he and his guards had resisted his
attackers. U.S. personnel identified him by facial recognition, the official
said, declining to say whether DNA analysis had also been used.
The U.S. team took custody of bin Laden's remains. A U.S. official later said
bin Laden had been buried at sea and the remains were handled in accordance
with Islamic practice, which calls for speedy burial.
The official, who spoke Monday on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive
national security matters, said it would have been difficult to find a country
willing to accept the remains. The official did not say where the body was
buried.
Obama said no Americans were harmed in the operation. Three adult males were
also killed in the raid, including one of bin Laden's sons, whom officials did
not name. One of bin Laden's sons, Hamza, is a senior member of al-Qaida. U.S.
officials also said one woman was killed when she was used as a shield by a
male combatant, and two other women were injured.
The operation occurred in pre-dawn darkness on Monday in Pakistan Sunday
afternoon in Washington. Obama went on television late Sunday night to make the
announcement.
Bin Laden's death marks a psychological triumph in a long struggle that began
with the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, and seems certain to give Obama a political
lift. But its ultimate impact on al-Qaida is less clear.
The greatest terrorist threat to the U.S. is now considered to be the al-Qaida
franchise in Yemen, far from al-Qaida's core in Pakistan. The Yemen branch
almost took down a U.S.-bound airliner on Christmas 2009 and nearly detonated
explosives aboard two U.S. cargo planes last fall. Those operations were
carried out without any direct involvement from bin Laden.
Obama provided few details of the operation beyond to say that he had
personally ordered it be carried out. Other officials said it was so secretive
that no foreign officials were informed in advance, and only a small circle
inside the administration was aware of what was unfolding half a world away.
But within hours of the announcement, Pakistani officials and a witness said
bin Laden's guards had opened fire from the roof of the building, and one of
the choppers crashed. The sound of at least two explosions rocked the small
northwestern town of Abbottabad, where the al-Qaida chief made his last stand.
Flames were visible after the attack on the building, which was located about
100 yards from the gates of a Pakistani military academy certain to raise
questions about al-Qaida's ability to build a custom-made hideout in such close
proximity.
Abbottabad, surrounded by hills and with mountains in the distance, is less
than half a day's drive from the border region with Afghanistan, where most
intelligence assessments believed bin Laden was holed up.
The White House said Obama convened at least nine meetings with top national
security officials in the lead-up to Sunday's raid.
The president spent part of the day on the golf course, but cut his round short
to return to the White House for a meeting where he and top national security
aides reviewed final preparations for the raid.
Two hours later, Obama was told that bin Laden had been tentatively identified.
CIA director Leon Panetta was directly in charge of the military team during
the operation, according to one official, and when he and his aides received
word at agency headquarters that bin Laden had been killed, cheers broke out
around the conference room table.
Halfway around the world, in Abbotabad, one witness described a military raid
carried out under darkness.
"I heard a thundering sound, followed by heavy firing. Then firing suddenly
stopped. Then more thundering, then a big blast," said Mohammad Haroon Rasheed.
"In the morning when we went out to see what happened, some helicopter wreckage
was lying in an open field."
A Pakistani official in the town said fighters on the roof opened fire on the
choppers with rocket-propelled grenades. Another official said the four
helicopters took off from the Ghazi air base in northwest Pakistan.
The U.S. and Pakistani officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the
sensitivity of the information.
Obama said he gave the order for the operation after receiving intelligence
information that he did not further describe.
Former President George W. Bush, who was in office on the day of the attacks,
issued a written statement hailing bin Laden's death as a momentous
achievement. "The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an
unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done," he
said.
Senior administration officials said the terrorist mastermind was found inside
a custom-built compound with two security gates. They said it appeared to have
been constructed to harbor one high-value target and that for undisclosed
reasons, officials believed the hideout was bin Laden's.
The stunning end to the world's most widely-watched manhunt came just months
before the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Centers
and Pentagon, orchestrated by al-Qaida, that killed nearly 3,000 people.
The attacks a decade ago seemed to come out of nowhere, even though al-Qaida
had previously struck American targets overseas.
The terrorists hijacked planes, flew one of them into one of Manhattan's Twin
Towers and, moments later, into the other one. Both buildings collapsed,
trapping thousands inside and also claiming the lives of firefighters and
others who had rushed to help them.
A third plane slammed into the Pentagon, defacing the symbol of America's
military night. Officials have speculated that the fourth plane had been
heading for the U.S. Capitol or perhaps even the White House when it crashed in
Pennsylvania.
Based on statements given by U.S. detainees, intelligence officials have known
for years that bin Laden trusted one al-Qaida courier in particular, and they
believed he might be living with him in hiding. In November, intelligence
officials found out where he was living, a huge fortified compound. It was
surrounded by walls as high as 18 feet high, topped with barbed wire. There
were two security gates and no phone or Internet running into the house.
Intelligence officials believed the $1 million home was custom-built to harbor
a major terrorist. CIA experts analyzed whether it could be anyone else, but
time and again, they decided it was almost certainly bin Laden.
Obama spoke with Bush and former President Bill Clinton Sunday night to inform
them of the developments.
The president struck a less than boastful tone in his brief announcement,
although he said the death of bin Laden was "the most significant achievement
to date in our nation's effort to defeat al-Qaida.
"His death does not mark the end of our effort. There's no doubt that al-Qaida
will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must and we will remain
vigilant," he added.
Moments after Obama spoke, the State Department put U.S. embassies on alert and
warned of the heightened possibility for anti-American violence. In a worldwide
travel alert, the department said there was an "enhanced potential for
anti-American violence given recent counterterrorism activity in Pakistan."
Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden dead - Barack Obama
Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden has been killed by US forces in Pakistan,
President Barack Obama has said.
Bin Laden was killed in a ground operation outside Islamabad based on US
intelligence, the first lead for which emerged last August.
Mr Obama said after "a firefight", US forces took possession of the body.
Bin Laden is believed to be the mastermind of the attacks on New York and
Washington on 11 September 2001 and a number of others.
He was top of the US' "most wanted" list.
Mr Obama said it was "the most significant achievement to date in our nation's
effort to defeat al-Qaeda".
The US has put its embassies around the world on alert, warning Americans of
the possibility of al-Qaeda reprisal attacks for Bin Laden's killing.
Crowds gathered outside the White House in Washington DC, chanting "USA, USA"
after the news emerged.
A US official quoted by Associated Press news agency said Bin Laden's body had
been buried at sea, although this has not been confirmed.
Compound raided
Bin Laden had approved the 9/11 attacks in which nearly 3,000 people died.
Analysis
Roger Hardy Islamic affairs analyst
How will al-Qaeda react? In the short term, the Obama administration is already
bracing itself for possible revenge attacks. But for many the bigger question
is whether, in the longer run, al-Qaeda can survive.
Since the start of the year, some experts have argued that the uprisings in the
Arab world have rendered it irrelevant. They will see Bin Laden's death as
confirming the trend. Perhaps.
But the root causes of radical Islam - the range of issues that enabled
al-Qaeda to recruit disaffected young Muslims to its cause - remain, for the
most part, unaddressed. The death of Bin Laden will strike at the morale of the
global jihad, but is unlikely to end it.
He evaded the forces of the US and its allies for almost a decade, despite a
$25m bounty on his head.
Mr Obama said he had been briefed last August on a possible lead to Bin Laden's
whereabouts.
"It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to
ground," Mr Obama said.
"I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more
information about the possibility that we had located Bin Laden hiding within a
compound deep inside of Pakistan.
"And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take
action, and authorised an operation to get Osama Bin Laden and bring him to
justice," the president said.
On Sunday a team of US forces undertook the operation in Abbottabad, 100km (62
miles) north-east of Islamabad.
After a "firefight" Bin Laden was killed and his body taken by US forces, the
president said.
Mr Obama said "no Americans were harmed".
Giving more details of the operation, a senior US official said a small US team
had conducted the raid in about 40 minutes.
One helicopter was lost due to "technical failure". The team destroyed it and
left in its other aircraft.
Three other men were killed in the raid - one of Bin Laden's sons and two
couriers - the official said, adding that one woman was also killed when she
was used as "a shield" and two other women were injured.
The size and complexity of the structure in Abbottabad had "shocked" US
officials.
Barack Obama gives a statement confirming the death of Osama Bin Laden
It had 4m-6m (12ft-18ft) walls, was eight times larger than other homes in the
area and was valued at "several million dollars", though it had no telephone or
internet connection.
The US official said that intelligence had been tracking a "trusted courier" of
Bin Laden for many years. The courier's identity was discovered four years ago,
his area of operation two years ago and then, last August, his residence in
Abbottabad was found, triggering the start of the mission.
Another senior US official said that no intelligence had been shared with any
country, including Pakistan, ahead of the raid.
"Only a very small group of people inside our own government knew of this
operation in advance," the official said.
The Abbottabad residence is just a few hundred metres from the Pakistan
Military Academy - the country's equivalent of West Point.
The senior US official warned that the possibility of revenge attacks had now
created "a heightened threat to the homeland and to US citizens and facilities
abroad".
But the official added that "the loss of Bin Laden puts the group on a path of
decline that will be difficult to reverse".
He said Bin Laden's probable successor, Ayman al-Zawahiri, was "far less
charismatic and not as well respected within the organisation", according to
reports from captured al-Qaeda operatives.
'Momentous achievement'
Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Bin Laden had "paid for his actions".
A Pakistani government statement said Bin Laden's death "illustrates the
resolve of the international community, including Pakistan, to fight and
eliminate terrorism".
Former US President George W Bush described the news as a "momentous
achievement".
Map
"The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable
message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done," Mr Bush said in a
statement.
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says that, to many in the West, Bin
Laden became the embodiment of global terrorism, but to others he was a hero, a
devout Muslim who fought two world superpowers in the name of jihad.
The son of a wealthy Saudi construction family, Bin Laden grew up in a
privileged world. But soon after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan he joined the
mujahideen there and fought alongside them with his Arab followers, a group
that later formed the nucleus for al-Qaeda.
After declaring war on America in 1998, Bin Laden is widely believed to have
been behind the bombings of US embassies in East Africa, the attack on the USS
Cole in Yemen in 2000 and the attacks on New York and Washington.
Bin Laden killed: How it happened
A Pakistani police officer talks to a motor cyclist at a security check post in
Abbottabad, Pakistani on Monday, May 2, 2011. The area is surrounded by the
Pakistani military now
Details are emerging of how al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden was found and
killed at a fortified compound on the outskirts of Abbottabad in north-west
Pakistan.
It is just 800 yards from the Pakistan Military Academy, an elite military
training centre, which correspondents say is Pakistan's equivalent to Britain's
Sandhurst military training academy.
The compound lies within Abbottabad's military cantonment - it is likely the
area would have had a constant and significant military presence and
checkpoints.
The operation began at about 2230 (1730GMT) and lasted around 45 minutes,
military sources told BBC Urdu. Two or three helicopters were seen flying low
over the area. Witnesses say it caused panic among local residents.
Barbed wire
The target of the operation was the compound, which had at its centre a large
three-storey building.
When the helicopters landed outside, men emerged from the aircraft and spoke to
locals in Pashto.
People living in an area known as Tanda Choha were told to to switch off their
lights and not to leave their homes.
Shortly afterwards residents heard shots being fired and the sound of heavy
firearms.
At some point in the operation one of the helicopters crashed after being hit
by gunfire from the ground, reports say. Locals residents say that helicopter
wreckage is visible in the area now.
The compound was about 3,000 sq yards but people from the area told the BBC
that it was surrounded by walls 14 feet high, so not much could be seen of what
was happening inside.
The walls were topped by barbed wire and had cameras.
There were two security gates at the house and no phone or internet lines
running into the compound, the Associated Press (AP) reports.
After the operation witnesses said all they could see was flames snaking up
from inside the house.
The forces conducting the operation later emerged from the compound, possibly
with somebody who had been inside.
They said that women and children were also living in the compound.
One local resident told the BBC Urdu service that the house was built by a
Pashtun man about 10 or 12 years ago and he said that none of the locals were
aware of who was really living there.
Intelligence officials in the US are quoted by AP as saying that the house was
custom-built to harbour a major "terrorist" figure.
It says CIA experts analysed whether it could be anyone else but they decided
it was almost certainly Bin Laden.
Pakistani troops arrived at the scene after the attack was over and they have
now completely taken over the area.
BBC correspondents say US troops were probably operating out of a base used by
US Marines in Tarbela Ghazi, an area close to Abbottabad.
Full text: Obama on Osama Bin Laden's death
US President Barack Obama gives a statement confirming the death of Osama Bin
Laden
US President Barack Obama confirmed that al-Qaeda founder and leader Osama Bin
Laden had been killed, in an address delivered in the East Room at 0435 GMT
(2335 EDT). This is the text of his speech.
Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world
that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama Bin Laden,
the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of
thousands of innocent men, women, and children.
It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the
worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are
seared into our national memory - hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless
September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing
up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania,
where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and
destruction.
And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world.
The empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced to grow up without
their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their
child's embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in
our hearts.
On September 11, 2001, in our time of grief, the American people came together.
We offered our neighbors a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood. We
reaffirmed our ties to each other, and our love of community and country. On
that day, no matter where we came from, what God we prayed to, or what race or
ethnicity we were, we were united as one American family.
We were also united in our resolve to protect our nation and to bring those who
committed this vicious attack to justice. We quickly learned that the 9/11
attacks were carried out by al Qaeda -- an organization headed by Osama Bin
Laden, which had openly declared war on the United States and was committed to
killing innocents in our country and around the globe. And so we went to war
against al-Qaeda to protect our citizens, our friends, and our allies.
Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military
and our counterterrorism professionals, we've made great strides in that
effort. We've disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland
defense. In Afghanistan, we removed the Taliban government, which had given bin
Laden and al Qaeda safe haven and support. And around the globe, we worked with
our friends and allies to capture or kill scores of al Qaeda terrorists,
including several who were a part of the 9/11 plot.
Yet Osama Bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan border into
Pakistan. Meanwhile, al-Qaeda continued to operate from along that border and
operate through its affiliates across the world.
Start Quote
We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify
the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve
our country. And they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest
share of the burden since that September day
End Quote
And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of
the CIA, to make the killing or capture of Bin Laden the top priority of our
war against al-Qaeda, even as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt,
dismantle, and defeat his network.
Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence
community, I was briefed on a possible lead to Bin Laden. It was far from
certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground. I met repeatedly
with my national security team as we developed more information about the
possibility that we had located Bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside
of Pakistan. And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough
intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Osama Bin Laden
and bring him to justice.
Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against
that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out
the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were
harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they
killed Osama Bin Laden and took custody of his body.
For over two decades, Bin Laden has been al-Qaeda's leader and symbol, and has
continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The
death of Bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our
nation's effort to defeat al-Qaeda.
Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There's no doubt that
al-Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must - and we will -
remain vigilant at home and abroad.
As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not - and never will
be - at war with Islam. I've made clear, just as President Bush did shortly
after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim
leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al-Qaeda has slaughtered
scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be
welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.
Over the years, I've repeatedly made clear that we would take action within
Pakistan if we knew where Bin Laden was. That is what we've done. But it's
important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped
lead us to Bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding. Indeed, Bin Laden
had declared war against Pakistan as well, and ordered attacks against the
Pakistani people.
Tonight, I called President Zardari, and my team has also spoken with their
Pakistani counterparts. They agree that this is a good and historic day for
both of our nations. And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue
to join us in the fight against al-Qaeda and its affiliates.
The American people did not choose this fight. It came to our shores, and
started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. After nearly 10 years of
service, struggle, and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war. These efforts
weigh on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief, have to sign a letter to a
family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member
who's been gravely wounded.
So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never
tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our people have
been killed. We will be relentless in defense of our citizens and our friends
and allies. We will be true to the values that make us who we are. And on
nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to
al-Qaeda's terror: Justice has been done.
Tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism
professionals who've worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome. The American
people do not see their work, nor know their names. But tonight, they feel the
satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice.
We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify
the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve
our country. And they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest
share of the burden since that September day.
Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 that we have
never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do
whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores.
And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I
know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today's achievement is a testament to
the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people.
The cause of securing our country is not complete. But tonight, we are once
again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. That is the
story of our history, whether it's the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or
the struggle for equality for all our citizens; our commitment to stand up for
our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place.
Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or
power, but because of who we are: one nation, under God, indivisible, with
liberty and justice for all.
Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.