So, how was your Sunday? Guess what? Osama Bin Laden is dead, the CIA put together an “operation” and the result of this operation is that Osama Bin Laden is dead.
The most prominent face of terror in America and beyond, Osama Bin Laden, has been killed in Pakistan, U.S. officials said Sunday night.
Bin Laden was the leader of al Qaeda, the terrorist network behind the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. U.S. officials said that their forces have the body of bin Laden.
At 11:40 PM EST, Barack Obama made a statement to the American people regarding “Osama bin Laden is dead.” He said that Osama Bin Laden is dead, reminded us to remember the men and women soldiers who sacrificed their lives for us and the intelligence people who made it happen and all those who lost people on 9/11, saying that the US “never wavered” in its commitment to them. He said, “on nights like this one, we can say to families who lost loves ones to al Qaeda’s terror: justice has been done.”
“This is a profoundly important moment not just for the families of those who lost their lives on 9/11 and in al-Qaida’s other attacks but for people all over the world who want to build a common future of peace, freedom, and cooperation for our children.
I congratulate the President, the National Security team and the members of our armed forces on bringing Osama bin Laden to justice after more than a decade of murderous al-Qaida attacks.”
“This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001.
The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done.”
CNN has put up Osama bin Laden’s obituary.
Officials had long believed that bin Laden was hiding a mountainous region along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. In August, U.S. intelligence officials got a tip on his whereabouts, which led to the operation that culminated Sunday, Obama said.
U.S. officials told NBC News that CIA paramilitary forces and Navy SEAL Team Six carried out the attack on the al-Qaida compound in Northwest Pakistan, killing bin Laden when they shot him in the head during a firefight.
The special operations forces returned with the body to Afghanistan, U.S. officials said. They said they were ensuring that it was being handled in accordance with Islamic practice and tradition.
“We take this very seriously. This is being handled in an appropriate manner,” one said.
One U.S. helicopter was damaged and was destroyed at the scene to protect its intelligence. All U.S. personnel got out safely, U.S. officials said.
The role of Pakistan, with which Washington has had a difficult relationship for years, remained unclear. A senior Pakistani intelligence official told NBC News that Pakistani special forces took part in the operation, but senior U.S. and Pakistani officials said Pakistan was not informed of the attack in advance.
