Sunday, May 1, 2011

Osama Bin Laden Killed in U.S. Operation Near Islamabad, Pakistan. Justice has been done -Obama


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Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan by a team of U.S. operatives after a firefight at a house in Pakistan where he had been hiding, US President Barack Obama said.

Osama Bin Laden was the master mind behind the September 11 attacks in Word Trade Center (Twin Towers), Newyork and pentagaon, Washington. And, he was known as the Face of the Terrorism.






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,” Obama said in a  televised address from the White House.

Obama delivered the news to the nation almost 10 years after the Sept. 11 attacks that bin Laden orchestrated.

Almost 3,000 people were killed on Sept. 11, most at the World Trade Center in New York 

Watch below the address of Obama








You can read below  the complete transcript of Obama 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.
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.


India said the killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan underlined its "concern that terrorists belonging to different organisations find sanctuary in Pakistan"

India's Home Minister P Chidambaram issued this statement.

Earlier today the United States Government informed the Government of India that Osama Bin Laden had been killed by security forces somewhere "deep inside Pakistan." After the September 11, 2001 terror attack, the US had reason to seek Osama Bin Laden and bring him and his accomplices to justice.

We take note with grave concern that part of the statement in which President Obama said that the fire fight in which Osama Bin Laden was killed took place in Abbotabad "deep inside Pakistan". This fact underlines our concern that terrorists belonging to different organisations find sanctuary in Pakistan. We believe that the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attack, including the controllers and handlers of the terrorists who actually carried out the attack, continue to be sheltered in Pakistan. We once again call upon the Government of Pakistan to arrest the persons whose names have been handed over to the Interior Minister of Pakistan as well as provide voice samples of certain persons who are suspected to be among the controllers and handlers of the terrorists.


ABC News has reported as,

Osama Bin Laden was killed not by a drone strike, but up close during a firefight with U.S. troops. He was not living in a cave when he died, but in a million-dollar mansion with seven-foot walls just 40 miles from the Pakistani capital, where U.S. forces killed him Sunday
The U.S. had been monitoring the compound in Abbottabad for months after receiving a tip in August that Bin Laden might be seeking shelter there. He had long been said to be in the mountainous region along the Afghanistan, Pakistan border, hiding in a cave as the U.S. sought to kill him with drone strikes from above. Instead, he was in a house eight times larger than its neighbors, with a seven-foot wall and valued at $1 million. The house had no phone of television and the residents burned their trash. The house had high windows and few points of access, and U.S. officials concluded it had been built to hide someone.

The Americans took Bin Laden's body into custody after the firefight and confirmed his identity. According to a senior administration official, the U.S. is "ensuring it is handled in accordance with Islamic practice and tradition. It's something we take seriously and therefore it's being handled in an appropriate manner."

 New York Times has reported that the body of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was taken to Afghanistan after he was killed in Pakistan and was later buried at sea.

According to Pakistani officials, the operation was a joint U.S.-Pakistani operation, but U.S. officials said only U.S. personnel were involved in the raid.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has hailed the death of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden as "a great success" (Source: BBC)

CNN has reported that  Osama bin Laden was shot in the head during a U.S. raid, a congressional source familiar with the operation says.

In New York, a cheering crowd gathered at Ground Zero -- the site where the twin towers once stood. Strains of "God Bless America" could be heard intermittently trickling through the crowd.










Google Maps has been updated with a pinpoint for “Osama bin Laden’s Compound”, Abbottabad in northern Pakistan.

State Department of US  issues travel alert after Osama bin Laden killing. It has given below statement.
"Given the uncertainty and volatility of the current situation, U.S. citizens in areas where events could cause anti-American violence are strongly urged to limit their travel outside of their homes and hotels and avoid mass gatherings and demonstrations,"

"Osama may be killed but his message of Jihad will never die. Brothers and sisters, wait and see, his death will be a blessing in disguise," said a poster on Islamist forum. (source Reuters)

And, Vatican says Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden will have to answer to God for having killed many people and exploiting religion to spread hate.
 
Osama Bin Laden: Timeline  (Source: Telegraph)

1957: Osama bin Laden was born in Riyadh, one of some 54 children born to Mohammad bin Laden, a building tycoon. His mother was of Syrian extraction. origin.
1969: Mohammed bin Laden dies in a helicopter crash. Osama, then aged around 11, is believed to have inherited $80 million.
1984: Bin Laden travels to Afghanistan, responding to calls for a jihad, or holy Islamic war, against the Soviet occupying force. There, he finances and takes command of a force of some 20,000 Islamic fighters recruited from around the world.
1988: Bin Laden founded his group Al-Qaeda (the base).
1989: The Soviet Union withdraws its forces from Afghanistan.
1991: A US-led alliance launches a war to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait, which Iraq had occupied the previous year. Bin Laden declares jihad against the United States because it has based forces in his native Saudi Arabia, where Islam's two most holy places are located.
1992: Bin Laden returns to Saudi Arabia, but his support for violent Islamic extremist groups in Egypt and Algeria leads his home country to his explusion and the cancellation of his passport.
1993: An explosion in the basement of the World Trade Center in New York kills six people and injures around 1,000. The attack is later blamed on Al-Qaeda.
1995: A bomb kills US military advisors to Saudi national guard. Five US soldiers killed and more than 60 people are injured.
1996: A truck loaded with explosives destroys a building at the US military base of Khobar in Saudi Arabia. Nineteen US nationals are killed and 386 are wounded. Sudan forces Bin Laden to leave and he resurfaces in Afghanistan where the Taliban movement has just seized Kabul.
1998: Near-simultaneous bomb attacks against US embassies in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam kill 224 people, most of them Africans, and injure thousands. The US retaliates Bin Laden training camps in Afghanistan and Sudan with cruise missiles, killing at least 20 people.
1999: The US Federal Bureau of Investigation places bin Laden on its "10 most wanted" list.
2000: A suicide attack on the destroyer USS Cole in the port of Aden in Yemen kills 17 US Marines and wounds 38. The attack is attributed to Al-Qaeda.
2001: Two hijacked US airliners crash into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York, which subsequently collapse. A third hijacked plane crashes into the Pentagon outside Washington and a fourth in rural Pennsylvania. The attacks kill around 3,000 people. Washington offers a $25-million-dollar reward for any information leading to the arrest of bin Laden. US-led strikes on Afghanistan begin, aimed at forcing the ruling Taliban to hand over Bin Laden. Bin Laden vows no peace for the US and its citizens in a message broadcast via the Al-Jazeera television network. While not explicitly claiming responsibility for the attacks, he praises those who carried them out.
2002: Bin Laden is variously reported to be in Afghanistan, Iran Pakistan - or dead.
2003: Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf says bin Laden is probably alive and hiding in Afghanistan, but claims al-Qaeda is no longer an effective terrorist organisation.
2003: Bin Laden releases a series of statements including comments on the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, threats of more attacks, and offers of a truce with the United States.
2004: "I present a reconciliation initiative... to stop operations against all (European) countries if they promise not to be aggressive towards Muslims." (Al-Arabiya audiotape)
2008: Warns Europe of a "reckoning" after controversial cartoons of Prophet Mohammed published.
2010: Claims botched Christmas Day bombing of US airliner and threatens more strikes on US targets. Last message blames industrial nations for climate change and the United States for refusing to sign up to the Kyoto protocol, while urging a US dollar boycott.
2011: Bin Laden is killed in a firefight with covert US forces in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, northeast of the capital Islamabad, Obama announces in a televised address.

The code name for Bin Laden was “Geronimo” in this operation executed by CIA of America.

Oil dropped the most in two weeks in New York after Obama confirms the killing of Osama, stoking speculation that the risk of Middle East supply disruptions will ease. (Source- Bloomberg)

The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas condemned the killing by U.S. forces of Osama bin Laden and mourned him as an "Arab holy warrior."

And, the Pakistani Taliban threatened attacks against government leaders, including President Asif Ali Zardari, the Pakistan army and the United States , after the killing of Osama bin Laden.

Future of Al-Qaeda?
For much of the world, Osama bin Laden was the face of al Qaeda.
With bin Laden gone, the question now becomes "What happens to al Qaeda?"

CNN's national security analyst Peter Bergen who met bin Laden in 1997, believes al Qaeda will be irrecoverably damaged by the death of its founder.

Bin Laden's top deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, was widely expected to take over control of the network.

The BBC's Rahimullah Yusufzai in Peshawar says that the death of Osama Bin Laden means that al-Qaeda cannot now operate effectively as a military operation. "Although Bin Laden will be identified as a martyr, al-Qaeda will not have the same strength and importance," he said. And, he says that Bin Laden's deupty, Ayman al-Zawahiri does not have the same status as him and will inherit an organisation that is "diminished in strength".







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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I think that there is gonna be some new leader that ia gonna take over and then the whole thing will start over again.

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