Outside the White House, crowds gathered as the news of Osama bin Laden's death spread.
Outside the White House, crowds gathered as the news of Osama bin Laden's death spread.
Osama bin Laden, who created the al-Qaida terrorist network that killed 3,000 people in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, is dead.
He was killed, President Obama announced to the nation late Sunday night, in Pakistan by U.S. forces. During a firefight with bin Laden's guards, which the president said happened earlier in the day, no American personnel were injured.
With the al-Qaida leader's death, a new and dramatic moment has occurred in a long struggle that has seen the U.S. go to war first in Afghanistan ? where al-Qaida was based ? and then in Iraq.
We will keep updating this post as the story develops.
Update at 1:22 a.m. ET, May 2. Families Of Victims "Rejoice":
The Boston Herald writes that "9/11 Families Rejoice At Osama Bin Laden's Death." It reports that:
"I hope his death was slow and painful and he was conscious and suffered," said Alyson Low, who lost her sister, Sara, that day. Sara, 28, was a flight attendant on Flight 11 out of Logan Airport and fought the terrorists right up to the moment she died in the Twin Tower national tragedy, according to court documents recently made public.
Update at 1:17 a.m. ET, May 2. Crowds Gather At Ground Zero:
"Hundreds of people were gathering in New York City at the World Trade Center site, where the twin towers fell on Sept. 11 nearly 10 years ago, hours after President Barack Obama announced that Osama bin Laden was killed," The Associated Press reports. "Many were waving American flags or taking pictures early Monday. The group broke into spontaneous, jubilant cheers and song, including a rendition of I'm Proud to be an American."
Update at 1:05 a.m. ET, May 2. Bin Laden Was Located Close To Islamabad:
The compound where bin Laden was hiding and where he died is located about 35 miles from Islamabad, Pakistan, senior administration officials told reporters a short time ago.
And they said the president gave the go-ahead for the mission on Friday morning.
Update at 12:45 a.m. ET, May 2. Text Of The President's Statement.
Here is the White House transcript of the president's address. Click the title to enlarge the text.
Update at 12:28 a.m. ET, May 2. Bin Laden "Did Resist":
According to senior administration officials briefing reporters, bin Laden did "resist the assault force" during the firefight that led to his death.
They've also told reporters that no other nation was told in advance of the raid.
Update at 12:25 a.m. ET, May 2: "Surgical" Operation:
Senior administration officials are briefing reporters now on some of the operation's details. They say that along with bin Laden, three adult males and one women were killed. The woman, they say, was being used as a shield by one of the men. The operation, they say, was a "surgical" raid carried out by a small team that flew to the site on helicopters. One helicopter, they say, had problems and was destroyed at the site by the U.S. personnel ? who then flew out aboard the other helicopter.
Update at 12:15 a.m. ET, May 2: Crowd Continues To Grow Outside White House:
The cable news networks' live coverage from the scene shows more and more people ? many of them college students from nearby universities ? gathered outside the White House. There's much cheering, singing and waving of flags.
Update at 11:56 p.m. ET. President Bush's Complete Statement:
"Earlier this evening, President Obama called to inform me that American forces killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of the al-Qaida network that attacked America on September 11, 2001," former President George W. Bush says in a statement his office just released. "I congratulated him and the men and women of our military and intelligence communities who devoted their lives to this mission. They have our everlasting gratitude.
"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."
Update at 11:54 p.m. ET. President Bush:
This is a "momentous achievement," former President George W. Bush says.
Update at 11:47 p.m. ET. Think Back To "Sense Of Unity":
As he wraps up his remarks, the president asks that the nation "think back to the sense of unity" that prevailed after the 9/11 attacks. That was a testament to the nation's greatness, he says.
Update at 11:45 p.m. ET. "Justice Has Been Done":
Tonight, says the president, "we can say to those families who have lost loved ones ... justice has been done."
Update at 11:42 p.m. ET. Bin Laden Was Killed Today, The President Says:
Last August, the president says, the U.S. got a lead on bin Laden's whereabouts "within a compound deep inside Pakistan."
"Last week," he says, "I determined we had enough intelligence to take action."
"Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted action" and in a firefight killed the al-Qaida leader. The U.S. now has his body.
Update at 11:39 p.m. ET. The Horrors Of 9/11:
Looking back at the horrors of Sept. 11, 2001, the president says that as terrifying as they were, even worse scenes came later and weren't seen around the world. They were the "empty seat at the dinner table" and the children who grew up without parents.
Update at 11:38 p.m. ET. Obama Confirms The News.
Update at 11:36 p.m. ET. Hundreds Are Cheering, Singing Outside The White House:
A crowd is outside the gates and can be heard singing the national anthem and chanting "USA!"
Update at 11:28 p.m. ET. Killed Last Week In Pakistan, AP Reports:
"A senior U.S. counterterrorism official said bin Laden was killed in a ground operation in Pakistan, not by a Predator drone," The Associated Press reports. "The official said it happened last week."
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.