Osama bin Laden is dead, Obama says

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http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/05/02/bin.laden.dead/?hpt=T1

Osama bin Laden is dead, Obama says

By the CNN Wire Staff

May 2, 2011 1:09 a.m. EDT

(CNN) -- The mastermind of the worst terrorist attack on American soil is dead,

U.S. President Barack Obama announced late Sunday night, almost 10 years after

the attacks that killed almost 3,000 people.

Osama bin Laden -- the longtime leader of al Qaeda -- was killed by U.S. forces

in a mansion outside the Pakistani capital of Islamabad along with other family

members, a senior U.S. official told CNN.

In an address to the nation late Sunday night, Obama called bin Laden's death

" the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat al

Qaeda. "

Up-to-the-minute updates on bin Laden | President's statement

" Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against

that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, " Obama said. " 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. "

U.S. diplomatic facilities around the world were placed on high alert following

the announcement of bin Laden's death, a senior U.S. official said, and the U.S.

State Department should be sending out a new " worldwide caution " for Americans

shortly. Some fear al Qaeda supporters may try to retaliate against U.S.

citizens or U.S. institutions.

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Hundreds of people arrived at the White House late Sunday night and chanted,

" USA! USA! " They then chanted, " Hey, hey, goodbye! " in reference to the demise

of bin Laden and then spontaneously sang the national anthem.

" This welcome news is a credit to our intelligence efforts and brings to justice

the architect of the attacks on our country that killed nearly 3,000 people on

September 11, 2001, " said Sen. , R-Maine, the ranking Republican on

the Homeland Security Committee, in a statement issued Sunday night.

Osama bin Laden, the face of terror

The news brought some relief to the grieving family members of those killed on

9/11.

" This is important news for us, and for the world. It cannot ease our pain, or

bring back our loved ones, " Gordon Felt, president of Families of Flight 93,

said in a statement. " It does bring a measure of comfort that the mastermind of

the September 11th tragedy and the face of global terror can no longer spread

his evil. "

In his speech, Obama reiterated that the United States is not at war with Islam.

Celebrations in front of the White House

" 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. "

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim civil rights and

advocacy organization, released a statement Monday morning welcoming the death

of bin Laden.

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" As we have stated repeatedly since the 9/11 terror attacks, bin Laden never

represented Muslims or Islam In fact, in addition to the killing of thousands of

Americans, he and Al Qaeda caused the deaths of countless Muslims worldwide, "

the statement said. " We also reiterate President Obama's clear statement tonight

that the United States is not at war with Islam. "

CNN's Ed Henry, Jeanne Meserve and Elise Labott contributed to this report