WASHINGTON — Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the Sept. 11 terror attacks and the world's most wanted man, was killed in a targeted raid in Pakistan, President Obama said late Sunday in an announcement that surprised the world.
Handout via APOsama bin Laden holds a Kalashnikov assault rifle in 1998 at a meeting at an undisclosed location in Afghanistan, according to the source. This photo was offered to The Associated Press on Sept. 22, 2001, by a Pakistani photographer who wished to remain anonymous.
Bin Laden met his end 10 years after the 9/11 attacks in a firefight with a small team of U.S. forces that launched a daring raid on the compound where he was holed up with some trusted advisers. He was hiding only 35 miles from Pakistan's capital Islamabad.
"The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat al-Qaeda," the president said in a dramatic White House announcement made shortly before midnight. An unnamed U.S. official told the Associated Press Monday that bin Laden was buried at sea.
The news of bin Laden's death touched off spontaneous outpourings of emotion in New York and Washington.
A jubilant crowd gathered outside the White House, waving American flags. At the Mets-Phillies game fans began chanting "USA, USA" when word began showing up on cell phones.
Bin Laden's death was hailed as an historic success in America's war on terror, but al-Qaeda has proved resilient and it is not clear what role in the organnization bin Laden played in recent years.
"It's not going to mean the end of the movement because there are still those feeding off the anger," said James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute. "They will take up arms. This movement has grown beyond this man. "
Bin Laden's No. 2, Ayman al-Zawahiri, remains at large. He could assume bin Laden's position at the head of al-Qaeda.
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