Photo credit, Manuel Balce Ceneta, The Columbian
The streets in DC are filling with jubilant Americans chanting USA, USA!
Initial reports said he was killed in a drone attack, but it was a human operation, authorized to proceed by Obama, on Friday.
Here’s video of Obama making the announcement, earlier, tonight:
The NYTs reports:
President Obama announced late Sunday that Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks, was killed in a firefight during an operation he ordered Sunday inside Pakistan, ending a 10-year manhunt for the world’s most wanted terrorist. American officials were in possession of his body, he said.
“On nights like this one, ‘’ the president said, “we can say that justice has been done.’’
The fate of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Al Qaeda number two in command, was unclear.
The death of Mr. Bin Laden is a defining moment in the American-led war on terrorism. What remains to be seen is whether the death of the leader of Al Qaeda galvanizes his followers by turning him into a martyr, or whether it serves as a turning of the page in the war in Afghanistan and gives further impetus to the Obama administration to bring American troops home.
President Obama said that on Sunday, a small team of U.S. operatives launched a “targeted assault’’ on a compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad where months of intelligence work had established that Mr. Bin Laden was living. Mr. Bin Laden was killed after a firefight, and the troops took custody of his body.
The killing ended a 10-year manhunt in which Mr. Bin Laden repeatedly eluded his pursuers, deeply frustrating the Bush administration and counterterrorism officials.
The US apparently has bin Laden’s body.
MORE:
Fans attending the Mets-Phillies game chanted, USA! USA! as news of bin Laden’s death spread:
The Blaze reports:
NBC’s David Gregory tweets that the U.S. is “ensuring bin Laden’s body is handled in accordance with Islamic tradition.”
Fox News: It appears compound built about five years ago, specifically designed to protect bin Laden — suggests the terror leader felt VERY comfortable living in that region of Pakistan.
More details via NRO’s Dan Foster:
One of the special-ops helicopters reportedly suffered mechanical difficulties and crash landed onsite. It was destroyed by U.S. forces.
Bin Laden was killed along with two al Qaeda couriers and one of Bin Laden’s adult sons. A woman who was used as a human shield by one of the couriers was also reportedly killed. Several other women were wounded and are reportedly receiving treatment.
See also:
Gateway Pundit: OBL’s 2 Wives and 6 Children Arrested – Mansion on Fire (Video)
Hot Air for lots more information, and The Jawa Report for more cowbell.
The first Osama in hell photoshop hits the net.
BMW: Trump: ‘Obama Needs to Show Us The Body’
Hours after hearing President Barack Obama tell the world Sunday night that terror mastermind Osama Bin Laden is dead, billionaire real estate developer Donald Trump is demanding the White House produce the body of the Al-Qaeda terror mastermind.
UPDATE:
Michelle Malkin: All About Obama: Who’s politicizing bin Laden kill?
Gateway Pundit: Pakistanis Stunned and Angered at News of Osama’s Death
Philip Klein, Beltway Confidential: Bin Laden raid was culmination of years of work, senior administration officials say
Weasel Zippers: Bin Laden Supporters in Britain Love Him “The Way They Care About Their Own Parents”…
Weasel Zippers: Hamas Chief Condemns Killing of “Arab Holy Warrior” Osama bin Laden, Calls Him a “True Believer and Martyr”…
AP: Official: Bin Laden buried at sea
The Blaze: AP Sources: DNA Testing Proves bin Laden is Dead
The Blaze: Now That OBL’s Dead, Will al-Qaeda Unleash ‘Nuclear Hellstorm?‘ Wikileaks Says ’Yes’
Photoshop: The Statue of Liberty Responds To Bin Laden Demise
MORE:
I didn’t want to snipe, today…but other people are noticing the same annoying thing I noticed in Obama’s speech – (so it’s not just me):
“I directed Leon Pannetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority”
“I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden”
“I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden”
“I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action and authorized an operation to get Usama bin Laden and bring him to justice”
“Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad Pakistan”
“I have 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”
Laura Ingraham’s been hammering the same point on the radio, this morning, also noting his graceless refusal to give his predecessor any credit for his work in the war on terror overseas contingency operations, instead using the occasion to take a little swipe at Bush.
Linked by Michelle Malkin, thanks!