Bad Day Remembered
- May 2nd, 2011
- Posted by 7thmin
COMMENTARY: The killing of the terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden by American special forces late on Sunday (US time, 1.5.11) closes a chapter on a sensational crime – the destruction of the World Trade Centre on 11.9.01.
Global responses were swift, making a sad commentary on humanity, that a man should reach such degradation, decent people are openly relieved at news of his violent death.Â
Bin Laden, aged 54, was located by intelligences services, living inside a comfortable secured compound near Islamabad, capital of Pakistan.
American reports say that soldiers flew into the compound aboard helicopters; there was shooting and Bin laden was killed; after 40 minutes they flew out, and following identification the man’s body was buried at sea – in a way compatible with Islamic custom.
President Barack Obama, who approved the operation on Friday, gave a late night television address on Sunday, declaring “justice has been done”.
“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,” he said.
The terrorist leader was known as the instigator of several major attacks; with “nine-eleven”, the centre-piece, costing nearly 3000 lives, as hijacked airliners crashed into the New York building complex, the Pentagon building, and, in a case where passengers tried to fight back, a lonely field in Pennsylvania.
Children were on the flights.
Born to stupendous wealth in Saudi Arabia, Osama Bin Laden attached himself to radical religious ideas; developed an animosity towards America; and as a pathway in life, indulged his prejudices.
In his mind, had he abandoned love of humanity?
His death, shot in the head, was greeted with cheers among crowds in America, and some lack of usual restraint by government leaders worldwide.
“Osama Bin Laden was a criminal responsible for heinous terrorist attacks that cost the lives of thousands of innocent people; this makes the world a safer place”, said the European Union Council President, Herman Van Rompuy, and EU Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso, in a joint statement from Brussels.
They expressed support for “friends in the Muslim world in combating the scourge of global extremism.”
The Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, went further, at a Canberra media conference:-
“I welcome the death of Osama bin Laden. I welcome this news, and I thank President Obama and the US forces who have made this possible, and I also take this opportunity to thank Pakistan for working with them on ensuring that Osama bin Laden was brought to justice in this way”, she said.
“Osama bin Laden declared war on innocent people and today he has paid the price for that declaration …
“Today of all days we remember the lives lost … We remember the 10 Australians who lost their lives on 11 September 2001. We remember the 88 Australians who lost their lives in Bali in October 2002. We remember the 5 Australians who in 2005 lost their lives in London and Bali, and we remember as well the 2 Australians who lost their lives in Mumbai in November 2008.
“These Australians died in acts of violence … alongside people of many other nationalities and many other faiths.”
Loss of a leader of Obama’s notoriety and symbolic value, after ten years on the run, must be a psychological blow to his forces.
A security alert has been mounted against the chance of reprisal attacks, where some might seek to make it be that they, and the movement, are not that much affected.
Reference
Kimberly Dozier and David Espo, “US kills Osama bin Laden decade after 9/11 attacksâ€, Associated Press, NY, 2.5.11.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BIN_LADEN?SITE=MIDTN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT, (2.5.11).
Julia Gillard, Prime Minister, Transcript of press conference, Canberra, 2.5.11.
http://www.pm.gov.au/press-office/transcript-press-conference-canberra-10, (2.5.11).
The Hindu, Chennai, “Bin Laden’s two wives and four children in custodyâ€, 2.5.11.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article1985482.ece, (2.5.11).
Valentina Pop, “EU cheers reported killing of Osama bin Ladenâ€, EU Observer, Brussels, 2.5.11. http://euobserver.com/9/32248, (2.5.11).
Brian Whitaker, “Bin Laden’s body buried at seaâ€, The Guardian, Manchester, 2.5.11.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/02/bin-laden-body-buried-sea, (2.5.11).