WASHINGTON — Calling it a “good day for America,” President Obama said Monday that the death of Osama bin Laden had made the world “a better place,” as new details emerged about the daring overnight raid in Pakistan that killed him.
He is believed to have ordered the attacks on New York and Washington on 11 September 2001, as well as a number of other deadly bombings.
He topped the US "most wanted" list.
But his details on the list have now been updated with a simple banner indicating his current status: "Deceased".
Today we are reminded that as a nation there is nothing we can't do," Obama said. He hailed the pride of those who broke out in overnight celebrations as the stunning news spread around the globe.
An elite crews of American forces killed bin Laden during a daring raid on Monday. Bin Laden was shot in the head during a firefight and then quickly buried at sea. White House officials were mulling the merits and appropriateness of releasing a photo.
Bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda and the most hunted man in the world, was buried a few hours after his death in the North Arabian Sea, from the American aircraft carrier Carl Vinson in what was clearly an effort to prevent his grave becoming a shrine to his followers.
DNA tests carried out after the operation indicated with "99.9%" certainty that the man shot dead was Osama Bin Laden, US officials said.
He was killed along with a son and two other men who put up resistance during the raid, ending any hope of arrest and prosecution. A woman used as a human shield protecting Bin Laden during the raid was also killed, but several other women and children survived and are in Pakistani custody, officials said.
The US has put its embassies around the world on alert, warning Americans of the possibility of al-Qaeda reprisal attacks for Bin Laden's killing.
CIA director Leon Panetta said al-Qaeda would "almost certainly" try to avenge the death of Bin Laden.
