Osama bin Laden killed

On Sunday at about 11:35 p.m., President Barack Obama announced in a public address that Osama bin Laden was killed in a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

Bin Laden was responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 citizens and has since been public enemy number one.

During Obama’s address he referred to bin Laden as “a terrorist who is responsible for the murder of innocent men, women and children.”

Obama said he was briefed in August on a possible lead to bin Laden’s whereabouts. Last week he decided there was enough evidence to take action.

A small team of Americans carried out the operation. No Americans or civilians were harmed. After a firefight, the team killed bin Laden and took custody of his body.

“The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s efforts to beat al-Qaida,” Obama said.

From the beginning of his time as president, Obama said he would take action in Pakistan if it would lead to bin Laden, which was seen as a controversial statement, former terrorism adviser Richard Clarke said on ABC News.
 
Obama mentioned during his address that he spoke with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan officials who were involved in the operation.
 
“They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations,” Obama said. “And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al-Qaida and its affiliates.”

Obama also made it clear that this is not an issue with Islam.

“The United States is not and never will be at war with Islam,” Obama said. “Bin Laden is not a Muslim leader. He was a mass murderer of Muslims.”

In 1998, former President Bill Clinton gave the first order to capture bin Laden. After 9/11, the War on Terror began, and former President George W. Bush placed a $25 million bounty on bin Laden. After becoming president in 2008, Obama continued the fight to find bin Laden.

“Shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against al-Qaida,” Obama said.
Now a concern for American troops in the Middle East are possible riots or attacks from al-Qaida, so the military is taking precaution.

“An order is going out tonight to step up all of those posts in case of attack,” Clarke said on ABC News.

In addition to addressing the background to the strike against bin Laden, Obama also acknowledged the families who lost loved ones in the 9/11 attacks.

“The American people did not choose this fight. It came to our shores and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. After nearly 10 years of service, struggle and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war,” Obama said. “And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table.

Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child’s embrace.”

In Bloomington, citizens were celebrating as fireworks could be heard shortly before midnight.

Students Zach Otto, Phil Sollman and Shayne Guinn showed their support by  displaying a small American flag outside of their apartment in the Varsity Villas.

“Cause I love America, and I’m glad we killed Osama,” Sollman said.

Chants of “U-S-A” erupted outside of the White House in Washington, D.C. and at Ground Zero in New York City, shortly after Obama's speech.

“We will be true to the values that make us who we are,” Obama said. “And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al-Qaida’s terror: Justice has been done.”

— Charles Scudder contributed to this report