Obama Announces Osama Bin Laden’s Death

2 May 2011

Al-Qaeda founder and leader Osama Bin Laden has been killed by US forces, President Barack Obama has said. The US is said to be in possession of Bin Laden’s body.

The al-Qaeda leader was killed in a ground operation in a mansion outside Islamabad in an operation based on US intelligence, reports said.

According to the BBC, Bin Laden is accused of being behind a number of atrocities, including the attacks on New York and Washington on September 11, 2001.

He is top of the US most wanted list. Crowds gathered outside the White House in Washington DC, chanting “USA, USA” after the news emerged.

Bin Laden approved the 9/11 attacks in which nearly 3,000 people died, saying later that the results had exceeded his expectations.

He has evaded the forces of the US and its allies for a decade, despite a $25m bounty on his head.

His death will be seen as a major blow to al-Qaeda but also raise fears of reprisal attacks, correspondents say.

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