“We may feel better about the manhunt ending. There is always something new in the wind.”
- David Stewart, Student
“There will be mixed feelings from the international community. But I think we did it in the right way.”
- Joel Nakatani, Student
"He was a horrible person, but it is good we treated him respectfully. Two wrongs don't make a right."
- Teresa Craig, Student
May 1st, 2011 will be long-remembered as the day the notorious mass murderer Usama bin Laden was killed.
Usama orchestrated the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks on September 11th, 2001 as well as many other atrocities throughout the world.
“Usama’s death boosted the morale of Americans definitely. It brings closure to people in New York and Washington,” says Joel Nakatani, student at Shasta College.
A squad sized element of 25 Navy SEALs supported by Army Chinook and Blackhawk helicopters infiltrated Usama’s compound in Abbotabad, Pakistan, 35 miles north of the capitol Islamabad.
Nakatani goes on to say that “Foreign relations are definitely going to be nixed - some countries are going to agree and some aren’t.”
The raid on the compound lasted only 40 minutes with no loss of American lives.
In President Obama’s address to the nation on the evening of May 1st he said, “Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There’s no doubt that Al-Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must –- and we will -- remain vigilant at home and abroad. We’ve disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense.”
Usama’s body was secured and brought aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier for a 45-minute Islamic ceremony including a eulogy translated into Arabic, though, according to Usama himself is not Islamic.
"Justice has been done," says President Obama.
The CIA had been hunting a well-trusted courier of Usama’s for four-and-a-half years.
The dedication to surveillance and even the controversial interrogation techniques used to get the name and location of the courier were essential in the execution of the mission.
Families of 9/11 victims spoke out with great joy and sorrow.
Lee Ielpi, who’s son was among the first firefighters in the WTC had this to say:
“I cried. I looked up and said they got him.”
President Obama decided Wednesday that he would not authorize the release of the photos of bin Laden’s corpse citing that it would not be beneficial due to the graphic nature of the images and may incite further retaliation by extremists.
Former President George W. Bush stated that "The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done."
The U.S. supplies Pakistan with over $1.5 billion per year.
Some find it quite strange that Pakistani intelligence could not detect Usama’s presence in this military stronghold.
"People were skeptical in this neighborhood about this place and these guys. They used to gossip, say they were smugglers or drug dealers. People would complain that even with such a big house they didn't invite the poor or distribute charity," said Mashood Khan, a 45-year-old farmer in an AP interview.
Shasta College student David Stewart says that “I’m not sure that the U.S. will benefit from his death. When one leader falls, one will always rise to take the position.”
When former President Bush was reading a story to children at Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida he waited ten minutes to finish the story to react to the news.
"Today, when we talk about 9/11 in class and you hear kids make mistakes about what happened with the President that day, I can tell them they're wrong. Because I was there," says Chantal Guerrero, now 16.
"I think he was trying to keep everybody calm, starting with us."
Many in Pakistan are outraged at the raid and death of bin Laden.
Pakistani officials call this “A threat to international peace and security.”
CIA Director Leon Panetta said “Either they’re involved or incompetent.”
In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Khaled Hathal Abdullah al-Atifi al-Qahtani, an Al-Qaeda member, is said to be the first to surrender since Usama’s death.
According to the F.B.I.'s Most Wanted list, the proper spelling of his name is "Usama."
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