Obama's Statement On Osama

WASHINGTON, May 2: The following is a transcript of a short speech by US president Barrack Obama on the claim that the US has finally killed its number one enemy Osama ben Laden during an operation in Pakistan last week. "Good Evening, Tonight I can report to the American people and to the world, that the US has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden the leader of Al Qaeda. It was nearly ten years ago that a bright day was blackened the twin towers collapsing to the ground, and yet we know that the worst images were those unseed by the world. the empty seat at the table. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us leaving a gaping hole in our hearts. we reaffirmed our ties to each other and our we were united as one American family. We were also united in our resolve to prorect We quickly learned that the attacks were carried out by Al Qaeda.... and so we went to war against Al Qaeda Over the past ten years thanks to the tireless adn heroic work of our military we have made great strides in that effort. We have disrupted terrorist attacks and ....we removed the Taliban from Afghanistan. Around the globe we have worked with our friend and allies to kill or capu Yet Osama Bin Laden evaded capture and escaped across the Afghan border into Pakistan... And so shortly after taking office I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of Osama Bin Laden the top priority of the war against Al Qaeda.... The, last August, after painstaiking I was briefed on a possible lead . it took many months to to ground. I met repeatedly with my national security team and finally last week, we had enough intelligence Idtermined we enought information to authorize action. ... and so I authorized an operaton to get Bin Laden. Today at my direction the US conducted an operation against that compound in Abadabad, Pakistan No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid innocent casualties. After a firefight they killed Osama Bin Laden and took custody of his body.... For over two decades Bin Laden has been the symbol His death does not mark the end of our effort. We must and we will remain vigilant at home and abroad. not at war with Islam. bin Laden was not a muslim leader. He was a mass murderer of muslims. Tonight we can say .... Justice has been done."