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Politics & Government

Osama Bin Laden Dead

President Obama tells nation Al Queda leader was killed in U.S. operation he authorized.

(UPDATE) _ President Obama, in a televised address to the nation Sunday night confirmed that Osama bin Laden has been killed

"I can report to the American people and the world that the United States has conducted an operation that has killed Osama bin Laden," the president said. 

Obama said bin Laden was killed in a brief firefight involving U.S. special forces in a remote area of Pakistan and "they took custody of his body."

"Justice has been done," the president said. Obama said he had authorized the operation "to get bin Laden."

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Bin Laden was the leader of al Queda and the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon near Washington, D.C.

“The death of Osama bin Laden is an important milestone in the fight against terrorism and a relief to millions of Americans and others around the world who have felt his murderous destruction," said Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin in a written statement.

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Cardin, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Co-Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission,  called  bin Laden "a murderer who devoted his life to the destruction of freedom, democracy and our way of life."

"Tonight all Americans can feel safer knowing that bin Laden is dead, but we must remain vigilant in the continued fight against al-Qaeda and any terrorists who seek to harm our nation.  I join the president and all Americans in thanking the military professionals who carried out this mission. We depend on them and owe them our gratitude and our prayers,” Cardin said.

Some national security experts are calling this a major turning point in the war on terror.

What are your thoughts on this development in eliminating the man called the spiritual head of al Queda?

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