bin laden is reported to have been killed. i know is still early for reactions. tell us what you are hearing on your end. >> pakistan media is not confirming the incident. one of our contacts called us late last night saying that some sort of attack was unfolding. he believed it was a high priority target. there have been attacks in the past. there was no confirmation. this morning when obama addressed his nation, it became clear that what our source was telling us was indeed that attack. according to him, a number of helicopters were going to locations. he said there were four or five loud explosions and that was the

operation in which the u.s. force was used. there have been earlier reports not confirmed yet that they were already in pakistan waiting for the opportune moment. when they had credible information, they would go for their man, osama bin laden, after 10 years. >> tell us more about the area where the attack took place. we have heard osama bin laden -- obama mention the location. where is that. >> it is about 68 kilometers from islamabad. it is about two hours away. it is the winter capital of the province. it is the official home to the country's military academy is the main stock on the highway to

the north to the northern province. it is not far away from the islamabad. it is situated in that province. >> think you for giving us the latest. osama bin laden has been killed in pakistan. they believe three adults in addition to some of ahmad were also killed in the attack, including one of his sons. let's speak to a political analyst joining us on the line from islamabad. what is your reaction to the news of the death of in london?

>> can you hear me? >> we will try to get back to him in just a moment when we reestablish our connection. we are updating you on the breaking news story if you are just joining us on al jazeera. crowds gathering in washington celebrating the news of the death of osama bin laden. it was confirmed a short time ago by the u.s. president himself. he said this was a significant moment and significant achievement for the united states. he said the united states had conducted an operation that killed osama bin laden in pakistan and that they located him in the compound deep inside pakistan. this operation was carried out by a small team of americans.

the u.s. president is also confirming that u.s. authorities were in custody of his body. let's speak to a defense analyst and former u.s. army vice chief of staff. he joins us on the line. we have just lost him. we will try to get back to him to get his reaction on the news of osama bin laden's death. let's go back to the political analyst joining us on the line from islamabad. can you hear me? we seem to be having a bit of difficulty there with the connection in islamabad. hopefully, we will get him back on the line.

let's go back to washington, d.c., and speak to the director of the american strategy program at the new america foundation. he joins us live from d.c. thank you very much for your time. we are in a breaking news situation. thank you for your time and patience. what is your reaction to news? are you surprised it has taken so long? >> i think it is game changing news. we became used to the fact that osama bin laden was beyond our reach. i talked to many cia, pentagon, and other officials over the years who began to wonder whether he was alive. i worked with peter bergen who assured me he was very much alive but have slipped off the radar screen. he was essentially the michael

jackson of al qaeda terrorism in the united states. he was a pop culture figure in the world of those who want to oc for othersave with a fanatic bent. it does not change the fact that the united states from its allies, -- that united states, its allies, and the world will have to deal with those inspired by his actions. knocking out the biggest symbol globally is enormously significant. >> indeed. who do you see as taking over the al qaeda command structure? how big a blow is this for al qaeda? can anyone step into his shoes? >> there is also another potent

symbolic force. he is not in a command position. there are forces in yemen and other places that do not take hierarchical instructions from them but were nonetheless inspired. the question is whether the various separate cells -- i would say in yemen you have the most potent franchise operating without the direction. it continues to be extremely important. it is trying to take advantage of the tsunami of change in the middle east and position itself to maximize its ability to create regional and global have oc. the command center is decentralized. bin laden.was in londo

you have groups modeled after them. they will continue whether they are around or not. >> thinks you for your insight. let's speak to general keane. he is a former u.s. army vice chief of staff. he is on the line from washington. give us your insights. obama said the operation had been in the works for a while. how do you capture and kill osama bin laden? intelligence is the most critical part of it. someone gave them a lead and then they had to confirm that. it probably took some time to make the confirmation. once they do that, the plan was put together. forces were organized and

rehearsed for a mission as sensitive as this one. we do this 10 to 15 times a night in afghanistan with similar forces where we have targets we're going after. we spring on the targets very quickly in the middle of the night. the united states forces and other forces have lots of experience at this. the british as well. this force is highly trained to be able to conduct a mission like this, even though the force they are attacking or his guards probably outnumber them maybe three to one. they can take on much longer force -- larger force because they have surprise on their side. >> we heard from obama that a small team of americans were involved. do you think the operation involved pakistan the intelligence officials?

>> i am hoping that is the case. as you know, we have a strained relationship with pakistan because of the sanctuary's they are permitting in their country that the afghan taliban are occupying. that has created a significant relationship problem for us. i am hoping they were part of the intelligence gathering and possibly part of the planning. i hope we did have their collaboration and cooperation on this operation. it will certainly improve relationships. as you and the audience know, we have had significant cooperation with the pakistan the last 10 years dealing with al qaeda. a number of them have been captured and killed as a result of pakistan intelligence.

i am hoping intrusting maybe they made a contribution to this one as well. what impact is this going to have on u.s. strategy in afghanistan and the so-called war of terror? >> given what he represents to the radical movement as a whole, it is significant. he almost reached the divinity status because he looted -- he alluded -- eluded being captured and killed for 10 years. he did not have his hand on the throttle in terms of their global reach, but he was clearly an inspirational leader to the movement. it will have a devastating effect. we also have to be realistic. this is an ecological movement. there are people committed to the ideology. they are not going away.

nonetheless, is a major setback for them. >> thank you very much for your insight, a general king, -- general keane joining us on the line from washington, d.c., where crowds are gathered on this tuesday, may 2. it is 12:40 pm as the crowds gathered outside the white house to celebrate the news of the death of a some of the modern. the news was confirmed about an hour-and-a-half ago by the u.s. president himself. osama bin laden was killed in a u.s. strike in pakistan. let's speak to a political analyst joining us on the line from is, by. think you very much for your time. >> you are welcome. good morning. >> what is your reaction to the

news that some of the one was killed in pakistan? >> i think it comes as a surprise to most pakistanis who have been speculating all those years that he probably is dead. it does come as a surprise, especially in the vicinity, the location where he has been killed. it is very close to the pakistan military academy. this is where the military officers get their preliminary training. i think this is a big blow to al qaeda. on the other hand, it is a big surprise to all of us. we have believed he was probably long dead american intelligence pursued him as much as it could. >> how involved you think

pakistani intelligence was in the operation? >> i would presume they were involved to the some -- to be spent. to the extent that the military had been involved in earlier cases. there was a catcher with the assistance of the pakistan the authorities. there has always been a caveat that in most cases, the americans would not tell pakistan intelligence or police where they were headed and what they were looking for. i would assume in this case that other security institutions were on board but probably did not know who the americans were looking for. >> what reaction do you think the news is going to have in pakistan? how are people on the streets

going to react? >> i think people on the streets are preoccupied with daily survival. some political parties and militant groups will try to stage demonstrations and criticize the pakistani government for having allowed this operation on its soil. this is very much expected. we have seen the outbursts of protest and criticism from people who have been supportive of or sympathetic to al qaeda and taliban causes. i do not think there will be any big upheaval as far as osama bin laden's killing is concerned. it has come as a big embarrassment to the pakistani intelligence authorities who have been telling the world that he was not living in pakistan and would probably be in the

mountains of afghanistan. >> how do you think al qaeda affiliate's will be reacting? >> our thanks to al jazeera for the live simulcast of the events in pakistan. >> he pointed out that elal qaeda is an ideological movement and not restricted to one person or group of people alone. it is still very much around. they have many more pakistani force multipliers then the anti- terrorism called them. i think it will try to continue the mission of osama bin laden, the way he had jihad against the

united states and its allies. this is what we all have to live with. it will require more coordination -- >> a live simulcast of al jazeera to give you international perspective of the events tonight. osama bin laden was killed in a helicopter raid in the mansion in an area north of the pakistani capital. four helicopters involved. one crashed after being hit by fire from the ground according to officials who report to the pentagon. women and children were taken into custody during the raid. the official confirmed that the raid was in a mansion close to islamabad. we have some statements to share with you tonight. the state department says u.s. citizens traveling and residing abroad need to be aware of the potential for enhanced danger.

this statement congratulating president obama and america. this marks a moment of achievement for people who seek peace around the world and those who lost loved ones on september 11, 2001. it was just past 11:30 p.m. eastern time when the president issued a statement from the white house. here is president obama. >> [no audio] evening. tonight, i can report to the american people and the world that the united states has conducted an operation that killed osama bin laden, the leader of al qaeda, the terrorist responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children. he was nearly 10 years ago that

a bright september day was darkened by the worst attack on the american people in our history. the images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory. hijacked planes cutting through the cloudless sky and the twin towers collapsing, smoke billowing up from the pentagon, the wreckage of flight 93 in pennsylvania where the actions of heroic citizens save even more heartbreak and destruction. we know that the worst images of those days were not seen. in the chairs of the dinner table, children forced to grow up without a mother or father, parents who would never know the feeling of their child's increase. nearly 3000 citizens were taken from us. that left a gaping hole in our hearts.

in our time of grief, the american people came together. we offered our neighbor's hand and we offered the wounded our blood. we reaffirmed our ties to each other and our love of community and country. on that day, no matter where we came from, what god we prayed to, what race or ethnicity we were, we were united as one american family. we were also united in our resolve to protect our nation and to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice. we quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by al qaeda, an organization headed by osama bin laden, which openly declared war on the united states and was committed to killing innocents in our country and around the globe. we went to war against al qaeda to protect our citizens, france, and allies -- friends at, and

allies. over the last 10 years, we have made great strides in that effort. we have disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense. in afghanistan, we removed the taliban government that had given osama bin laden and a credit safe haven and support. around the globe, we worked with friends and allies to capture or kill scores of al qaeda terrorists, including several who were part of the 9/11 plot. yet osama bin laden avoided capture an escaped into pakistan. al qaeda continued to operate along that border and operate through its affiliates across the world. shortly after taking office, the director of the cia made a killing or capture of osama bin laden top priority of the war against al qaeda as we continue

our efforts to disrupt and dismantle his network. last august, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, i was briefed on a possible lead to bin laden. it was far from certain. i met with my national security team as we developed information about the possibility we have located him hiding in a compound deep inside pakistan. last week, i determined we had enough intelligence to take action and authorized an operation to get osama bin laden and bring him to justice. today at my direction, the united states launched a targeted operation against the compound in pakistan. a small team of americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. no americans were harmed. they took care to avoid civilian

casualties. after a fire fight, they killed osama bin laden and took custody of his body. for over two decades, al qaeda has been -- the osama bin laden has been al qaeda's leader and symbol and continued to plot against us and our allies. this marks the most significant achievement to date in our efforts to defeat al qaeda. his death is not mark the end of our efforts. there is no doubt that al qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. we must and will remain vigilant at home and abroad. we must also reaffirmed that the united states is not and never will be at war with islam. i made it clear as president bush did shortly after 9/11 that our work is not against islam. but some of the line was not a muslim leader.

he was a mass murderer of muslims. -- osama bin laden was not a muslim leader. he was a mass murderer of muslims. over the years, i have repeatedly made clear that we would take action within pakistan if we knew where bin laden was. that is what we have done. it is important to note that our cooperation with pakistan helped to lead us to bin laden and the compound where he was hiding. he had declared war against pakistan as well and ordered attacks against the pakistani people. tonight i called that president and my team has spoken with their counterparts. they agreed this is a good and historic day for both of our nations. going forward, it is essential that pakistan continue to join us in the fight against of credit and its affiliates. the american people did not choose this fight. it came to our shores.

it started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. after nearly 10 years of service, struggle, and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war. these efforts to weigh on the everytime i have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one as commander in chief or look into the eyes of a service member who has been gravely wounded. americans understand the cost of four. as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened or stand idly by when our people have been killed. we will be relentless in defense of our citizens, our friends, and allies. we will be true to the values that make us who we are. on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al qaeda terror that justice has been done. tonight we give thanks to the

countless professionals who have worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome. the american people do not see their work or know their names. but tonight, they feel the satisfaction of their work and the results of their pursuit of justice. we give thanks to the men who carried out the operation. they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and courage of those who served our country. they are part of the generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden since that september day. finally, let me say to the families that lost loved ones on 9/11th that we have never forgotten your loss nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores. tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11.

achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the american people. because of securing our country is not complete, but tonight we are again reminded that america can do whatever we set our minds to. that is the story of our history, whether it is the pursuit of prosperity for our people or the struggle for equality for all our citizens, our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place. let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. thank you. may god bless you. may god bless the united states of america.

>> that announcement took place about an hour and a half ago on what has been a very busy evening here in washington. that is courtesy of abc news. you are looking at a live picture of the nation's capital and impromptu demonstrations taking place outside the white house and elsewhere. the news tonight is that osama bin laden has been captured and killed. senator harry reid said that this is the most significant victory in our fight against al qaeda and terrorism. the fight is not over. we will continue to support our troops and the american civilians fighting every day to protect our homeland. from republican peter king, "i commend the president on the announcement of the killing of

osama bin laden. today the american people have seen justice. the leader of the top in any has gotten what he deserves for orchestrating the death of nearly 3000 innocent americans on september 11, 2001." we are dividing our phone lines regionally. we're looking at a live seen from washington, d.c. our first call is joining us from connecticut. good evening to you. >> this is a great day. i want to give a big shot out to president obama and robert gates who worked so hard to turn this around. i really want to see the navy guys up in the white house shaking hands.

the whole deal. this is really outstanding. i am really excited about this. >> next up, a caller from minnesota. good evening. michigan is next. you are on the air. >> i am here. if he was killed and our troops of been fighting for years, why do they not send our troops home? they should be sent home if the war is over. if it is not over with or what ever -- they should be sent home if he is dead. they should be sent home. >> more reaction from members of congress. senator john kerry challenged george bush in 2004. he said the killing of osama bin

laden close is an important chapter in our war against extremists who kill innocent people around the world. he went on to say that we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the men and women of our intelligence agencies and our military for their tireless dedication and enormous sacrifice to bring justice to the man responsible for the deaths of nearly 3000 americans on september 11. next up is a caller from wyoming. good evening. >> god bless america. support nothing but the troops. we love you. it has been justified. thank you. >> jason is joining us from richmond, virginia. good evening. >> it is a wonderful night for me. 10 years ago, it was sad and lost a lot of lives -- when we lost a lot of lives. laden's death isin

saying america will do what we say we will do. it will show people around the world not to mess with the u.s. because we will do what we say we will do. >> the operation took place about 40 miles north of islamabad. four helicopters were involved in a raid in the mansion north of the pakistan capital. that took place earlier today with bin >> sean is joining us from new jersey. the next caller is from las vegas. rebecca, please go ahead. >> i am calling from las vegas. i am watching this on the news and my heart goes out to everybody who was affected by

this. it is absolutely amazing. i got married yesterday. this is the most amazing wedding gift ever. i applaud the gentleman and women overseas. it is absolutely amazing. >> thanks for your call. you are looking at the scene from here in washington d.c.. this is a gathering outside the white house, and we have been showing you coverage of al jazeera. we will continue with more of your reaction tomorrow on "washington journal." next up is jennifer joining us from nashville. >> i have a husband and brother over there and i want to tell them thank you and god bless you for everything. >> according to the associated press, there was dna testing to confirm that this was osama bin laden.

>> i sent my heart and my love and everything to the troops. >> over next few are is ellis from chicago. good evening. -- our next viewer is ellis from chicago. >> i am glad that he died, but i am not so sure that is him. >> from eric cantor, i commend the president for bringing -- we will not relent in our fight against terror and in efforts to keep america safe and secure. that statement from congressman eric cantor, the house republican leader. next up is a viewer from new mexico. go ahead. >> i am super excited, and i do agree our troops should come home, but if we are not ready

for it, we are not ready for it. >> next is north carolina. go ahead. >> are we really sure that this is bin laden, and if so, why wasn't he given a fair trial? the jews murdered him -- they just murdered him. saddam hussein, they took him to trial. correct clearly more details will be coming out in the next few days on specifics of exactly to. what we are learning from the white house in a conference call to reporters, and from the reporting of the associated press, there were four helicopters, just north of islamabad, killing osama bin laden and a confirmation that in fact it was bin laden who was killed. his body will be dealt with as

would be the normal procedures for the islamic faith. president george w. bush said president obama call me to inform you that american forces killed osama bin laden. president bush saying i congratulated him and the men and women of our military and the intelligence community's who devoted their lives to this mission. they have our everlasting gratitude. next is of viewer from missouri. cristina is joining us. . [unintelligible] it is very, very unusual.

barack obama's administration was able to capture osama bin laden. this is a celebration we will live to remember. >> the headline in the new information at this hour is that the operation took place in a mansion, an area just north of the pakistan capital of islamabad. the confirmation from the president that took place about an hour-and-a-half ago. we are monitoring the statement -- the situation here in washington and are providing allied simulcast of al jazeera. we will out rejoined al jazeera here live on c-span. kahan>> there is a certain amouf

satisfaction. i must say that the death of bin laden at this point really doesn't have quite the same impact that it would have either within the movement of which she is the face, or within this country that it would have if it had taken place back in 2002. >> are you surprised it happened in pakistan at all? >> no. i have only been speculating as to the possible whereabouts of bin laden, along with everybody else. he might have been found almost anywhere, but i think the conventional wisdom was that he was hiding somewhere in pakistan, probably somewhere along the border in the far northwest.

the fact that it took place in pakistan does not come as a great surprise. >> how much cooperation do you think might have taken place between the u.s. officials and pakistan the intelligence there? >> it would have been a much better thing politically had this been a cooperative operation. from what one can see thus far, it does not appear to have been that. i think president obama in making the announcement went out of his way to say that pakistan had contributed in the manner which in some way made it possible to gather this information and it openly led to the operation. from what one can see, and there'll be many more details revealed in the coming days, the

pakistan these do not appear to have been directly involved. >> thank you very much for speaking to us from washington d.c. also joining us from newport california, robert, thank you very much for your time. we have been talking for a number of hours about this news that comes as somewhat of a surprise. what do you make of the timing of the announcement from the obama administration? we have lost him for the moment. hopefully we will get him back on the line to get his reaction. we continue to bring you all the reactions to the news of the death of osama bin laden, confirmed by the u.s. president himself, barack obama, just a few hours ago. this is the scene outside of the white house where crowds have

gathered to celebrate this news that osama bin laden has been killed. the u.s. says the attack took place saying bin laden was killed with three adults, including one of his sons. we have a senior member of the u.s. house intelligence committee joining us on the line from washington, d.c thank you very much for your time. what is your reaction to this? is this a big victory for barack obama tonight? >> i think the president shares the feeling of all americans that at long last, the world is rid of a despicable mass murder. the victims of 9/11 have some measure of justice. i think that is the predominant

reaction in the united states and i am sure that is how the president and white house staff field. >> the president almost downplayed the announcement saying it is not over yet. it does not mean that al qaeda has been completely decapitated. >> that is exactly right. i think osama bin laden has long ceased to be the head of operational al qaeda. he was still the symbolic and spiritual leader, and for americans, his death has great significance. certainly those that suffered on 9/11 who lost loved ones, i think looked to him to carry the primary responsibility and therefore today feel that the primary measure of justice has been achieved, but you are right. in the next days and weeks, the

risk will go up, not down. >> we have heard -- it may be too soon to celebrate. this could only heighten the risk of attacks against america and american interests abroad. in the near term it certainly will heighten the risk, but in the long term, it is a significant defeat for al qaeda. it is a significant success for the u.s. and our special forces. this is one of the most intensive manhunt ever. was extraordinarily difficult and those most affected have been waiting for this day for a very long time. we all understand that the immediate risks are there but that would not deter us one moment trying to achieve this day.

>> will be raised in the coming days? >> it depends if we give evidence of a specific threat. there is a concern about the upcoming days and weeks ahead. i do not think it will change unless we get intelligence that there is a threat in progress. >> i want to ask you one last question. what do you think this is going to change as far as the strategy in the war on terror in pakistan and afghanistan? we have seen obama heavily involved. this is one of his pop -- priorities. is anything going to change? >> i think it is a continuation of changes that were under way. the central outside organization has been diminishing in importance. some of its affiliates have

taken on increased performance. this will accelerate that trend. i'm certain there will be a lot of public interest. i think the focus has shifted to dealing with some of these dangerous offshoots of al qaeda. i think the killing " -- his killing will accelerate that and the decline in importance of that organization. >> many people are also saying that because of the arab uprising, and what we've seen in the middle east, al qaeda is somewhat weaker. the groups no longer had the power they had a few years ago. would you agree? >> i do agree. what has been taking place with these popular revolts against corrupt regimes has been

inspiring to people all over the world. part of what makes it inspiring is is being led by young idealistic people who want something better for themselves and future generations. i think that goes contrary to the al qaeda narrative, particularly in countries like to teach and egypt that have shown peaceful resolutions can bring change. i think that is encouraging. i think al qaeda has been marginalized and is probably -- some of the most significant changes in many years. i think that is a positive change. >> thank you very much congressman. he is joining us from washington, d.c. thank you for your thoughts. as we continue to bring you -- bring you this breaking news story of osama bin laden 's

debt. this is the scene at times or any yorkist people gather to celebrate -- at new york as people gathered to celebrate. over 3000 killed in new york and washington d.c. this is washington dc oxide of the white house where barack obama made that announcement a short while ago. it is one -- 1:15 a.m. on an early monday morning. the announcement was made on sunday night by the u.s. president on may 1. this will be a historic day for the obama administration. the death of osama bin laden , the most wanted man in america. he was the leader of al qaeda

and believed to be the mastermind of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. we look back at the life of osama bin laden . >> the world's most wanted man now dead. he has been sought since before the attacks of 9/112001. he has dominated the global consciousness. born in saudi arabia in 1957, he was the son of a businessman of colossal wealth. at 14, he inherited more than $300 million. he knew been lot -- him as a schoolboy. >> before -- he was one of the most kind boys in the school. he kept to himself. he was very religious. he was a pacifist. he would not participate in the shenanigans, the pranks, the

staff people used to get into. he had the ingredients of a very religious muslim. >> business and economics. >> the same attitude -- a true gentleman. rex the bombing of u.s. embassies of kenya killed more than two injured people put him on the most-wanted list. years later, al qaeda -- an american destroyer. 17 american servicemen died. it was the taxes seven -- september 11, 2001, they gave him the greatest notoriety. the destruction of the twin towers saw nearly 3000 people killed. >> it was interesting, when he spoke he was probably the only

arab figure who does not say the first thing the comes into his mind. most people, the camera comes up and they have to say something. they do not want to look stupid. i would ask a question of osama bin laden , and he would think about how we wanted to reply. i would sit there and watch this to cleaning operation waiting for his words. >> he seemed to believe that islamic law is the only way to bring pre -- peace to the muslim world. using violent means is that resulted if that -- in the death of women and children. dozens of tapes purporting to be from him. over time, he has visibly aged. he was later seen walking with a stick. from his role in the fight

against soviet troops in afghanistan to building in sudan, he was a world figure for a quarter of a century. al qaeda has lost its figurehead. many argue this will have little affect on the group. his followers have sworn to see his vision through to the end. >> scenes of joy in washington d.c. and new york city as well. the news that osama bin laden has been killed. it will be interesting to see what the attraction is in countries like pakistan and afghanistan. we're joined from the pakistani capital. bring us up to speed with the latest reactions there and what you know about the operation. >> as i had mentioned earlier,

last night, pakistani sources, in fact even our resource, after 1:00, gunships were involved. they targeted a house situated in that city. at least five explosions. when obama spoke and confirmed that they had killed the number one target, he also mentioned -- according to our sources, using helicopters, according to our sources, one of the helicopters was apparently shot down. an apache helicopter crashed on the location. a number of people are said to have been wounded in the operation. three to four people were killed alongside osama bin laden. no confirmation as to who they

would be. they were taken to the hospital. reports that the pakistani military was not in the loop about the operation. there have been reports that america's special unit was somewhere in pakistan. something nobody has been able to confirm. >> what has been, i know it is early, what do you expect the reaction to be in pakistan to the news that he was killed? >> one thing is clear. they have been on the offensive. their ground was shrinking under their feet. it must not be forgotten that while he was the head of the outfit, he was not the main man in control of operations. that command was -- despite the

fact that it is a major victory for the americans, it may not dent al qaeda's capability across the middle east. it is not effective as it used to be. >> the news tonight. a u.s. military operation with four helicopters. an air raid that took place 30 miles north of islamabad. 202-585-3886. let's get to your phone calls. good morning to you. >> good morning. i want to say i think it's great osama bin laden has been killed. america needs to look at what they are doing to the soldiers. the way they are celebrating. this will have consequences on

the soldiers. i was deployed to afghanistan -- the burning of the koran was on the news. things were intense overseas. i think this will be bad consequences from the way people are celebrating and going about this. host: this is the scene inside the white house says folks are gathering along 17th and pennsylvania avenue. word began to leak out at about 10:45 eastern time. the president address the nation at about 11:35. we will hear more details in the ensuing days. good morning. caller: good morning.

all i can say is go usa. we should make this a national holiday. host: good morning, caller. please go ahead. caller: i wanted to say congratulations to the usa. i am glad we got him. i think justice has been served for the 9/11 victims. host: senator john kennedy said -- said it closes an important chapter in our war against extremists to kill innocent people. osama bin laden was captured and killed. confirmation came from the white house. next in florida. caller: good morning. my name is susan. i want to say god bless america and everyone in our armed forces. i want to -- may he rot in hell.

host: your on the air, caller. caller: my name is lois. i am in oregon. i thank god for a president who had a knapsack to go after that idiot. i am glad and surprised and happy. caller: good morning. my name is charlene. i was watching c-span yesterday evening. with the white house correspondents' dinner. host: do you have a comment on the news tonight? caller: i do. seth myers made a comment about osama bin laden showing up on c- span. it was a joke. our president was sitting there

in front of god and everybody at the white house dinner. not the white house dinner but the correspondents' dinner. he made a comment of that, and nobody ever watches c-span, that osama bin laden has been met -- has been there on c-span. but nobody pays attention. it was the joke of the evening. president obama never even gave a clue that he knew what had happened. obviously the man had died a week ago. from what i understand. i'm trying to find out what is going to happen to snl. you know what i'm saying? i'm looking at now in retrospect and thinking, -- >> thank you for the call. we will learn more details.

the word can tonight that the president would have the speech from the white house. no indication in terms of what the content would be. shortly after 10:30 eastern time, the confirmation that osama bin laden was captured and killed. an operation has been in works for the past couple of days. george w. bush said president obama called to inform me that american forces had killed osama bin laden. i congratulated the president and our men and women who devoted their lives to the fight against terror. america has sent an unmistakable message that no matter how long it takes, justice will be done. when more call. you are on the air. we will try one more time. let's look at the scene in washington d.c. as the demonstrations continue at one -- 1:30 eastern time.

we will rejoin al jazeera. >> they have become less relevant not because they do not have the capacity to strike the ability to appeal to the public. i think it is ironic. you have somebody like that in trying to scare the public by saying that the ordinary people are nothing but terrorists tell you al al qaeda's name has been muddied in the arab world over the past through months. it comes at a time when they had lost a lot. they have to be watching the successes of people who would have opposed him. sure with a lot of frustration because he had

failed to topple the same governments that ordinary peaceful people are succeeding at. in america, it is interesting this happened on brock obama's clock. george bush was disliked in arab and muslim countries. they do not have the same resentment toward this president. he has focused more on afghanistan and not iraq. frankly, the anchor with america was more over iraq and afghanistan. you can see that now that america is disengaging. the degree of danger is reduced. the timing is very interesting. when the pressure is a little bit less on the united states. >> the pressure may be less now but this makes the risk of attacks against the u.s. very

high, and now? >> absolutely. it is a very dangerous feeling. the u.s. has to be vigilant. everybody else has to be vigilant. many people in the middle east, arab world, at this time, i think they will not only want to avenge the death of osama bin laden but they will want to register that they are still there. that they have capacity. i think it is a dangerous time that people will watch carefully. >> thank you very much for your thoughts. let's go to the white house. he has been speaking to american soldiers. >> we are inside of the white house where the president has just addressed the nation. people are gathering here by

large numbers. this is a very large crowd. i have not seen a crowd like this since president obama was elected. it is a pretty historic event. i'm joined by -- i know that you are a marine. i watch your reaction. >> i am the co-founder of a bipartisan veterans coalition. veterans for rethinking afghanistan. i was first put on the ground in 2001. regardless of your party, today is a huge day. now it is done. the war on terror is over with. we can declare victory. [cheering] >> we're going to try to get other reaction. >> and finally happened. >> usa !

>> why did you come here? explain to our international viewers. >> this is great news. we are excited. it is finally over. >> i am john winters. [cheering] >> more reactions. one of the -- the biggest news -- i will keep you posted with developments on the ground in front of the white house. [cheering] >> it will be a very long night. the crowds are still thick outside the white house on the

news of osama bin laden's death. this is the scene in new york. this is a reminder of right after 9/11 when people put out flags all over their towns and cities to show that they are american and proud of it. this is one of those moments. let's speak to an author and taliban expert who joins us on the line from madrid. thank you for your time. osama bin laden is dead. what does this do for al qaeda? how big of a blow is this? >> there is no doubt that this is a major blow to al qaeda. certainly he was an inspiration. it must be said that the jubilation expressed by the

crowd that we just heard is a bit pre-emptive. al qaeda today is not a centralized organization. this is an organization that is diffused. its new philosophy is one person, one bomb. we do not have to carry out another 9/11. the need individuals who can kill themselves in western cities. that is not something that is difficult to organize. we have seen in times square, the man trying to bomb the subway, the pakistani trying to bomb times square, we have seen instances of this already happening. the fear is that there is going to be a lot of anguish and people will want to take revenge at his death. not just in the united states but around the world. >> tell us about the structure

of al qaeda. now that he is dead, who is going to take over? >> there will be huge pressure to find him because i'm sure he is not far away. he was in a large pakistani city that houses the military academy. it is quite possible that he would be close by in one of the villages or towns. but yes, he would take over. he was one of the architects of making hawkeye that a much more diffused organization. not so centralized. but allowing individuals on the ground in those countries to make their own decisions. we saw that in iraq where he was instrumental in handing over the al qaeda franchise -- who was

later killed. al qaeda central, they had no control of iraq. that is how the new rockeye is operating. s, itw are the affiliate' is almost like a franchise, outside in the arabian peninsula, how are they going to react to this news? will they take revenge? >> i think they will. already we are seeing in western capitals, they are bracing themselves for a tax. there will be all sorts of a attacks. in the middle east and north africa. there will be random attacks by individuals who get a hold of explosives and are feeling a

vengeful and upset. there will be those kind of one of the tax that will be difficult to stop. then there will be the attacks by sleeprs, individuals planted into western societies who have been dormant and but to have access to explosives. they will launch their plots. a lot is possible in the days ahead. >> what d.c. as the impact of the uprisings in yemen, syria? what impact has that had on the appeal of al qaeda? >> it has been remarkable. the impact has been little. the fact that these movements for democracy, for

modernization go against the grain of rockeye. -- al qaeda. how can they take advantage? i think with the death they will have an opportunity. they are seeking revenge for the death of him. >> firm reaction in spain to the scene in washington d.c., just outside the white house, the crowds have been gathering throughout the past hour-and-a- half. we want to use this opportunity to get your reaction to the news of the night. the capture of osama bin laden. some statements tonight from michael bloomberg, new yorkers have waited nearly 10 years for this news. is my hope that it will bring closure and comfort to those who lost loved ones on september 11.

from president bush who said, president obama called me to inform me that american forces had killed osama bin laden, the leader of archive. i congratulated him and the men and women of the military who devoted their lives to this mission. from senator john kerry, we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the men and women of our intelligence agencies. i commend the president and his team for never forgetting the need to secure justice for those who lost loved ones. 2025853855 for eastern and central. as we come to you at 1:41 in the morning in the nation's capital. caller: the morning. i want to say that you had a

caller about 15 minutes ago from north carolina who said the u.s. handed down him like an animal and he did not get a fair trial. he was an animal. he did get a fair trial. court has been adjourn. got less this great country of ours. host: >> thank you for your call. good morning to wyoming. caller: i want to say thank you. i think half of america wants some kind of proof. are they going to show anything? we want proof of the death of him. caller: i can only speculate. in the next 24 hours more

details as to what happened on the mission which took place about 35 miles north of islam abad. one of the helicopter's crash. it was the capture and killing of osama bin laden. caller: i want to say congratulations to all the families and to the troops. i do not need confirmation. like president's word is good enough for me. host: iowa city, iowa. caller: i want to congratulate the troops and everything they have done. the cia for getting something right. i am from the vietnam war. the thing i want is, i think respect ocular he got his justice. the only thing that bothers me

is that all the sudden the american public is starting to act like the french muslims. we are jumping up and down. celebrating the death of somebody. what does that say about our morality? host: thank you for the call. virginia is next. ahead, please. caller: i would like to say, america, we are dead. i'm glad -- we are good. everybody that got killed in the towers cannot focus. we do not to worry about that anymore. everything is over. host: from peter king, he is from the new york city area, " this would not have been

possible without the work of the brave men and women who of served around the world in this war on terror." [please stand by]

[please stand by] >> why would he move to a city? >> i was living there three years ago. nobody was reasonable would suggest. that is the big surprise for me.

the intelligence service, pakistan is a police state. you cannot hide in a country like that. >> the suspect that pakistani officials might have known that he was in fact where he was? >> i am entering speculation at this point. he was there early on and decided -- the intelligence service is very good. this is the surprise. not that we caught him. but the fact that he was in pakistan. >> as we have been hearing, even

from brock obama, he has been saying this is not the end of this. the u.s. embassy across the world has raised alert levels. there is a risk of attacks, reprisal attacks from al qaeda fillets around the world. >> he will be looked at as a martyr by militants. anything with access to the internet, and he worried that can get weapons or explosives, i can take revenge for this attack. he will be looked at as a martyr. he devoted his life and died for a cause a lot of people believe in. it is not finished. his removal makes things worse. it could make things worse. >> from the united states commenting on news of osama bin laden's death.

whos talk to our producer is where the city's where bin laden is said to be killed. he witnessed the operation. >> i was watching tv. i saw them flying over. they were circling. i did not spot the helicopters. the lights were off and they were flying low. all the sudden i heard a blast. then three other blasts. then the fifth blast was so big. my neighbors, what you call, was a target.

>> when did this operation take place? remind us. >> around a quarter to one. >> you mean last night? >> yes. this morning. this is quite recent. did you get a sense that something was happening? something was in the air? >> yes. i had not witnessed that. helicopters used to fly. this is unusual. i said to my neighbor, the pilots are very good. they are flying at a low level. talking to you here. can you hear me? >> we have lost our producer. he was telling some not --

telling us about the circumstances. he is still there. great. u.s. officials reporting that it was not just bin laden but three other people. >> of the local media is saying his adult son and a couple of others. and a lady was also killed. this is what the local media says. >> tell us about the town. how populated is the city? why would he go there after being hiding in the mountains? why there? >> it is small. it has all the facilities. it is like paradise.

even now, in the middle of late spring, the weather is super. keeping these aspects in mind, and right under the nose of authorities. i do not mean to say they knew he was here. >> did you get a sense that authorities knew he was there? >> i cannot comment on that. without them, no one can move an inch. >> thank you very much. it seems he was hiding in plain sight abbottabad before he was killed. he joins us on the line from the afghan capital. what is the latest from where you are? what is your reaction to the dat?

>> there is no official reaction from government or taliban. i managed to speak with one government that answers all the questions. for many years, we were claiming that he was across the border in pakistan. nobody believed us. he told me because of the killing of bin laden, the relationship between pakistan and the united states over this situation, that it was a gift to the united states from pakistan i officials to build this relationship. we spoke with a taliban. he said that the killing of bin

laden that may not affect much in the war with the taliban. this is not the taliban of 2003 or 2002. even if al qaeda did have a rule, it was a facilitator. in the past 10 years, been lot and -- been laid and trained a lot of people to be like him. -- bin laden train a lot of people to be like him. and theere in the war current situation. this will not affect the current situation in afghanistan or not. >> thank you very much. he is a retired u.s. army

brigadier general and the former director of plans and strategy at sent tom. he joins us from washington. are you surprised that bin laden has been hiding in plain sight in paradise? >> i am not really surprised. this is fairly typical in man hunts. >> we have been simulcasting al- jazeera to give you their perspective on the events in pakistan. they have captured and killed bin laden. the state department issued a travel alert. this is the view outside of washington d.c. shortly after 10:30 he was killed. the president issued a statement

at 11:35. it did include four helicopters, one of which that went down in the operation. given the uncertainty where recent events could cause anti- american violence, they are limit to it -- urged to limit their travel outside. they shaped -- should stay current with local media events and be aware of their surroundings. indiana is first up. your reaction to these developments. >> i actually had a brother who was killed in eastern afghanistan during the war. i do not think that toby keith could have said it any better himself. we will put a boot in your ass,

it is the american way. >> where was he killed? >> he was a specialist. he was killed by an ied in eastern afghanistan in 2007. >> how does tonight's news make you feel as someone who does lost a loved one in afghanistan as a result of bin laden's actions 10 years ago. >> 5 -- i feel better about it. i feel like his death is avenged. >> good morning, it is pete from denver. there is a point that is being glazed over. it is wonderful news that bin laden has been eliminated.

he is probably going to become more dangerous as a martyr than he ever was as a fugitive. >> let me read you a statement from eric cantor. nearly a decade since 9/11. whether we bring enemies to justice or injustice to our enemies, justice will be done. we have learned that justice has been done. he congratulated president obama four following the vigilance of president bush's leadership. next is a viewer from texas. >> hello. i just wanted to let you guys know that i keep hearing these people that say that it is over. it is not over as long as al qaeda is out there. we did send a very powerful message that we will not let you get away with this. that is what they respect. they do not respect compassion.

they see might and power as something to respect. >> i just wanted to say thank you to the president and to the navy seals or whoever was involved. he is where he is supposed to be right now. i am glad that everybody is celebrating. i wish i was there to celebrate with everybody. i am celebrating. >> you are looking from the scene at about 11:35 eastern time tonight. he walked across the hall and delivered a statement from the east side of the white house. this is a live view from just outside of the white house. >> i would