The decade long US struggle to capture the world’s most wanted terrorist ended on May 2, 2011 when a small American team acting under Obama’s direct orders (known as Operation Geronimo) killed the most wanted terrorists, who was hiding in a place called Abbottabad in Pakistan. Osama Bin Laden was the founder of the terrorist group “Al-Qaeda”, a group which is responsible for spreading terror in most part of the world. Osama is known to be the mastermind behind the planning of 9/11 attacks on USA, an attack which shocked the world, not just USA.
On Monday, May 2, 2011 Osama was shot dead, and later his body was identified by using the facial recognition techniques (I work a lot on these techniques and I know how much powerful they are, so if these have confirmed the identity, I believe the reports to be true). However, the DNA test has also been done, and the reports will be out soon, which I guess will be a second and a major proof of the death of Osama. Also, the news of the killing was announced by Obama, the president of USA, so I do believe him. If it had been Bush, I still might have been in a doubt but that’s not the case with Barack Obama. In the mean while the body of Osama Bin Laden was buried as per all the Muslim rites into the Arabian Sea.
In between all the news and hype of Osama’s death, the major concern that rises is the involvement of Pakistan in this matter, a major doubt over its military and its seriousness in combatting terrorism. Also a question that has risen above all (I guess Indian media has had a big hand in it) is the involvement of Pakistan in helping Osama Bin Laden to hide in its territory. Did the Pakistan government really know about the hiding? I (I know I am an Indian, but still logically I cannot really understand this fact) really cannot Pakistan, that they denied of their involvement. How can it be that the world’s most wanted terrorist hides in your place for 10 long years without you knowing anything about it. I know it is a very serious accusation that I have just raised, but then I really would love to hear the answer of Pakistan on this question and accusation.
But yes I do feel a little sad for Pakistan the country as well, since it is terribly humiliating for a country to end up in a position they are now, when a foreign country not only carries out drone strikes in the country, but also sends Special Forces inside cities. It is even shameful that US did not even let the Pakistan government know about this operation. Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf also pointed out the same thing, that the Americans should have at least informed the Pakistani government about this operation. On a comical note one of my friends answered to Musharraf’s comment by saying “Had the Americans informed you all (the Pakistani government) in hand, this operation surely could never have been a success. As the moment you all would have got to know about this the very moment Osama would also have been informed and he would have fled.” Anyways, the next few days will be a test of both America and Pakistan. How will Pakistan be able to justify Osama’s presence in its territory? How much will America and the rest of the world drill into the facts or overlook the disturbing but probably true facts behind all this action.
India has always accused Pakistan of providing refuge to all the wanted terrorists. And now when that has somewhat been proved now, what will be the Indian government’s next step, is something I would love to see. Also, I really don’t know why can’t India do an US now, attack with Special Forces the way America did and capture and kill most terrorists. On the contrary what the end up doing is feeding and spending billions of Indian currency hard earned by Indians on terrorists like Qasab trying to just prove that he belongs to the Pakistan origin. I really feel this is insane. I think it is the time they learn something from USA and take some steps, and now hopefully they might even get the US backing as well.
In the end all I can say is a very long (a decade long) chapter is now closed. Although the war against terrorism is still not over, I do believe that this is the beginning of the end of Al-Qaeda.
Article from Wikipedia over Osama’s death:
“On May 1, 2011, in Washington, D.C. (May 2, Pakistan Standard Time), U.S. President Barack Obama announced that Osama bin Laden had been killed by "a small team of Americans" acting under Obama’s direct orders, in a covert operation in Abbottabad, Pakistan, about 50 km (31 mi) north of Islamabad. It had been believed by some that bin Laden was hiding near the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas, but he was actually found 100 miles away in a million-dollar, three-story mansion in Abbottabad at 00 34°10′9″N 73°14′33″E / 34.16917°N 73.2425°E / 34.16917; 73.2425. Bin Laden’s mansion was located .75 miles (1.21 km) southwest of the Pakistan Military Academy (Pakistan’s "West Point"). Google Earth maps show that the compound was not present in 2001, but was present on images taken in 2005.
According to U.S. officials, a team of 20–25 U.S. Navy SEALs from the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (SEAL Team Six), under the command of the Joint Special Operations Command and working with the CIA stormed bin Laden’s compound in two helicopters. Bin Laden, three other men, and a woman were killed in a firefight in which U.S. forces did not experience any injuries or casualties. In his broadcast announcement, President Obama said that U.S. forces "took care to avoid civilian casualties." Among the others killed were one of bin Laden’s sons, a man described as a courier, and the courier’s brother. Four years of surveillance of the courier led to the intelligence which made the raid possible. It was reported that the courier was the owner of the compound where the assault took place. John Brennan, the White House anti-terrorism chief, said that the woman that was killed was one of bin Laden’s four wives and was being used as a human shield at the time. Two other women, who were also used as shields, were injured during the raid. According to one U.S. official, the attack was carried out without the knowledge or consent of Pakistani authorities. In contrast, agents of the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) said it was a joint operation.
DNA from bin Laden’s body, compared with DNA samples on record from his dead sister’s brain confirmed bin Laden’s identity the following day, according to assertions to ABC News by unnamed sources. The body was recovered by the U.S. military, and was in its custody until his body was buried in the North Arabian Sea from the USS Carl Vinson according to Islamic traditions. One U.S. official stated that "finding a country willing to accept the remains of the world’s most wanted terrorist would have been difficult." MSNBC reported, "There also was speculation about worry that a grave site could have become a rallying point for militants."
The U.S. State Department issued a "worldwide caution" for Americans following bin Laden’s death, and U.S diplomatic facilities everywhere were placed on high alert, a senior U.S official said. Crowds gathered outside the White House and in New York City’s Times Square to celebrate bin Laden’s death. In Pakistan, some people were shocked at those reports that said that the mission was not authorized by Pakistan.”
Article from Yahoo news over Osama’s burial:
“Washington, May 2(ANI): Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden’s body has been buried at sea, as the United States does not want his burial place to become a terrorist shrine, a US official has said.
The official said that the body was handled according to Islamic practice and tradition, Fox News reports.
That practice calls for the body to be buried within 24 hours, the official added.
"Finding a country willing to accept the remains of the world’s most wanted terrorist would have been difficult. So, the US decided to bury him at sea," the official said.
The Saudi-born terrorist, who had evaded capture for a decade, was killed in a top secret operation involving a small team of US special forces in Abbottabad city, located 50 kilometres northeast of Islamabad and 150 kilometres east of Peshawar, Pakistan.
Under Islamic tradition, the body is washed by Muslim men and buried as soon as possible.
The body is usually buried in a simple white sheet -whether buried in the ground, or at sea."
TREATISE 