President Obama last night delivered to a jubilant nation the news Americans have been waiting nearly 10 years to hear: The United States killed 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden -- and had his corpse. Early Monday morning, a U.S. official said bin Laden had been buried at sea.
The most hated man in the world was killed yesterday in a $1 million mansion in a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, not far from the capital of Islamabad.
"Justice has been done," Obama declared.
Crowds gathered at Ground Zero, in Times Square and outside the White House to celebrate.
They waved flags, cheered, pumped their clenched fists and chanted, "USA! USA!"
"Osama is dead, and there's love in New York again," said James Childress, 34, at Ground Zero, where 2,752 people died in the attacks at the World Trade Center.
Directly across from the White House, thousands cheered.
"We finally got the mother f - - ker" screamed one man.
Said Geoff Rowson, from Atlanta, "It's retribution for 911."
He said he gathered with the crowd "to support all the men and women who have given their lives these last nine, 10 years. "This feels like a unifying event," he said.
Obama acknowledged both the tremendous loss of 9/11 and of soldiers lost in the ensuing wars.
"Images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory," Obama said. " Nearly 3,000 citizens were taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts."
He added, "After nearly 10 years of service, struggle and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war. These efforts weigh on me every time I, as commander-in-chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member who's been gravely wounded."
Former President George W. Bush, who was in office on the day of the attacks, issued a written statement.
"The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done," he said.
The huge victory over terrorism took place on the first anniversary of the aborted car bomb attack on Times Square.
Senior Obama administration officials told The Post of the extraordinary series of events that began four years ago and led yesterday to the death of the world's most-wanted terrorist.
According to one source, the identity of a key courier to bin Laden was discovered then -- and last August, officials pinpointed the massive compound where the terror lord was hiding.
"We were shocked by what we saw," one source told The Post. "It was an extraordinarily unique compound," with 12- to 18-foot high walls topped with barbed wire and protected by two security gates -- but oddly without telephone or Internet service.
The sources said that around 1 a.m. yesterday, helicopters swooped in on the compound. In a subsequent firefight, bin Laden, one of his sons, two couriers and a woman being used as a human shield were killed, sources said.
One of the helicopters had a mechanical failure, but the crew destroyed it and hopped another chopper to complete the mission.
Bin Laden's son wasn't identified; one, Hamza, is a senior member of al Qaeda. No Americans were hurt, the president said.
The Pakistanis were not warned in advance of the attack.
Obama spoke with Bush and former President Bill Clinton last night to inform them of the developments. "The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date to defeat al Qaeda," Obama said. "His demise should be welcomed by all."
The end to the world's most widely watched manhunt came just months before the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon -- orchestrated by bin Laden's al Qaeda -- which killed nearly 3,000 people.
The 9/11 terrorists hijacked planes, flew one of them into the north tower of the WTC and, moments later, flew the second into the south tower.
A third plane slammed into the Pentagon, defacing the symbol of America's military night. A fourth crashed in rural Pennsylvania after passengers overpowered the hijackers and forced the craft from the air before it could hit its intended target in Washington.
The attacks sparked the war on terror, which has cost the lives of more than 4,000 US servicemen and women.
Moments after Obama's dramatic announcement, American authorties cautioned the events could lead to heightened threats against the United States.
Senior administration officials said the body would be handled according to Islamic practice and tradition. That practice calls for the body to be buried within 24 hours, the official said. Finding a country willing to accept the remains of the world’s most wanted terrorist would have been difficult, the official said. So the U.S. decided to bury him at sea.
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