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Dublin: 8 °C Tuesday 18 June, 2013

One year on: Osama bin Laden’s death

The architect of the 9/11 terrorist attacks was killed by US Navy SEALs in the early hours of 2 May 2011 – here, we take a look back at the events that unfolded in the wake of his death.

AL-QAEDA LEADER Osama bin Laden was killed in a US operation in Pakistan one year ago tomorrow, 2 May, in a move that concluded a ten-year search for the man named as the architect of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

News of Bin Laden’s death hit the headlines across the world and provoked various reactions – from anger within Islamic fundamentalist groups to elation in the United States.

Here, we take a look back at the events that unfolded in the wake of Bin Laden’s killing…

One year on: Osama bin Laden’s death
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  • White House watches bin Laden operation

    Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, President Obama and Vice President Biden, as well as members of the national security team, watch events unfold on the mission against Osama bin Laden in the Situation Room of the White House. Image released by White House, taken by Pete Souza.
  • Bin Laden Death

    Afghan newspapers in Kabul, Afghanistan headlining the killing of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in May 2011. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq, File)
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    President Barack Obama reads his statement to photographers after making a televised statement on the death of Osama bin Laden from the East Room of the White House in Washington, Sunday, May 1, 2011. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
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    May 5, 2011 file photo, local residents and media are seen outside the house where Osama bin Laden was caught and killed in Abbottabad, Pakistan. (AP Photo/Aqeel Ahmed, File)
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    Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir addresses a news conference with spokesperson Tehmina Janjua, left, at the Foreign Office in Islamabad, Pakistan on Thursday, May 5, 2011. Pakistan warned America Thursday of "disastrous consequences" if it carries out any more unauthorised raids against suspected terrorists like the one that killed Osama bin Laden. (AP Photo/B.K.Bangash)
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    Members of hardline group Islam Defenders Front (FPI) gather by portraits of Osama Bin Laden and Barack Obama projected on a screen at their headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, May 4, 2011. (AP Photo/Irwin Fedriansyah)
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    A Pakistani woman photographs her daughter at a gate of the compound where al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was caught and killed in Abbottabad. (AP Photo/Aqeel Ahmed)
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    Supporters of Pakistani religious party "Pasban", youth wing of Jamat-e-Islami, rally to condemn the killing of Osama bin Laden, in Multan, Pakistan. Banner reads "American CIA has staged a drama in Abbottabad to help Obama win elections, Pakistani government should feel ashamed." (AP Photo/Khalid Tanveer)
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    A Jordanian man reacts as he watch a TV news report about the killing of Osama bin Laden at a coffee shop in Amman, Jordan. (AP Photo/ Nader Daoud, File)
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    An image of Osama bin Laden is flashed on a giant screen during the screening of the weekly news highlight in Beijing Wednesday, May 4, 2011. China called the killing of bin Laden a landmark event in the fight against global terrorism and expressed support for close ally Pakistan amid suggestions Islamabad's security forces may have sheltered the world's most wanted man. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
  • Bin Laden Death

    A composite of Belgian front pages shows Osama Bin Laden and Barack Obama on Tuesday, May 3, 2011. Headlines read clockwise from bottom left, 'Obama nabs Osama', 'Killed in his bedroom', 'Bin Laden is dead, a beautiful day for the United States', and Obama eliminates Osama'. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
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    Greeks read newspapers hanging at a kiosk in Piraeus port, near Athens, on Tuesday, May 3, 2011.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
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    A tribute, including a pair of military boots, is left outside Firehouse 343 at the World Trade Center construction site on Tuesday, May 3, 2011, in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
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    Massachusetts family members, from left, sisters Danielle and Carie Lemack who lost their mother Judy Larocque; Christy Coombs who lost her husband Jeffrey; and Irene Ross who lost her brother Richard Ross, all on ill-fated Flight 11 from Logan Airport on 9/11, grieve in Boston after news of the death of Osama bin Laden.(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
  • Bin Laden Death

    People rally to condemn the killing of Osama bin Laden, in Karachi, Pakistan on Tuesday, May 3, 2011. (AP Photo/Shakil Adil)
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    Crowds outside the White House in Washington cheer, late Saturday, May 1, 2011, after hearing of the news of Bin Laden's death. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
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    Indians carry placards in support of the US operation leading to the killing of al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, May 3, 2011. (AP Photo/Gurinder Osan)
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    Rev. David Howard poses by a marquee outside Brook Baptist Church in Virginia Beach, Va, 5 May 2011. Howard changed his sermon after a Navy SEAL team based in Virginia Beach killed Osama bin Laden. (AP Photo/Brock Vergakis)
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    With a giant US flag across the left field wall, Los Angeles Angels pause for a moment of silence prior to facing the Boston Red Sox in a baseball game in Boston, Monday, May 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
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    Ghalib Alyssiri, from left, Dave Alwatan, and Ajmy Alsaidi rally in support of the United States in Dearborn, Mich., Monday, May 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
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    Visitors to the temporary memorial to United Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pa., visit on the morning of Monday, May 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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    Crowds gathers outside the White House in Washington early Monday, May 2, 2011, to celebrate after President Barack Obama announced the death of Osama bin Laden. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
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    A woman weeps at ground zero in New York, Monday, May 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
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    Doug Logan celebrates the death of Osama bin Laden at the Torch of Freedom, Monday, May 2, 2011, in Miami. (AP Photo/Jeffrey M. Boan)
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    A worker cleans the floor of a shop as TV channels report the killing of Osama bin Laden in Mumbai, India. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
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    Citizens of New York City gather at Ground Zero to celebrate the death of Osama Bin Laden. (PA)
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    A man who said he was dressed as "Captain America," cheers early Monday, May 2, 20111, across the street from the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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    Analisa Cotter, 20, writes "USA" on Paul Deasey's forehead as crowds celebrate on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House in Washington, early Monday, May 2, 2011, after President Barack Obama announced that Osama bin Laden had been killed. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
  • Bin Laden Death

    Jeff Ray of Shanksville, Pa, visits the temporary memorial to United Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pa, 2 May 2011. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

Read: Bin Laden papers to be released online

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Comments (12 Comments)

  • One year after Bin Laden’s death and over 10 years since 9/11, American citizens are still blindly allowing their civil liberties to be taken away one piece of legislation at a time. How much freedom are we willing to sacrifice to feel safe? Under the guise of fighting terrorism, the Patriot Act was adopted WITHOUT public approval or vote just weeks after the twin towers fell. These laws are simply a means to spy on our own citizens and to detain and torture dissidents without trial or a right to council. You can read much more about living in this Orwellian society of fear and see my visual response to these measures on my artist’s blog at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2011/09/living-in-society-of-fear-ten-years.html

    Reply
  • Has America ever looked more ridiculous than on that day? The hypocrisy is never ending.

    Reply
  • The media are also responsible. They just keep churning out those AP press releases, repeating not reporting and failing to look beyond the ‘official story’ Can’t say I blame some of them, if you question anything nowadays you’re branded a conspiracy nut. I think most people can see this one though as a staged farce

    Reply
  • Please amend the caption of the first photo. They were not watching events unfold. This is admitted by the Pentagon. Stop peddling thee lies. Very poor journalism.

    Reply
  • The people were cheering for the death of a man who had orchestrated 9/11 and who was one of those responsible for killing family members friends and neighbours! Personally i think that regardless of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan Bin Ladens death symbolized an end of sorts for the victims families! Whether the war was started for oil or whatever doesn’t change the fact that the families suffered and continue to suffer and perhaps this signifies a punishment that ordinary murder victim families can get that they can’t

    Reply
    • Kitalpha 02/05/12 #

      What about the families who are suffering at the hands of the US Army, innoncent men women and children murdered, genocide carried out in your name? What about a punishment for them? What will they get? When will they get their closure. But hey, you dont see the dead victims of the war on the six one news, there is no anniversary for the kiddies in Afghanastan every year at the start of the war.

      Reply
  • wow i am genuinely surprised at how many folks on here know that this whole thing is totally fake.

    the pentagon have admitted faking it and if you don’t believe me just check out the link below.

    just stop and think before you try to regurgitate what you have read in the ” newspaper ” and please don’t show your complete ignorance by saying something like ” oh you must be Jim Corr or you are one of the tinfoil hat brigade”

    just think for yourselves and stop believing the absolute muck they use to sell printed paper..

    http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/galleryoffakebinladens.php

    Reply
  • This should read, allegedly killed. Still no proof!
    Gas ain’t it!
    you just got to laugh!

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  • Whether or not Osama still exists is irrelevant – His absence would not make the world a safer place.

    Reply
  • Sorry but I may be on my own here but this policy of murdering ones enemies whether your the most powerful nation in the world or whether your a street corner gangster is barbaric and wrong whilst it’s easy to join the cheerleaders of this summary execution would these same people accept the same justice for themselves or their loved ones or is that what they were condemning originally .

    Reply
  • It’s so sad when “it seems” like so many of the USA public buy the gov’s barefaced and poorly brewed lies come on where was d body sadam’s was on show

    Reply
  • Gwan the pony

    Reply

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