World leaders hail death of Osama Bin Laden

Here is a selection of comments from prominent global figures on news of the death of Osama Bin Laden:

This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001. The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done.
--George W Bush, former U.S. President

This is a profoundly important moment not just for the families of those who lost their lives on 9/11 and in al-Qaida's other attacks but for people all over the world who want to build a common future of peace, freedom, and cooperation for our children.
--Bill Clinton, former US President

The killing of Osama bin Laden does not lessen the suffering that New Yorkers and Americans experienced at his hands, but it is a critically important victory for our nation - and a tribute to the millions of men and women in our armed forces and elsewhere who have fought so hard for our nation.”
--Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City

The news that Osama Bin Laden is dead will bring great relief to people across the world. Osama Bin Laden was responsible for the worst terrorist atrocities the world has seen - for 9/11 and for so many attacks, which have cost thousands of lives, many of them British. It is a great success that he has been found and will no longer be able to pursue his campaign of global terror. This is a time to remember all those murdered by Osama Bin Laden, and all those who lost loved ones. It is also a time too to thank all those who work round the clock to keep us safe from terrorism. Their work will continue. I congratulate President Obama and those responsible for carrying out this operation.
--David Cameron, British Prime Minister

My heartfelt gratitude to President Obama and to all of those who so brilliantly undertook and executed this operation. We should never forget 9/11 was also the worst ever terrorist attack against UK civilians, and our thoughts are with all those - American, British and from nations across the world - who lost their lives and with their loved ones who remain and who live with their loss. 9/11 was an attack not just on the United States, but on all those who shared the best values of civilization. The operation shows those who commit acts of terror against the innocent will be brought to justice, however long it takes. So this is a huge achievement in the fight against terrorism but we know the fight against the terrorism and the ideology that Bin Laden represents continues and is as urgent as ever.
--Tony Blair, former British Prime Minister

The state of Israel joins together in the joy of the American people after the liquidation of Bin Laden. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulates US President Barack Obama for this victory for justice, liberty and the common values of democratic nations which fought side by side against terrorism.
--Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

His death makes the world a safer place and shows that such crimes do not remain unpunished. Osama bin Laden was a criminal responsible for heinous terrorist attacks that cost the lives of thousands of innocent people. The European Union continues to stand shoulder to shoulder with the United States, our international partners and our friends in the Muslim world in combating the scourge of global extremism and in building a world of peace, security and prosperity for all.
-- European Union president Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso

Osama bin Laden was responsible for the deaths of thousands of people, including New Zealanders, in several different parts of the world. While his removal will not necessarily bring an immediate end to terrorist activity, I have absolutely no doubt that the world is a safer place without Osama bin Laden. All those families that lost loved ones as a result of the terrorist actions masterminded by bin Laden, they may now feel that, in some sense, justice has been achieved.
-- John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand

Whilst al-Qaeda has been hurt today al-Qaeda is not finished. Our war against terrorism must continue. Every Australian was touched and affected by acts of terror by al-Qaeda, by the losses we saw in Bali, by the losses we saw in New York. Every Australian will be touched by this news today.
-- Julia Gillard, prime minister of Australia

We call on Taliban to learn from what happened yesterday and stop fighting. Talib, come to your country and stop the fighting and leave the weapon that the foreigners have put on your shoulders.
--Hamid Karzai, president of Afghanistan

We will not allow our soil to be used against any other country for terrorism and therefore I think it's a great victory, it's a success and I congratulate the success of this operation.
-- Yousuf Raza, Pakistani Prime Minister

Last night the forces of peace achieved a victory. But this does not mean that international terrorism has been defeated yet. We must all remain vigilant. The US military has achieved a decisive blow against Al-Qaeda with its commando action against Osama bin Laden and his killing. Osama bin Laden was responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent people. Terror was brought to many countries on his direct orders and in his name, against men, women and children, Christians and Muslims. Osama bin Laden claimed to be acting in the name of Islam, but in reality he made a mockery of the basic values of his and all other religions.
--Angela Merkel, German Chancellor

“[This is] great outcome in the fight against evil. The world has been waiting for this news for 10 years. This is a great outcome in the fight against evil, in the fight against terrorism, a great outcome for the United States and for all democracies.”
--Silvio Berlusconi, Italian prime minister

“A Christian should never rejoice [over the death of a human being]. Osama bin Laden, as everyone knows, had the grave responsibility of having spread division and hate among people, causing the deaths of an innumerable number of people and exploiting religion for these purposes.”
--Federico Lombardi, spokesman for the Vatican

Osama Bin Laden was a promoter of the ideology of hatred and was the chief of a terrorist organization responsible for the deaths of thousands of victims, especially in Muslim countries. For his victims, justice has been done. Today, in France, we think of them and their families.
-Nicolas Sarkozy, president of France

“[The killing is] a historic development and victorious milestone in the global war against terror. Over the years, thousands of innocent lives of men, women and children have been tragically lost at the hands of terrorist groups. The world must not let down its united effort to overcome terrorism and eliminate the safe havens and sanctuaries that have been provided to terrorists in our own neighborhood.
--India's external affairs minister M. Krishnas

The end of bin Laden is a great piece of news for the free world. This man was a mega murderer, he killed thousands and thousands of people, people who were totally innocent, and would continue to kill, his purpose in life was to kill anybody who doesn't belong to him.
--Israeli President Shimon Peres

”It is a victory made possible by the determination of the United States in their hunt against the one responsible for the most tragic episode at the beginning of this century, 9/11 and numerous other tragedies. A victory that rewards the efforts that all of us next to the United States have fought and continue to fight against terrorism. A victory of good against evil, of justice against malignancy. It is a victory of the free and democratic world.
-- Italian foreign Minister Franco Frattini

We pay our respects to the efforts of those concerned, including the U.S. and Pakistan. We regard this as part of a united effort to fight against terrorism. Japan has been working on assistance to both Pakistan and Afghanistan, and proactively tackling the issue of terrorism.
--spokesman for Japan Prime Minister Naoto Kan

Kenya was the first country to be attacked by al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden's death comes as a relief to many of the victims of the bombings in East Africa.”
-- Kenyan government spokesman Alfred Mutua

This is a significant success for the security of NATO allies and all the nations which have joined us in our efforts to combat the scourge of global terrorism to make the world a safer place for all of us. [We] made clear that it considered the September 11 attacks on the United States an attack against all allies. We remember the thousands of innocent lives lost to terrorist atrocities in so many of our nations, in Afghanistan, and around the world.
--NATO spokesman

In an intelligence-driven operation, Osama bin Laden was killed in the surroundings of Abbottabad in the early hours of this morning. This operation was conducted by the U.S. forces in accordance with declared U.S. policy that Osama bin Laden will be eliminated in a direct action by the U.S. forces, wherever found in the world. Earlier today, President Obama telephoned President Zardari on the successful U.S. operation which resulted in killing of Osama bin Laden.
--Pakistan foreign ministry

Russia was among the first countries to face the dangers inherent in global terrorism, and unfortunately knows what al Qaeda is not from hearsay. Retribution will inevitably reach all terrorists.
--Russian government statement

This is good news because it has put an end to the symbolic leader of international jihadi terrorism, the al Qaeda chief, the head of the most dangerous terrorist organization in the world.
--Spain's ruling Socialist Party statement

Terrorists and leaders of terrorists are captured alive or dead sooner or later. It should teach a lesson that the leader of the world's most dangerous and sophisticated terrorist organization is captured this way.
--Turkey's President Abdullah Gul

Uganda shall continue to support the ongoing fight against global terrorism and renews its commitment to bring to justice those who commit acts of terror in the country.”
--Uganda government spokesman Fred Opolot

The government of the Republic of Yemen welcomes the elimination of Osama Bin Laden, the founding father of the al Qaeda terrorist network. The successful operation, spearheaded by U.S. forces, marks a monumental milestone in the ongoing global war against terrorism.
-- Embassy of the Republic of Yemen