Job Wanted ! : Osama Bin Laden Replacement

Job Wanted ! : Osama Bin Laden Replacement

Long believed to be hiding in the mountainous tribal region between Pakistan and Afghanistan, bin Laden was tracked down to a custom-built mansion in the town of Abbottabad, 61km north of the capital Islamabad.

Confronted by US special forces who were dropped by helicopter into the compound, bin Laden was shot dead in a 40-minute operation under the cover of night, US officials said.

Crowds gathered to celebrate outside the White House in Washington, DC, as well as in New York City - one of the sites of the September 11 attacks.

A resident of Abbottabad recounts witnessing the US raid on bin Laden's mansion in the Pakistani city

But celebrations over the operation were tempered by fears of retaliation, and the US quickly issued security warnings to Americans worldwide.

The US said on Tuesday it was closing its embassy in Pakistan's capital and consulates in three other cities
for routine business to the public until further notice amid fears of reprisal attacks.

"A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability," Obama said.

"After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body."

Four people, including one of bin Laden's sons, were also killed in the operation, US officials said.

After the firefight, US officials said they used "multiple methods" to positively identify bin Laden's remains.

US officials said later on Monday that DNA tests confirmed the death, providing a match with 99.9 per cent confidence.

The US is believed to have collected DNA samples from bin Laden family members in the years since the September 11, 2001, attacks that triggered the US-led invasion of Afghanistan.

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  Comedy