Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Bin Laden's death sparks global alert

Bin Laden's death at the hands of an elite commando team from the U.S., announced on television by Barack Obama has opened a new dimension in the fight against international terrorism. The physical disappearance of the leader of Al Qaeda, responsible for the 11-S, has been greeted with euphoria in the West but also with caution, fearing that his followers began a campaign of attacks in revenge.

That possibility has sparked a global alert and has led governments of the USA and Europe to strengthen the security of both its embassies and its troops abroad and to ask its citizens, especially those who are abroad show the utmost caution. "The war against Al Qaeda and its union of terror is not over," warned the head of U.S.

diplomacy, Hillary Clinton. The Spanish president, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, today held a meeting with foreign ministers, Interior and Defense to explore new measures of prevention. The Government will strengthen the security of its embassies in North Africa, the Sahel, Afghanistan and Pakistan and will contact businesses and aid workers in these areas to alert them that we must exercise caution, Efe reported.

The executive vice president, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, announced these measures, after the meeting. "I do not think that the death of Bin Laden assume additional risk to Spain," Rubalcaba stressed commenting on a possible replacement in the senior leadership of al Qaeda, although he has insisted that there may be retaliation and stated that Spanish interests abroad, "the coming weeks and months can be tricky." At the moment there has been increased terror alert level ordered because it is considered sufficient.

The 1,500 Spanish soldiers participating in the NATO mission in Afghanistan (ISAF) have spent the night with "normal" but, like all other military missions abroad have been ordered to exercise caution in special movements and patrols, according to military sources consulted by Servimedia.

Reactions to the death of this character can cause unpredictable world. By the way, Obama insisted yesterday that bin Laden was not a Muslim leader in the United States is at war against the religion. "Given the uncertainty and volatility of the current situation," said the State Department, "we urge U.S.

citizens in areas where these events can cause anti-American violence to limit their travel outside their homes and hotels and to avoid mass rallies and demonstrations ". However, joy at the death of the world's most wanted terrorist is obvious. U.S. feels that revenge for the 11-S has been accomplished and the proof is that the Ground Zero in New York, main stage of the killing, became the venue following the news.

This Thursday will also President Obama, who will meet there with relatives of the victims. "We are experiencing the same drive after the 11-S", the president said at a dinner with members of Congress. What to do with the photos of the body? But the end is not completely written until the U.S.

decides what to do with the photographs taken on the ground to the lifeless body of the most wanted terrorist of all time. Officials have said that these images exist and could be made public throughout the day. They supposedly looks Bin Laden's face deformed by a bullet a few inches above his left eye that destroyed part of the skull.

The body also has bullet wounds in his chest. The same sources claim that the military recorded a video of the alleged burial at sea of the body within 12 hours after his execution, respecting Islamic traditions. The U.S. administration debate on whether to publish this material. Some members of the Obama administration are reluctant to show photos of the body because they believe it could inflame the feelings of Islamic extremists.

But there is also growing fears that the conspiracy theory that Bin Laden is still alive if there is to win converts graphic evidence of the death of terrorist. The president believes that the operation demonstrates that "there is nothing you can do" if the United States working in coordination.

"We are fortunate to have citizens who have dedicated their lives to protect (...) As commander in chief, could not be more proud," applauded Obama, specially commended the military and intelligence officials who organized and perpetrated the operation, including outgoing Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Security Advisor to the White House, John Brennan, explained later in a press conference from Washington that the operation, followed in "real time" from the U.S., was conducted without informing Pakistan, an ally in the war against terrorism, something which has confirmed this morning the president Zardari.

Brennan said it is "inconceivable" that Bin Laden has been hiding in Pakistan so long without help from within the country. "I will not speculate on the support in Pakistan," Brennan said to reporters regarding the possible knowledge of the Pakistani authorities to the location of the Saudi terrorist.

After his remarks, Ambassador of Pakistan in the U.S., Husain Haqqani, said that his country will conduct a "thorough investigation" to gather intelligence failures that prevented know that Osama bin Laden was in their territory. The White House adviser called Obama's decision as "one of the bravest I have ever taken any president." According to Brennan, the evidence on bin Laden's stay in the house were "circumstantial", but the CIA's confidence in hitting the target was "growing." The U.S.

advisor also said that after 15 years of pursuit, and even before the 11-S, Obama took the "opportunity" and approved the transaction. Burial according to Islamic rite Brennan further clarified that the leader of Al Qaeda was buried at sea in accordance with Muslim practice. The Islamic ritual requires the body be buried within 24 hours after his death.

According to official sources, the decision was made because it was difficult to find a country willing to bury the world's most wanted terrorist. Official sources have also reported that DNA tests confirm that died in the military attack on the residence where he was. Asked by reporters accredited to the White House, Brennan added that the U.S.

"will not drop our guard" in the fight against Al Qaeda. The death of his mentor provides "an opportunity to destroy the organization," said Brennan. The security adviser also said that the number two of the terrorist network, the Egyptian doctor Ayman al Zawahiri, has "detractors" within the organization, making them harder to lead.

In the military operation, carried aboard helicopters in the special operations group of Navy Seals, killing four people: an adult child of the terrorist, his messenger, and a brother of this and a woman who, according to White House , was one of Bin Laden's wives. Government sources in Pakistan have assured the BBC's service in the country during the assault five guards of Bin Laden and also dropped four more have been arrested, but could not be confirmed.

The Washington's most wanted terrorist was inside a fortified luxury resort. The residence of Abottabad walls consisted of over three meters, barbed wire and only two entrances. There were no windows and had no dial or Internet connection. Bin Laden was shot in the head after a shootout between U.S.

forces assault and the group met the leader of Al Qaeda. 10 years after the 11 S The death of the father of international Islamic terrorism comes almost 10 years after the attacks in New York. Eliminate Osama bin Laden had become an obsession for the United States and had been subjected to numerous international operations.

It was speculated on several occasions with his death and offered millions in rewards for any clue to his whereabouts, but bin Laden was there, present in the nightmares of Washington. For U.S. pride was a wound too deep knowing the whereabouts of a tall, lanky 54-year, usually portrayed holding a Kalashnikov in his left arm.

Almost an old man leaning on a cane, he slept on the floor of a cave and ate vegetables, yogurt, soup and bread Afghanistan. Although three years did not appear in public, Bin Laden was still a symbol. The man who had accomplished what a decade ago seemed a chimera internationalize jihad and spread terror through alliances with partners around the world.

Dozens of local cells, inspired by Bin Laden's speech, torment intelligence chiefs from several continents. Ground Zero in Manhattan, where the two towers were erected that toppled al-Qaeda, became one of the most popular. Tourists, members of the fire (over 300 of them died in the rescue efforts after the attacks) and New Yorkers of all stripes crowded close to the screens of Times Square since the first rumors appeared in the news.

The concentration was crowded after the announcement. Many of the reactions have been very tough. "I had dreamed of this moment, but I think death is too good for him," said Anne Marie from Borcherdng, who lost her boyfriend 11-S in the Twin Towers. "What would you like a lot of people here is having to spit on his corpse." Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York, was among the first to react to the White House announcement: "New Yorkers have waited almost 10 years this news." The death of Osama bin Laden is a major victory and a tribute to those who fighting for our country, "he said.

New York Senator Charles Schumer said: "The heart of New Yorkers still broken by the tragedy of 11-S, but [the death of Osama bin Laden] provides some comfort to the victims." The U.S. president George W. Bush said a few minutes after the news that the death of Osama bin Laden is a "victory for America." Bush, under whose presidency witnessed the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and in his memoirs stated that one of his biggest regrets was that of failing to capture bin Laden "dead or alive", issued through its Facebook page, just the announcement, a statement said that President Barack Obama was informed of the operation.

"Tonight the president called me to inform Obama that U.S. forces killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda who attacked the United States on September 11, 2001," said Bush. Father of international jihadism base thought Bin Laden was similar to the Taliban: ultra-orthodox interpretation of Sunni Islam, who want to purify Western influences.

His ideology, his men, seasoned in combat, and abundant money allowed him to finance a dark plot by radical groups that act against Western interests, mainly U.S., where they have opportunity. Osama bin Laden was born in Saudi Arabia in 1957 in a wealthy Saudi family. His father was a major construction magnate in the country.

He studied religion and economics, graduating from the University Abdul Aziz. Since 1979 supported the Afghan rebels in their war against the USSR, organizing the recruitment of thousands of volunteers across the Arab world, among other actions. Since 1986, personally involved in the fighting.

After the war he returned to his country. As a result of Saudi support for U.S. troops during the 1991 Gulf War, broke with the Saudi regime and his own family. He went into exile in 1991 in Sudan, where he directed a U.S. company considered a terrorist front. With the unprecedented planning the attacks of 11-S, Bin Laden and Al Qaeda firmly shook the foundations on which the United States based its policy on security and demonstrated the need to seek a new approach to strengthen its borders.

Almost immediately, the U.S. launched a series of air strikes against the Taliban in the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Given the refusal of the Taliban to hand over the terrorist, the U.S. began in October 2001 war in Afghanistan continues, although the attacks led overthrow the fundamentalist regime that ruled the country.

After his experience in the Afghan war, Bin Laden has learned to live like a hermit, a skill that helped him blend in on the ground in the same way as do snakes. Again and again the leader of Al Qaeda managed to emerge unscathed from sneak attacks by U.S. and international partners, which led to compromising the ability of military intelligence and the most powerful country in the world.

Since Bin Laden trail gone definitely in the mountains of Tora Bora in the winter of 2001 after the U.S. deposed by force of arms to the Taliban, there was only one certainty: he was hiding in Pakistan. The intelligence community has shuffled many assumptions: that was in a remote region or confused with the mass in Karachi, which could only be killed by treachery in their own communities or with a missile attack, but clearly had shifted the neighboring country of Afghanistan.

For years, unmanned aircraft equipped with missiles have flown to different tribal areas of Pakistan the most dangerous and volatile place on earth. Have killed dozens of militants from Al Qaeda, also civilians, and have come very close to their leaders, especially the Egyptian Ayman Al Zawahri, but in the end has been a command group which has closed part of the story.

No comments:

Post a Comment