UN Council rejoices at death of bin Laden

Wednesday, 4 May 2011 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The UN Security Council has welcomed the death of Osama bin Laden, calling it a critical development in the fight against terrorism.

Agreeing on a statement welcoming the death of any person was a rare moment for the 15-nation council.

Highlighting the September 11, 2001, attacks and others staged by al-Qaeda, the council said it “welcomes the news on May 1, 2011, that Osama bin Laden will never again be able to perpetrate such acts of terrorism.”

“The Security Council recognises this critical development and other accomplishments made in the fight against terrorism and urges all states to remain vigilant and intensify their efforts in the fight against terrorism.”

Bin Laden, who was killed on Sunday in a US military operation in Pakistan, was one of the few terrorist leaders to be named in any Security Council resolution.

The council called for increased co-operation among countries to urgently “bring to justice the perpetrators, organisers and sponsors of terrorist attacks.”

“The Security Council stresses that no cause or grievance can justify the murder of innocent people and that terrorism will not be defeated by military force, law enforcement measures, and intelligence operations alone,” said the statement. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon attended a special meeting of the council at which the statement was formally agreed upon.

Ban also praised the killing of bin Laden as justice as a “watershed moment” in the fight against terrorism.

“I am very much relieved by the news that justice has been done to such a mastermind of international terrorism,” Ban said in a written statement.

He called the announcement of Bin Laden’s death “a watershed moment in our common global fight against terrorism.

“The crimes of al-Qaeda touched most continents, bringing tragedy and loss of life to thousands of men, women and children.

Ban added that it should be “a day to remember the victims and families of victims, here in the United States and everywhere in the world”.