World reacts to bin Laden death: Cheers, dismay

Last Updated 2:08 p.m. ET

Osama bin Laden's death drew a mix of celebration and relief from his enemies around the world, shock among his followers, and warnings that his demise would not bring an end to terrorist attacks.

Spontaneous, celebratory rallies broke out in New York City at ground zero, where the World Trade Center towers fell on Sept. 11, 2001 and outside the White House where President Barack Obama announced bin Laden's slaying in a helicopter raid in Pakistan.

"This is justice," Filipino Cookie Micaller said in the Philippine capital, Manila, where she wept and remembered her sister who perished at the World Trade Center. She added that terrorist attacks probably would continue: "I don't think this is going to stop."

Hardline followers and sympathizers of Bin Laden expressed shock and dismay or vowed revenge.

"My heart is broken," Mohebullah, a Taliban fighter-turned-farmer in Ghazni province of eastern Afghanistan, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "In the past, we heard a lot of rumors about his death, but if he did die, it is a disaster and a black day."

Among the reactions from world leaders today:

• Karzai: Bin Laden "received his due punishment"
• French President Sarkozy: "A major event in the world struggle against terrorism"
• Israeli PM Netanyahu: "A resounding victory for justice, for freedom"
• U.K. PM Cameron: "A massive step forward" in fight against extremist terror"

But reaction of statesmen and former statesmen was not unanimous in praise of the U.S. operation. In an interview with CNN-IBN, former Pakistani President Pervez Musharra criticized Washington's unilateral strike, calling it "a violation of our sovereignty."

And Reuters quotes the head of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, as saying the operations was "a continuation of the American policy based on oppression and the shedding of Muslim and Arab blood ... We condemn the assassination and the killing of an Arab holy warrior."

And a spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry suggested that, with bin Laden dead, the United States and its allies no longer have an excuse to keep their troops in Afghanistan.

"We hope that this development will end war, conflict, unrest and the death of innocent people, and help to establish peace and tranquility in the region," Ramin Mehmanparast said in a statement released Monday. "This development clearly shows that there is no need for a major military deployment to counter one individual."

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Salah Anani, a Palestinian-Jordan militant leader accused of links to al Qaeda, said "There will be soon be another leader."

"Obama, the killer, bragged about his so-called victory, but because he has a dead heart, he couldn't hide the fear of what's coming," he said.

A top al Qaeda ideologue going by the online name "Assad al-Jihad2" posted on extremist websites a long eulogy for bin Laden and promised to "avenge the killing of the Sheik of Islam."

U.S. embassies and Americans across the globe were on alert for possible reprisals over the death of the man who masterminded the Sept. 11 attacks. Other Western countries also called for vigilance.

U.S. warns of possible al Qaeda backlash

Germany Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said a "backlash" from al Qaeda sympathizers could not be ruled out, while British diplomatic missions were advised to review their security, remain vigilant and avoid demonstrations and large crowds of people.

"The world's most wanted international terrorist is no more, but the death of bin Laden does not represent the demise of al Qaeda affiliates and those inspired by al Qaeda, who have and will continue to engage in terrorist attacks around the world," said Ronald Noble, the head of international police agency Interpol.

World leaders congratulated the U.S. and President Obama for the strike against bin Laden as a severe blow to al Qaeda, though many noted it would only weaken, not end, terrorism.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy hailed "the tenacity of the United States" in its 10-year hunt for the al Qaeda leader while Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi called his death a "great result in the fight against evil."

British Prime Minister David Cameron said news of bin Laden's death "will be welcomed right across our country, Of course it does not mark the end of the threat we face from extremist terror - indeed we will have to be particularly vigilant in the weeks ahead - but it is, I believe, a massive step forward."

The president of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, said, "We have woken up this morning in a more secure world. Although the fight against terrorists is not over, an important step has been made against al Qaeda to give security to millions.

Germany's Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said, "It is good news that a stop could be put to this terrorist's work. This is very good news for all freedom-loving and democratic-thinking people in the whole world."

Turkey's President Abdullah Gul welcomed the news "with great satisfaction."

"This shows that terrorists and heads of terrorist organizations are eventually captured dead or alive," Gul said.

In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was "a resounding victory for justice, for freedom and for the shared values of all democratic countries that fight shoulder to shoulder against terror."

An official comment from Moscow distributed by the Kremlin press service called bin Laden's killing "a great success," and warned that "Retribution inevitably reaches all terrorists."

The statement also said only joint efforts against global terrorism would be successful, adding, "Russia is ready to increase its cooperation."

The Saudi Press Agency carried an official statement Monday expressing hope that bin Laden's death with be a "step that supports the international efforts against terrorism."

Agence France Press quotes a Yemeni government official saying, "We hope the killing of Bin Laden will be the beginning of the end of terror." The official asked that his name not be used.

Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki noted that the killing of bin Laden came nearly 13 years after the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, attacks blamed on al Qaeda that killed 225 people.

"His killing is an act of justice to those Kenyans who lost their lives and the many more who suffered injuries," Kibaki said.

In a statement, India's Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said that President Obama' revelation that the killing of bin Laden took place "deep inside Pakistan" caused "grave concern." "This fact underlines our concern that terrorists belonging to different organizations find sanctuary in Pakistan," Chidambaram said. He urged the Pakistani government to cooperate in pursuing the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, including the controllers and handlers of terrorists.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said, "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."

As of Monday evening, China's government had not issued an official statement on bin Laden's death.

Brian Deegan, a lawyer from the southern Australian city of Adelaide, lost his 21-year-old son Josh in al Qaeda-linked bombings on Indonesia's resort island of Bali in 2002. He said he felt a "cold shiver" when learning about bin Laden's death on a car radio.

"I don't gain any satisfaction in his death — nothing will bring Josh back to me," Deegan said.

Attacks blamed on al Qaeda-linked militants have killed more than 260 people in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation.

Said Agil Siradj, chairman of Indonesia's largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama, said bin Laden's death will help restore the image of Islam as one of people, not violence and radicalism.

That sentiment was echoed by moderate Muslims in other parts of the world. But in some places there were mixed feelings.

"He was like a hero in the Muslim world," said Sayed Jalal, a rickshaw driver in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad. "His struggle was always against non-Muslims and infidels, and against superpowers."

In the Afghan capital, local government leaders erupted in applause when President Hamid Karzai told them the news.

"I hope that the death of Osama bin Laden will mean the end of terrorism," Karzai said.

Speaking to reporters, Karzai said that the world's top terrorist "received his due punishment" — that his hands "were dipped in the blood of thousands and thousands of children, youths and elders of Afghanistan."

He also used the opportunity to chastise the U.S.-led coalition, repeating his claim that the fight against terrorism should not be fought in Afghan villages, but across the border in hideouts in Pakistan where bin Laden was killed.

Afghanistan's previous Taliban rulers gave bin Laden refuge after he was forced out of Sudan in 1996. After Sept. 11, as the Taliban fell under pressure of the U.S. bombardment, bin Laden is believed to have fled into the inhospitable mountains in the seam that separates Pakistan and Afghanistan.

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen called bin Laden's death a "significant success" and said NATO allies, who have 150,000 troops in the country, "will continue their mission to ensure that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for extremism, but develops in peace and security."

Russia's ambassador to NATO, however, downplayed the significance of bin Laden's death, saying the al Qaeda leader "was only a symbol" who had long since retired and been replaced by younger commanders.

In the United Arab Emirates, where two of the Sept. 11 hijackers were from, a prominent lawyer and human rights activist, said bin Laden had made suspects of all Arabs and Muslims.

"Bin Laden's acts robbed us of freedom to talk and move around," said Mohammad al-Mansouri. "He turned us into targets at home and suspects in every foreign country we traveled to."

Ghiyath Sahloul, a Syrian citizen in the capital Damascus, called bin Laden's death "the beginning of the end of Islamic extremism." He said he was sorry that he was killed instead of being arrested and brought to trial. He warned of a strong backlash from al Qaeda supporters.

About an hour's drive northeast of Kabil, U.S. troops from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, found out the news at Bagram Air Field.

"It's really great news considering the damage he caused and what followed," said 1st Sgt. Troy Bayliss, 39.