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Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden has been killed, according to the U.S. homeland security agency.
The U.S. is apparently in possession of Bin Laden's body. President Barack Obama addressed the nation from the White House.
"The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory," Obama said. "Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping whole in our hearts."
He added: "We can say to those who’ve lost loved ones to al-Qaeda’s terror: justice has been done."
Bin Laden has been at the top of America's Most Wanted List for years, but had proved elusive.
The attack took place on Sunday in an army town Abbottabad halfway between Islambad and Peshawar, Obama said.
He said that Osama was killed in a firefight undertaken by a "small team" of American soldiers. The terrorist leader was not living in a cave, but apparently was hiding in a home within a compound.
The three major news networks — ABC, NBC, CBS — broke into their Sunday primetime programming on the East Coast shortly after 10:45 p.m. to report the news.
Obama was initially scheduled to speak at about 10:30 p.m., but did not come on until 11:35. According to CNN, the delay was, in part, due to Obama, who was busy writing the speech, himself, at the White House.
After a week's worth of "distracting" news events — Obama's birth certificate, the Royal Wedding, the president's roast of Donald Trump at the White House Corrspondents Dinner — Sunday's announcement served as a sobering counterpoint, though no less celebratory.
Bin Laden's killing represents a long-awaited victory for U.S. and the Obama administration, nearly 10 years since the 9/11 attacks devastated the United States.
The multi-pronged attack killed 2,996 people, including the 19 hijackers and 2,977 victims. Al-Qaeda has also been the inspiration and source behind scores of other attacks against American and Western targets.
Bin Laden was killed by the United States in a mansion outside Islamabad, Obama said, with the help of Pakistan intelligence officials. Pakistan's intelligence has long been suspected of quietly supporting al-Qaeda.
On news of Bin Laden's death, a crowd gathered outside the White House to chant "USA!" and spontaneously sing the "Star Spangled Banner."
The moment arrives as the Middle East has been thrown into a state of serial upheaval with revolutions ousting dictators from Tunisia to Yemen.