Politics & Government

Local Reaction: President Announces Osama Bin Laden Is Dead

Local congressional and law enforcement leaders react to the death of Al Qaeda's leader.

During a special nationwide broadcast from the White House Sunday night, President Barack Obama announced that Osama bin Laden, the accused terrorist mastermind behind the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, has been killed in a firefight by U.S. forces in Pakistan. The president said U.S. forces have possession of bin Laden's body.

Bin Laden's death comes nearly 10 years after the Sept. 11 attacks which killed almost 3,000 people when two suicide air strikes by al-Qaeda targeted the Twin Towers in New York City. Two other commercial airliners were  hijacked that day with one of the planes striking the Pentagon. Everyone on board the planes was killed.

Sheriff Lee Baca, the top officer at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department told K-CAL 9 reporters in an interview Sunday night that the county and nation will continue to face security challenges.  He said that like others in the country, the death does make him feel safer.

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"I feel safer but I also know that there's still a whole world of violent extremeist behavior that is so irrational for the average citizen of the world," Baca said.

State Senator Bob Huff, R-Diamond Bar, praised President Obama and his predecesser for eliminating bin Laden.

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"While the world as we knew it changed September 11, 2001, it is fitting that Osama Bin Laden met his end up close and personal at the hands of our military's finest," Huff said. "President Obama is to be commended for finishing this part of the job begun by President Bush.""

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, congratulated the president and his national security team in a statement Sunday night.

"At long last, the world is rid of a despicable mass murderer and the victims of September 11th have obtained a measure of justice. This is a tremendous day for the men and women of our armed forces, our intelligence agencies and all Americans.

This is not the end of the struggle against al Qaeda, and we must redouble our vigilance in the days ahead.  But after a decade of waiting, this is wonderful news."

Lt. Bob Anderson of the Arcadia Police Department said he and others in the department were remembering the lives lost in the Sept. 11 attacks. Anderson asked Arcadians to "remain vigilant" and report any suspicious activity in the coming weeks.

Below is a list of the 48 victims from California who died in the September 11, 2001 al Qaeda attacks:

  1. Angell, David Lawrence - 54 - Pasadena, CA - Am 11
  2. Angell, Lynn - 52 - Pasadena, CA - Am 11
  3. Aoyama, Seima - 48 - Culver City , CA - Am 11
  4. Barnes, Melissa Rose - 27 - Redlands, CA - Dec Ptn
  5. Beaven, Alan - 48 - Oakland, CA - Un 93
  6. Betru, Yeneneh - 35 - Burbank, CA - Am 77
  7. Beug, Carolyn - 48 - Santa Monica, CA - Am 11
  8. Bingham, Mark K. - 31 - San Francisco, CA - Un 93
  9. Bodley, Deora Frances - 20 - Santa Clara, CA - Un 93
  10. Bolourchi, TouranHamzavi - 69 - Beverly Hills, CA - Un 175
  11. Brandhorst, Daniel R. - 42 - LosAngeles, CA - Un 175
  12. Brandhorst, David Reed Gamboa - 3 - LosAngeles, CA - Un 175
  13. Burnett Jr., Thomas E. - 38 - San Ramon, CA - Un 93
  14. Calley, Suzanne - 42 - San Martin, CA - Am 77
  15. Collman, Jeffrey Dwayne - 41 - Novato, CA - Am 11
  16. Dearaujo, Dorothy - 82 - Long Beach, CA - Un 175
  17. Frost, Lisa Anne - 22 - Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - Un 175
  18. Gamboa, Ronald - 33 - LosAngeles, CA - Un 175
  19. Garcia, Andrew - 62 - Portola Valley, CA - Un 93
  20. Grandcolas, Lauren - 36 - San Rafael, CA - Un 93
  21. Green, Andrew Peter Charles Curry - 34 - Santa Monica, CA - Am 11
  22. Guadagno, Richard Jerry - 38 - Eureka, CA - Un 93
  23. Hall, Stanley - 68 - RanchoPalosVerdes, CA - Am 77
  24. Hardacre, Gerald F. - 62 - Carlsbad, CA - Un 175
  25. Hart, John Patrick - 38 - Danville, CA - Dec WTC
  26. Hofer, John - 45 - Bellflower, CA - Am 11
  27. Hughes, Melissa Harrington - 31 - San Francisco, CA - Dec WTC
  28. Keating, Barbara - 72 - Palm Springs, CA - Am 11
  29. Keller, Chandler "Chad" - 29 - El Segundo, CA - Am 77
  30. Lee, Daniel John - 34 - Van Nuys, CA - Am 11
  31. Lopez, Maclovio "Joe" - 41 - LosAngeles, CA - Un 175
  32. Menchaca, Dora M. - 45 - Santa Monica, CA - Am 77
  33. Miller, Nicole - 21 - San Jose, CA - Un 93
  34. Neira, Laurie Ann - 48 - LosAngeles, CA - Am 11
  35. Ornedo, Ruben - 39 - LosAngeles, CA - Am 77
  36. Pappalardo, Marie - 53 - Paramount, CA - Un 175
  37. Paskins, Jerrold H. - 56 - Anaheim Hills, CA - Dec WTC
  38. Pecorelli, Thomas Nicholas - 31 - Topanga, CA - Am 11
  39. Penniger, Robert - 63 - Poway, CA - Am 77
  40. Perkins, Berry Berenson - 53 - LosAngeles, CA - Am 11
  41. Sopper, Mari-Rae - 35 - Santa Barbara, CA - Am 77
  42. Suarez, Xavier - 41 - Chino Hills, CA - Am 11
  43. Titus, Alicia N. - 28 - San Francisco, CA - Un 175
  44. Tolbert, Otis Vincent - 38 - Lemoore, CA - Dec Ptn
  45. Vamsikrishna, Pendyala - 30 - LosAngeles, CA - Am 11
  46. Ward, Timothy Ray - 38 - San Diego, CA - Un 175
  47. Wemmers, Christian Hans Rudolph - 43 - San Francisco, CA - Dec WTC
  48. Wenckus, John Joseph - 46 - Torrance, CA - Am 11

We're getting additional local reaction and will post it as soon as we have it. In the meantime, what do you think of this news?


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