As the leader of Al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden authorized attacks which killed more civilians of NATO members than any other threat against the alliance. On May 1, 2011, he was killed by the military forces of the United States.
On August 7, 1998, Al Qaeda bombed the US embassy in Nairobi, Kenya killing 201 people, plus 12 US citizens.
On October 12, 2000 Al Qaeda attacked the USS Cole in Aden, killing 17 US sailors.
On September 11, 2001, Al Qaeda killed 2,977 people in New York City, Shanksville, and the Pentagon. Thirteen NATO members lost citizens on 9/11, the largest one day loss of life across the alliance. It was also the first and only time NATO invoked Article 5, the collective defense clause in the North Atlantic Treaty. In addition to the US casualties, the attacks on 9/11 killed 132 citizens of 12 NATO allies; Belgium, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal, Poland, Romania, and Spain.
On March 11, 2004, Al Qaeda inspired bombings killed 191 people in Madrid. There were victims from five NATO countries: 142 Spanish, 16 Romanian, 4 Polish, 4 Bulgarian, and 1 French.
On, July 7, 2005 four Al Qaeda inspired suicide bombers killed 52 people in London. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility.
This is a great result for the United States but also for all democracies.
Silvio Berlusconi, Prime Minister of Italy
The scourge of terrorism has suffered a historic defeat but it’s not the end of al-Qaeda.
Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France
The US military has achieved a decisive blow against al-Qaeda with its commando action against Osama bin Laden and his killing. Terror was brought to many countries on his direct orders and in his name, against men, women and children, Christians and Muslims. Osama bin Laden claimed to be acting in the name of Islam, but in reality he made a mockery of the basic values of his and all other religions.
Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
The news that Osama bin Laden is dead will bring great relief to people across the world. Osama bin Laden was responsible for the worst terrorist atrocities the world has seen – for 9/11 and for so many attacks, which have cost thousands of lives, many of them British. It is a great success that he has been found and will no longer be able to pursue his campaign of global terror.
David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
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