Fox News, New York Times, CBS are all saying that Osama Bin Laden has been killed. The president’s speech has been pushed back until 10:50 PM 11:15 PM eastern.
“MULTIPLE FOX NEWS SOURCES CONFIRMING: OSAMA BIN LADEN WAS KILLED BY U.S. BOMBS…” Clayton Morris of Fox tweets. Andy Levy adds, “Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin reporting bin Laden was killed by a US missile over a week ago.”
At Hot Air, Patrick Ishmael is rounding up the breaking news.
Flashback from December of 2001: “Tape shows bin Laden laughing about attack,” the Telegraph reported:
OSAMA BIN LADEN laughed and boasted that the collapse of the World Trade Centre exceeded his expectations, in a video released by the US government today.
The recording showed the al-Qa’eda leader grinning as he told guests at a dinner in Afghanistan that the suicide hijackers had only learned they were going to their deaths before they boarded the planes.
He told them how he had listened to the radio, waiting for news of the attacks, then celebrated afterwards with his “brothers”.
The tape, found by American intelligence agents at a house in Jalalabad, was released by the Pentagon four days after its existence first emerged, with a translation of everything that is audible on the video. The exchange shown is believed to have taken place a few days before Ramadan, possibly in Kandahar.
The tape showed bin Laden talking to an unidentified sheikh, who appears to be crippled, at what is thought to be a guest house in Kandahar. Bin Laden is told by the man: “You have given us weapons, you have given us hope and we thank Allah for you. People now are supporting us more, even those ones who did not support us in the past, support us more now. I did not want to take that much of your time.”
He’s not laughing now.
Update: Mark Steyn scoops the world! — well, sort of — the Professor has a full early round-up; more initial reaction on PJM here.
Update: More here.
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