World Leaders Praise the Death of Qaida Chief: War Against Terrorism Must Continue

The World leaders on Monday hailed news of the death of al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden in a firefight with covert U.S. forces in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, northeast of the capital Islamabad.

His death marks the biggest triumph yet in the 10-year U.S. war against terrorism launched after the September 11 attacks.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said it would "bring great relief to people across the world".

"It is a great success that he has been found and will no longer be able to pursue his campaign of global terror," Cameron said in a statement.

"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."

"I congratulate President Obama and those responsible for carrying out this operation," he added.

Israeli leaders hailed the death of al-Qaida leader, with the premier congratulating the United States on "a victory for justice."

"The state of Israel joins together in the joy of the American people after the liquidation of Bin Laden," said a statement from the premier's office.

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulates U.S. President Barack Obama for this victory for justice, liberty and the common values of democratic nations which fought side by side against terrorism."

President Shimon Peres also welcomed the news.

He told public radio Sunday's operation in Pakistan was "a great success, not only for the United States, but for the whole free world which now breathes more easily following the belated but merited punishment inflicted on Bin Laden."

Al-Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden's death is a "victory for all democracies fighting the abominable scourge of terrorism", France's Foreign Minster Alain Juppe said.

"France, the United States and European states work closely together to fight terrorism, so I'm overjoyed at the news," Juppe told state radio.

Juppe warned that the threat of terrorism would survive Bin Laden, citing the example of a bomb attack in Morocco last week that killed at least eight French citizens, and said Paris would remain on top alert.

"We will be more vigilant than ever. The terrorist threat is high. We saw that in Marrakesh a few days ago, alas," he said. "The fight is certainly not over against the worst kind of cowardice, attacks on the innocent."

The death of bin Laden is "good news" for all those who love peace, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said.

"Osama bin Laden was one of the world's most brutal terrorists. He has the lives of thousands of innocent people on his conscience. It is good news for all the people of the world who love peace and think freely that the bloody work of this terrorist has been stopped," he said in a statement.

Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said that al-Qaida leader "is a victory of good over evil, of justice over cruelty."

"This is a great victory for the United States and for the international community in the fight against al-Qaida and terrorism," Frattini said in a statement, hailing "the determination of the United States" in hunting Bin Laden.

He said it was a "victory of good over evil, of justice over cruelty. It's a victory of the free world and democracy."

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman told Israel's army radio: "The next few days will be crucial because all organizations linked to al-Qaida or who claim to represent it will make every effort to carry out a spectacular attack."

The killing of al-Qaida mastermind Osama bin Laden near Islamabad is further evidence that terrorists find "sanctuary" in Pakistan, Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram said Monday.

"We take note with grave concern that part of the statement in which (U.S.) President Obama said that the firefight in which Osama bin Laden was killed took place in Abbottabad 'deep inside Pakistan'," Chidambaram said in a statement.

"This fact underlines our concern that terrorists belonging to different organizations find sanctuary in Pakistan," he said.

Meanwhile, Australia warned that the death of Osama bin Laden had hurt but not finished al-Qaida and the fight against terrorism had not ended.

"I welcome the death of Osama bin Laden. I welcome the news," Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard told reporters.

"Whilst al-Qaida has been hurt today, al-Qaida is not finished. Our war against terrorism must continue."

Shortly after U.S. President made the dramatic announcement Monday, Philippine President Benigno Aquino met with his national security advisers and ordered stepped up protection for foreign embassies in Manila, his spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.

Aquino ordered stepped up security around the country following the killing of Osama bin Laden, while hailing his death as a triumph over terrorism.

"The death of Osama bin Laden marks a signal defeat for the forces of extremism and terrorism," Aquino said in a statement.

"It represents the death of the efforts of one man to stoke the fires of sectarian hatred and to promote terrorism on a scale unprecedented in the history of mass murder."