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Osama bin Laden is Killed; Ground Zero Marks bin Laden Death; How U.S. Forces Got bin Laden; Americans React to the Death of Osama bin Laden

Aired May 02, 2011 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: And we will continue with obviously the big news of today, this major development in the war on terror. Let's get you up to speed on what is going on at the moment.

U.S. forensic experts are testing DNA from the body of Osama bin Laden to confirm his identity, a formality at this point. Officials say U.S. Special Forces shot and killed bin Laden during a raid on this home in northern Pakistan.

What you're seeing, video obtained ABC News. It appears to show the al Qaeda leader's bedroom soaked in blood.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CHEERING)

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: USA! USA!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: This was the reaction almost as soon as the news broke. Americans flocked to Ground Zero in New York to celebrate bin Laden's death.

Two thousand seven hundred and fifty-two people died in the al Qaeda attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

A similar scene outside the White House. Hundreds gathering to celebrate the news announced by President Obama at 11:35 last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Osama bin Laden was buried at sea. Administration officials say it was handled according to the Islamic tradition.

In the end, Osama bin Laden was not found in a cave in Pakistan's mountains. Instead, a million-dollar compound in Abbottabad, a half- hour's drive north of Pakistan's capital.

The residence drew U.S. attention because of its size, 12-to-18-foot security walls, barbed wire, and no Internet or phone service. Obama administration officials believe the compound was built specifically for bin Laden five years ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: USA! USA! USA!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Cadets at the U.S. military academy flooded on to the campus at West Point, New York, early today to celebrate Osama bin Laden's death. And U.S. troops in Afghanistan watched the president's announcement last night. The Pentagon released this video of American forces at their base in Kandahar. The U.S. invaded Afghanistan shortly after 9/11 and has been fighting the Taliban, bin Laden's protectors, for close to 10 years now.

Most leaders in the Middle East have been silent on Osama bin Laden's death. And there have been no scenes of jubilation in the streets there. Only the leaders of Afghanistan, Turkey and Israel have cheered the news. Hamas and Gaza denounced bin Laden's death as an assassination.

Well, the families of those who died on September 11th are expressing relief and a sense of closure at bin Laden's death. Alice Hoagland's son, Mark Bingham, a passenger on United Flight 93, he and others rushed the cockpit, forcing terrorists to down the plane in a Pennsylvania field rather than using it as an attack.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALICE HOAGLAND, MOTHER OF UNITED FLIGHT 93 PASSENGER: My son was killed on September 11th, and the lives of so many people were snuffed out on that day. And it is such a glorious thing, that a measure of justice has been reaped today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: And nowhere does the death of Osama bin Laden resonate more than at Ground Zero in New York. And that's where we begin our live coverage.

CNN's Ali Velshi is there.

Ali, it looks like the crowd has been building all morning and after last night's celebrations.

What is the scene like right now?

ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's kind of surreal, Drew. Just to give you some sense of it, that's north and that's south. Right? And I'm at the northeast corner of Ground Zero, of where the twin towers stood. That's just a few feet to my left. A lot of reporters here. In fact, everywhere we look there are reporters and cameras.

This crowd, when it first happened, about 11:00 last night, started gathering. People heard it either on the news or through sports coverage, because it was announced at a Phillies-Mets game, and people started converging here because it made sense. This is the connection that most people have to Osama bin Laden.

And you've seen some of the pictures of the people here. You're looking at them now.

There were -- it was real jubilation. There was singing, there was chanting, "USA! USA!" There was a guy with bagpipes.

Some of it was sad though, Drew. There were some people who were here who had lost loved ones. We spoke to one of them.

My producer Brian, when he got here, said that in sort of a far corner, further removed from where we are, people were on their knees, they were praying. So this is sort of hallowed ground.

Anyway, as the day continues, the police put some barricades in. A lot of the revelers from overnight went away. But look at the number of people who are just gathering here. This is more than the number of people who would typically be here because they're working in the financial district.

It's become -- you know, everybody's walking around with their phones, and they're taking pictures and videos, and looking at what's going on. They're sort of collecting this memory, because everybody, Drew, remembers where they were on 9/11.

And now people are sort of saying, is this how this changes? Is this a change in New York history and in U.S. history? That's sort of the feel that's going on today. It's jubilant.

GRIFFIN: Yes. Certainly an end of a chapter, Ali, but still sad. It's not bringing anybody back. And that is for sure.

VELSHI: That's right.

GRIFFIN: Ali Velshi, at Ground Zero.

VELSHI: And we've talked to a number of people who have said that, that it's not solving that problem yet. But at least people can worry less about Osama bin Laden and try and remember the victims a little bit more.

GRIFFIN: Ali, we'll be back to you as the news day develops. Thanks.

The crowd outside the White House has dispersed, but we are learning more on what was going on inside the White House, leading up to the operation that led to the killing of Osama bin Laden.

Let's bring in our White House correspondent, Dan Lothian. Dan, walk us through that timeline, how this was actually playing out.

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Drew, first of all, what I should tell you is that going after Osama bin Laden had remained a key push for this administration. But much of what had been happening was going on behind the scenes.

But a senior administration official said that the hard push began back in June of 2009, when the president signed a memo to CIA Director Panetta asking and calling on him to return within 30 days with a plan for "locating and bringing to justice" Osama bin Laden. In the lead- up to the mission that took place over the weekend, the president convened at least nine meetings with the principals of his national security team. There were at least a dozen other meetings between those principals and their deputies.

But it was on Friday, before the president went to Alabama -- remember, he went there on Friday, to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in the wake of those tornadoes -- on Friday, though, before departing at 8:30 in the morning, in the diplomatic room, was when President Obama, meeting with his national security team and his chief of staff, that he made the decision to launch this operation. And then on Sunday, while the president, he did play a half round of golf in the afternoon, got engaged in this ongoing operation. At 2:00 p.m., according to the White House, the president met with principals to review the final preparations.

About an hour and a half later was when the president then returned to The Situation Room for additional meetings. At 3:50, according to the White House, the president first learned that Osama bin Laden was tentatively identified, but it wasn't until about 7:00 p.m., 7:01, that the president learned there was a "high probability" that the high-value target was indeed Osama bin Laden. And then at 8:30 in the evening, the president received additional briefings.

So, this was something that had been ongoing now for a number of years. It came together though this weekend. President Obama came out late last night, as you know, Drew, to tell the nation that in fact Osama bin Laden had been killed.

GRIFFIN: All right. Dan Lothian, live at the White House.

We'll stand by, Dan, in case we get a look and a talk at the president today. I'd love to see what you are going to ask him as he may appear later today.

Let's bring though Carol Costello in with your chance to "Talk Back" on the big story of the day, Osama bin Laden's death. Carol has more with that.

COSTELLO: Yes, is there any other story today? It was truly -- it's been an amazing couple of days.

Americans are United again, maybe just for today. And maybe it will last. But just for today, justice.

The death of Osama bin Laden has brought us together in a way we haven't experienced since the day after 9/11.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP (singing): -- the land of the free and the home of the brave

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: United. The president said as much as he made his dramatic announcement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has at times frayed. Yet, today's achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Most Americans have not believed that in a long time. According to a CNN/Opinion Research poll last September, 67 percent of us thought it was not likely the United States would capture or kill Osama bin Laden.

As for what his death means for America's prolonged war on terror, we just don't know. But just for today, Americans are United in the fact that justice has finally come for bin Laden's victims.

So, our "Talk Back" question is simple: What does Osama bin Laden's death mean to you?

Facebook.com/CarolCNN, and I'll read some of your comment later on in the program.

GRIFFIN: I'll look forward to that. I bet it's going to be wide- ranging. Thanks, Carol.

COSTELLO: Sure.

GRIFFIN: And ahead "On the Rundown," breaking down the mission. A former navy SEAL is giving us his analysis of the secret operation that killed bin Laden.

Plus, when bin Laden declared war on the West in the '90s, he was speaking to CNN terror analyst Peter Bergen. Bergen will join me to discuss the future of al Qaeda now.

Also, the father of a 9/11 victim is still angry. Why he says today the government failed.

And bin Laden was Muslim, but he repeatedly violated the teachings of Islam. Reaction today from American-Muslims.

Plus, inside the multimillion-dollar mansion in Pakistan where Osama bin Laden was living when he was killed. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Of course I'm sad, I'm missing him all the time. But I feel that justice was done. And that's a great feeling for me. And I do feel some overall calm that I haven't felt it in almost 10 years.

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Your husband, Michael, worked at Cantor Fitzgerald. He was on the 101st floor when it happened.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

CARROLL: Ten years, did you ever think this day would actually come?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Never. I was shocked. Never thought it would happen.

And I never thought it would give me a feeling of closure. I didn't believe that there could be closure because my husband's remains were never found. So I didn't think that this would ever give me closure, but in a way it does.

I feel better. I feel like I could, you know, put a new foot forward and maybe start a new chapter in my life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Emotions overwhelming, especially there at New York's Ground Zero. Americans celebrated justice served and remembered those killed in the September 11th attacks.

You know, the operation that took down Osama bin Laden followed years of intelligence-gathering, and apparently months and months of planning. It was carried out, though, in less than 40 minutes.

The administration won't give a breakdown of the specific forces used, but a senior defense official says Navy SEALs were involved. And Brandon Webb was a Navy SEAL for 10 years, took part in operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He's joining us from San Diego.

U.S. forces knew the home, but perhaps not the layout. How did they train for this, or how would they have trained for this, specifically attacking and penetrating a compound they obviously had never been to before?

BRANDON WEBB, FMR. NAVY SEAL: Yes, Drew, these guys would have just had a lot of technology at their disposal. There's some amazing 3D target package imagery where you can tell the different variations in heights of buildings, roads. But they would have had this compound dialed in pretty tight and spent, you know, just relentless hours rehearsing for the actual mission.

But, you know, the thing is, it's really hard to get inside and know what's inside the interior on a compound of this size. But, you know, again, it just comes down to training and being ready for these uncertain environments, which is what these guys do all the time.

GRIFFIN: Brandon, what was impressing me earlier today is the descriptions we had of how these helicopters were able to fly directly to this target without the knowledge of Pakistan's military or civilian police authorities, get in and get out, almost before anybody knew what happened.

Does that sound like a Navy SEAL operation to you?

WEBB: Yes, I mean, it all about unconventional warfare. And, you know, this is a kill-or-capture direct action type of mission. And during these types of operations, we have a term in the Special Operations community that we call "violence of action." It's where you overwhelm the enemy with skill and methodical aggression.

And, you know, these guys are going -- this assault team is going room to room, quickly and methodically, killing any hostile targets until bin Laden was taken down. You know, this is close in, up in-your-face type of warfare where you can practically smell the sweat off your enemy. So, you know, these guys should just really be commended.

GRIFFIN: Brandon, if I could just jump in for a minute, we have breaking news that has just been released by a senior administration official telling CNN a DNA match now confirms that Osama bin Laden was killed. So the DNA testing that was being done on this corpse apparently has been finished, and it confirms that Osama bin Laden was killed in this targeted attack, we're told, by Navy SEALs.

Brandon, when would these Navy SEALs have been told exactly who their target was to be?

WEBB: You know, these guys probably would have had a pretty good idea, but going into these things, it's all about compartmentalizing the intelligence. You know, these situations are handled very discreetly, so the actual notification could have come, you know, within hours, before these guys knew who the specific target was.

I'm sure they were rehearsing well before, in advance. But it just -- the actual target, a high-value target that you're going after, usually it typically doesn't get revealed until the very last minute.

GRIFFIN: And we just broke the news that there's a DNA match now confirming this is Osama bin Laden. That required the taking of the body itself.

Have you ever been on a mission where you were instructed, we need to take this target and we need to remove him physically?

WEBB: Yes. I mean, that's a common practice in these types of missions, where you're going on -- you know, it's a kill-or-capture type of mission where you're going in for a very specific, high-value target with very clear -- an idea of what has to happen. So these guys do this stuff all the time. And, you know, it's similar to what I did in my first deployment after 9/11. You know, right on the ground in Afghanistan. This is just the types of operations that the Navy SEALs and these other Special Operations groups practice all the time.

GRIFFIN: Brandon, we may never know who they are, but we surely owe them a great deal of thanks.

And thank you for your service.

Former Navy SEAL Brandon Webb from San Diego.

Again, confirming the news that just broke, DNA match confirms Osama bin Laden has been killed. That's according to a senior administration official telling CNN at the White House there.

Well, what is the future of al Qaeda now? And how does the post-bin Laden war on terror look?

CNN terror expert Peter Bergen tackles those angles after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: He was the face in the war on terror. The FBI has now updated its most wanted list to show that Osama bin Laden is dead. President Obama calls the killing the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat al Qaeda.

CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen joins us from Washington.

You interviewed bin Laden in '97. Does al Qaeda become disorganized or galvanized by bin Laden's death, Peter?

PETER BERGEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, certainly when you join al Qaeda, you don't pledge an oath of allegiance to al Qaeda, or al Qaeda -- you pledge a personal oath of allegiance to bin Laden. Similarly, when groups like al Qaeda in Iraq, al Qaeda in the Islamic (INAUDIBLE), or other regional affiliates join al Qaeda, they don't pledge an oath of allegiance to al Qaeda, they pledge a personal oath of allegiance to Osama bin Laden.

This is a very charismatic-led organization, and it has very charismatic-led affiliates. There's no one who can replace him, Drew. No one can fit into his size 12 shoes.

There will be pretenders -- his number two, Ayman al-Zawahiri, who's not well regarded or well liked even within the Egyptian jihad organization that he led and subsumed himself into al Qaeda in 1998. There are some sons. Bin Laden has 11 sons. One or two of them have already chosen to go into their dad's line of business.

Saad bin Laden, for instance, was in Iran and had a sort of a middle management role in al Qaeda while he was living there under some form of house arrest. He may have been killed in a drone strike in Pakistan recent years. We know that one of the kids -- one of the sons was killed in this attack, this Special Forces raid in Abbottabad earlier, in the last 24 hours. But you can imagine somebody, a kid with the family name, trying to kind of take over from their dad, but there's no one of bin Laden's sort of "stature" for it.

GRIFFIN: Peter, let me read you what CIA Director Leon Panetta has written in a statement. "Though bin Laden is dead, al Qaeda is not. The terrorists almost certainly will attempt to revenge him. And we must and will remain vigilant and resolute. But we have struck a heavy blow against this enemy. The only leader they have ever known whose hateful vision gave rise to their atrocities is no more."

And Panetta went on to say, "The uncatchable one has been caught and been killed."

This is a serious psychological blow to those people and those -- who were actually in the caves, or pledging their allegiance to Osama bin Laden, perhaps who thought he would never be caught.

BERGEN: Indeed. Well, you know, we spent $500 billion on our intelligence services since 9/11. We finally got him.

If you -- probably the most expensive manhunt certainly in history by orders of magnitude, I would guess. And congratulations to everybody at the CIA and U.S. Navy SEALs and CENTCOM and every other entity in the U.S. government that had a role in this.

I think the crucial thing that Panetta said in that statement is that they've known no other leader. You know, al Qaeda was founded in Pakistan, in Peshawar, Pakistan, not far from where bin Laden ended up being killed, over the course of a couple of weekends in August, 1998.

It was bin Laden's idea. He was the uncontested leader of the organization throughout its more than two-decade history. He is the intellectual author of the largest mass murder in American history.

Him gone from the scene is quite useful. Just -- you know, comparisons to the Nazis are not that useful in some senses, but the Nazi party was very much a charismatic-led organization led by Adolf Hitler. Once Adolf Hitler died, Nazism died with him, more or less.

Bin Laden's death does not mean the end of bin Ladenism, necessarily. There will be always be some takers. But the numbers of takers even before this event, even before the hugely important events in the Middle East that we've seen, bin Laden was losing the war of ideas all across the Muslim world for the very good reason that al Qaeda and its allies had killed a lot of Muslim civilians. And for groups that position themselves as the defenders of true Islam, this was, to say the least, not impressive.

GRIFFIN: Peter Bergen, thank you so much for your insight on that. We'll certainly hear more for you as the day progresses. Thank you again.

Well, one of the people who died at Ground Zero on September 11th was this young man, 23-year-old James Gatielle (ph). I'll get his father's thoughts after hearing the news of bin Laden's death.

The front page of "The New York Daily News": "Rot in Hell," with a picture of Osama bin Laden.

More headlines on the killing of bin Laden as our coverage continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Ahead "On the Rundown," bin Laden may be dead, but the father of a 9/11 victim says the mission doesn't end here. You'll hear more of what he has to say.

Plus, bin Laden and his thugs damaged America's perception of Islam. We'll get reaction to his death from Muslims in the United States.

And an e-mail from bin Laden's brother to a CNN terror analyst.

The announcement by President Obama set off celebrations at Ground Zero in New York, the epicenter of the 9/11 attacks. A more reserved gathering today has replaced the jubilant crowds from overnight.

CNN's Deb Feyerick is at Ground Zero.

Deb, maybe you can describe the scene right now.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely. We can tell you that there are a lot of people here, a lot of people taking pictures.

You know, when you think about 10 years, I want to just show you, this is the area where the twin towers once stood. This is an area that 10 years ago, people were running for their lives. Today, it is being rebuilt. Clearly, there's going to be a big celebration here on September 11th because progress has been made, and it has taken a while for that to happen.

But last night, there were folks who streamed down to this area, hundreds of them, some kneeling in prayer, some of them crying. A very emotional time.

I want to speak to Alex Powers (ph). Alex, come. You were here -- you were here on that day. You -- tell me what this feels like today.

ALEX POWERS, NEW YORK RESIDENT: It feels great that he's dead, but it's just the beginning of what they plan to do later on to us or try to do. Hopefully, nothing ever happens. Hopefully God protects us.

FEYERICK: Do you feel -- are you surprised that they actually found him in an area that's heavily fortified by the Pakistani military? Was that a surprise to you?

POWERS: Some surprise. Pakistan has been -- both sides of the fence. So not really surprised and surprised at the same time. (INAUDIBLE) the compound...

FEYERICK: DNA testing has come back positive, in fact, that it is Osama bin Laden. Is that good enough for you? What is it that you want to see?

POWERS: I would have liked to see pictures of the body, at least, if he was in one piece. They buried him at sea. There's no real proof other than the DNA, what they're saying. But everybody's saying it. They want to see pictures. They want proof.

FEYERICK: This is a traumatic -- you said, on 9/11, it was a very traumatic day for you. Ten years later, how is it?

POWERS: It still feels sad and for all that we lost. At the same time, it's, like, we're still surviving. We are survivors.

FEYERICK: All right, Alex Powers, thank you so very much. We also want to talk to these folks over here, Fred and Shelly (ph). First of all, you are from Chicago, but it was important to you to come and see this before you returned home. How come?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it was very important. I've been here -- we've both been here before separately, but we decided to come together this morning.

FEYERICK: OK. And why? Why is it important to be here on the day that Osama bin Laden is dead?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably would have come anyway, but obviously, it makes is much more significant.

FEYERICK: You think about the trauma. You think about that day. How is it different right now, at this moment in history?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's -- I have mixed feelings. I'm happy that this has happened, that they've killed this evil man. I feel very badly about all the lives that have been lost because of him and his evil ways. But I think we, as American, have to be on guard and be aware that there are people that don't like us. It's too bad because this is the greatest country on earth, but we just have to be on guard.

FEYERICK: And a sense of pride today?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, very much so.

FEYERICK: All right. Fred and Shelly, thank you very much for joining us today.

That's really the sense that you get being down here, a lot of people really stopping, understanding that maybe they would have come here anyway, but that there is -- that this is historic. The NYPD on high alert, as is the rest of the world, the State Department saying that this is not a time to let our guard down, that, in fact, Americans everywhere have to be vigilant. But right now, a sense that -- of great pride that this has happened -- Drew.

GRIFFIN: Deb Feyerick at Ground Zero in New York. And you're looking at a live shot, aerial view of 9/11 -- the site of the attack, which is now being rebuilt, almost a pilgrimage stop for anybody visiting New York for the past 10 years or so. I know I brought my own children there to teach them about what happened on that day.

Let's bring in Wolf Blitzer, who's standing by in Washington. And Wolf, I think a lot of attention, especially in Washington, is going to be focusing on Pakistan and whether or not this country truly is an ally in the war on terror. It seems the details being released now that Pakistan was not involved in any of this, that Osama bin Laden was living so close to a military establishment, and apparently so affluently and out -- not necessarily out in the open but certainly standing out. Does that raise questions over whether or not we can even trust Pakistan anymore?

WOLF BLITZER, HOST, CNN'S "THE SITUATION ROOM": Well, there's no doubt, Drew, as you know and many of our viewers know, that there are elements within the Pakistani intelligence service, the ISI, that U.S. officials simply don't trust because of the nature of their historic relationship not only with the Taliban but with certain al Qaeda elements in Afghanistan and elsewhere, as well.

There's a much better relationship with the political leadership, President Zardari, for example, some of the foreign ministry types, certainly the Pakistani ambassador here in Washington, Husain Haqqani. But there are elements that the U.S. government doesn't trust, doesn't believe is really helping in the war on terrorism.

And this will fuel some of those suspicions because bin Laden was hiding in plain sight in this mansion, in an area where so many current and retired Pakistani military officials, generals, high- ranking officers were living. This was a compound that stood out. It was bigger than so many of the others. And people were wondering, no doubt, what was going on inside. Did there -- was there any protection, not necessarily from the highest elements of the Pakistani government, but perhaps others within the Pakistani intelligence or even military community? This will fuel some of those suspicions.

We're told by U.S. officials the U.S. did not inform the Pakistani government in advance of this military special operations force that was about to go in because there were simply too many concerns it could be compromised, the U.S. military and intelligence personnel could be endangered. Only later, when they had to get out of there, was the Pakistani government directly informed, Look, this is a covert U.S. operation. Hands off. You may be scrambling your jets or whatever when you see these two American helicopter flying across Pakistani airspace into neighboring Afghanistan, where they took bin Laden's body and all the U.S. military and intelligence personnel eventually landed safely on earth.

GRIFFIN: Right.

BLITZER: But there were some moments there as you know, Drew, that it was very, very touch-and-go. It could have gone in a very, very different direction. The good news is they got bin Laden. They got him out. And all the Americans got out, as well.

GRIFFIN: Right. You know, Wolf, it was just a couple of weeks ago I remember reading Admiral Mike Mullen, the head of the Joint Chiefs, saying, Lookit, our relationship with the Pakistan military is the worst it's been in years.

Pakistan's ambassador to the U.S. talked to our "AMERICAN MORNING." I want you to listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HUSAIN HAQQANI, PAKISTANI AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S. (VIA TELEPHONE): All the major personnel -- al Qaeda personalities currently in Guantanamo were arrested by Pakistani authorities in cooperation with the United States. If we had really known where bin Laden was, we would have got him. We are very glad that our American partners did. They have superior intelligence. They have superior technology. And we are grateful to them and to God for having given us this opportunity to bring this chapter to an end.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: Ambassador Husain Haqqani, I mean, I would say trying to spin the fact that Pakistan has been a good fighter of al Qaeda, even though the leader of al Qaeda was obviously embarrassingly hidden away just hundreds of meters or so from a military base.

BLITZER: He wasn't in some remote tribal area in the northwest part of Pakistan, along the Afghan border. He was not hiding in some sort of cave. He was hiding in sort of in plain sight there in this town, only about an hour, hour-and-a-half drive from the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.

Look, Pakistani officials over the years -- and I've interviewed all of them from president -- former President Musharraf to current President Zardari and others. They all would make the same point. If the U.S. has actionable intelligence on where bin Laden or Ayman al Zawahiri, the number two al Qaeda leader, or any other al Qaeda leader, may be hiding out in Pakistan, they would all say the same thing to me. It was the same talking point. Give us that information, and we will get them for you. We'll hand them over to you. But it would be awkward, it would be very problematic if American forces actually came on Pakistani soil to do the job. That was the message the Pakistani leadership over the years always gave me, gave the news media. And they also gave the same message to the U.S. government.

It was clear that the Obama administration simply did not trust the Pakistani government to get the job done. They were not about to share this information and risk losing bin Laden, as he had been lost in Tora Bora in the months after 9/11 in Afghanistan. So the U.S. conclusion was if the United States is going to get bin Laden, the United States is going to have to do it. You can't outsource this kind of operation to the Pakistanis, even if there were a better relationship.

And you're absolutely right, Drew, in recent months that U.S.- Pakistani relationship, despite the $10 billion the United States has provided Pakistan over the past several years -- that relationship had been strained severely in part because of the good U.S. relationship with India. There's an enormous jealousy that the Pakistanis have because the United States has strong relations with India. Pakistanis see India as their chief rival, their chief enemy, if you will, over the contested areas of Kashmir and other issues.

It's a complicated part of the world, but in this -- but in this particular case, the president of the United States and all of his top national security advisers agree the U.S. would have to get the job done, couldn't -- couldn't rely on the Pakistanis doing it.

GRIFFIN: A complicated part of the world, Wolf, and one you've traveled to many, many times. And you know, I mean, for the past 10 years, as reporters, this fight on terror has defined our professional lives, I think none more in particular than you, we've talked to all these people. What was your reaction, or when did you learn that Osama bin Laden was killed, and what were your personal thoughts?

BLITZER: You know, it was really a weird situation for me last night. I was home. I was watching the Washington Capitals in the third period. Ovechkin had just tied the game 2 to 2 against Tampa Bay. And as a Washington Capitals fan, I was excited, looking forward to the overtime, when I got a call, it was around 9:40 PM Eastern from Sam Feist, who's our political director, senior executive producer. They had just received -- CNN's the network pool, and CNN had just received notification from Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, that the president would be in the East Room of the White House at 10:30 to make about a 10-minute statement.

That was all he said. He didn't give us any details, what was involved, whether national security, domestic matters. We didn't know. But Sam said, How long would it take you to get to the bureau? I immediately grabbed a shirt and tie, started driving -- I was in make-up -- there was no make-up artist here, though, so I put a little powder on my forehead. By 10 after 10:00, by 10:12, 10:13, I was on the set with Don Lemon, who was anchoring our coverage.

And on the way in, I was making phone calls to White House officials and others, including some members of Congress who would normally be briefed. When Sam called me at around 9:40, 9:45, whatever time it was, it dawned on me at that moment, and it was sort of eerie and was chilling for me, I was in my kitchen and I was almost in the exact same spot where I was almost 10 years ago when those planes went into the World Trade Center. And the first thought I had was, It's a Sunday night. The president would not be making a 10-minute address to the nation from the East Room of the White House unless this was huge. It would have to be very big. I first suspected, well, maybe it had something to do with Gadhafi and Libya. I said to myself, Probably not big enough.

And then I started making calls, and sources were saying it has nothing to do with Gadhafi, nothing to do with Libya. It's something else. And I said, bigger than that, as a question. And my sources were saying, Way, way bigger than that. And I immediately began to suspect in my own mind bin Laden was dead. I didn't report it because you don't report something like that based on a suspicion, based on just a hunch, based on your journalistic gut instinct. You've got to get confirmation. And you can't just get confirmation from one source, you need at least two really excellent sources who are getting their information from different parts of the -- potentially, the government.

So I waited, and eventually, you know, that word came in. Once the White House started making phone calls to a lot of members of Congress, telling them what was going on, word got out to their staffs. And word got out quickly to the rest of the world.

And then, eventually, the president, about 11:30, 11:35, an hour after originally scheduled, went into the East Room and made it all official. So it was just one of those moments where, as a journalist, you say to yourself, Wow, this is obviously one of the most important stories that I've ever covered. And it's very, very -- it's a great honor, as a journalist, to be covering it, especially at a sensitive moment like this.

So I was just really -- really proud of the job that CNN did. I was proud of the job that all of us did here at CNN. This is where CNN really excels. And we were simulcast not only on CNN but CNN International, as you know, Drew.

And I started getting tweets, started getting e-mails from viewers all over the world. If you follow Twitter, CNN was trending on Twitter. Wolf Blitzer was even trending on -- people were watching, and they were so, so happy. Sure, there are some elements who are not happy, but a tiny little fringe element out there who support bin Laden and al Qaeda. But the whole world was thrilled by this, especially Americans in New York, here in Washington, Pennsylvania.

This was a moment that so many people perhaps thought they would never see or hear, but it did happen. And we're only now beginning to appreciate the enormity of this historic situation.

GRIFFIN: All right. Wolf Blitzer, so much more to tell on this story as we learn. This is just day two. A lot of details coming up. I'm sure you're going to be having lots of details in "THE SITUATION ROOM" today, 5:00 to 7:00 PM. Wolf Blitzer live. Wolf, thanks a lot for joining us. Really appreciate your insight on all that.

BLITZER: Thank you, Drew.

GRIFFIN: Well, tonight at 9:00, the man who led New York City through the darkest days after 9/11 joins Piers to share his thoughts on the killing of Osama bin Laden, former mayor Rudy Giuliani. CNN tonight, 9:00 Eastern.

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GRIFFIN: We've been seeing so much reaction from various sites on this day, but we also want to get some reaction from Muslims in the U.S. on the death of Osama bin Laden. Our Ted Rowlands joins us from Orange County, California. There's a large Islamic community there, Ted. What are people saying to you?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Drew, we were here at the Islamic Society of Orange County for 5:00 AM prayers, and we got to tell you, the leaders of the mosque here want everybody to know that they are absolutely ecstatic that bin Laden was killed. They want people to know that Muslims, Muslim Americans are just as happy as any other Americans.

This is the mosque where Adam Gadahn used to work as a night watchman and prayed briefly before he left the country and joined al Qaeda, so they're very sensitive to that. They've had a lot of threats over the years here, and they're very concerned that people know exactly that.

In the hours after the news started to trickle out, we went into Orange County, into some Arab-American areas and got some reaction. And what we found enthusiasm mixed with a little bit of skepticism.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, you cut off the head of the snake, you -- the rest, you know, falls. So it just means, you know, this is finally over to me.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're elated that someone who's the biggest symbol of terrorism is finally gone now. And I can't wait to actually see his picture, to be honest with you., because we've been waiting for this moment for a long time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hopefully, this will bring a lot of closure to most of the community that Osama's dead, you know what I'm saying? And we're not part of him. We're happy that he's dead. We're happy that he's gone. You know, and closure for everybody.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROWLANDS: And Drew, as we've been hearing all day long, people wanting to see that picture so in their mind, they know it's for real. But I think it's safe to say that in the Arab-American community here in southern California, a lot of enthusiasm that bin Laden is indeed dead -- Drew.

GRIFFIN: Ted Rowlands, thanks, Orange County, California. Thank you, Ted.

Today's "Talk Back" question, "What does Osama bin Laden's death mean for you?" Nick says, "I know this means something a little different for my generation than it does for the older ones. I was 12 when 9/11 happened. To us, he's like the ultimate bad guy. Terrorism will continue, and we should continue to bring its participators to justice."

We'll have more of your responses ahead.

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GRIFFIN: We have not seen the president since his announcement last night announcing Osama bin Laden is dead, but he's expected to appear in that room in the White House in just a few minutes. It's a Medal of Honor ceremony. We of course will be monitoring that situation, perhaps taking it live if the president does fill in any more details about this historic event.

Well, celebrations erupt outside the White House and Ground Zero as President Obama made that announcement that Osama bin Laden had been killed, which brings us to today's "Talk Back" question. Carol Costello has all the responses.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We do. We decided this was the best question to ask today (INAUDIBLE) today's "Talk Back." "What does Osama bin Laden's death mean for you?"

This from Christopher. "As a service member on 9/11, today has been an emotional roller-coaster, one minute cheering, the next I'm crying for all those lost over the last 10 years. God bless America."

This from Diana. "To me, it's a little bit of justice for all those who we lost on 9/11. Hope he burns in hell."

This from Boyd. "It's disrespectful to the families of those who died on 9/11 to not have his head on a stake or show the dead body."

This from Arthur. "I wish that this prevail over all the bitterness and divide in our country. To our military and our president, well done."

This from Rusty. "One chapter in America's long terrorism nightmare is over, but we must continue to remain vigilant and stop those who would continue his murdering madness and use him as a martyr."

Please continue the conversation, Facebook.com/carolcnn -- Facebook.com/carolCNN-- and I'll be back in with you in about, oh, 15, 20 minutes.

GRIFFIN: All right, Carol. Thanks a lot for that.

Hey, you know what? They found him. He wasn't hiding in it a spider hole or a cave. Osama bin Laden was living in luxury, apparently, right out in the open. Michael Holmes is going to give us a look at the terrorist's last address, a mansion in Pakistan.

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GRIFFIN: We continue to monitor that room in the White House. President Obama has a scheduled -- a pre-scheduled Medal of Honor ceremony. But this will be the first time he will meet the public and face cameras since announcing the death of Osama bin Laden last night. Certainly, we will break in live if the president is speaking about the events, and we will tell you what news comes out of this event, as well. That's live from the White House. It should be just a matter of minutes now. As you can see, the crowd is gathering.

You know, it was just hours after the twin towers fell many Americans heard Osama Laden's name for the first time. But the terrible history of America's greatest enemy dates back well before September 11, 2001. Our Carl Azuz is here to go beyond the headlines with life and times of the world's most infamous terrorist, I guess.

And Carl, he is best known by that one date, but he started attacking the U.S., or the West, I should say, many years before. CARL AZUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Decades ago. It actually started back in the '80s, Drew, when he started to form al Qaeda. The al Qaeda terrorist group didn't officially become a terror network until 1991, though he founded it in '88. But the next year, bin Laden allegedly he sent some of his followers to Somalia to fight U.S. troops there. In late February 1993, a bomb exploded at New York's World Trade Center. Bin Laden was named as a co-conspirator in that, but he was not indicted.

In 1996, he declared a holy war against U.S. forces. Two years later, he was charged with 224 counts of murder after bombings at U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. In 1999, bin Laden appeared on the FBI's "10 Most Wanted" fugitives list for the first time. He was linked to the attack on the USS Cole in Yemen, when 17 American sailors died.

And then the day that, as you said, Drew, secured his notoriety, September 11, 2001, four U.S. airliners hijacked and more than 3,000 people killed. So yesterday's mission finally brings a halt to decades of terror, at least as far as bin Laden himself was concerned. And that is one of the reasons why so many Americans were celebrating last night, Drew.

GRIFFIN: Truly an evil guy. What more you can say about it? Carl, thank you so much for bringing us up to speed on his history.

You know, there's a live news conference scheduled to start at noon, 9/11 parents and families of firefighters and World Trade Center victims are going to react to the death of bin Laden. We're going to take you there live right after this quick break.

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