Politics & Government

Mayor: Bin Laden's Death Will Not Bring Back Family and Friends

Leader of al Qaeda terrorist group killed in U.S.-led mission in Pakistan.

Kinnelon Mayor Robert Collins said that while the death of Osama bin Laden will help bring some families closure, the tragic events of Sept. 11 will not be forgotten.

"My hope is that the death of Osama bin Laden will bring some closure to the pain and suffering that all of us experienced on September 11," he said. "Unfortunately, his death will not bring back families and friends that were lost on that life changing day. We need to close this chapter in our history, but never forget September 11 and  the friends and families that were so tragically affected by the events of that day."

Osama bin Laden is dead and U.S. forces are in possession of his body, several news organizations reported Sunday night.

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President Barack Obama confirmed the death of Bin Laden in a live address to the world Sunday night.

Obama authorized an operation to kill Bin Laden last week after his location was confirmed. Bin Laden died in a firefight Sunday at a compound outside Islamabad. The U.S. has taken possession of his body.

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While the president did not provide details, he said the United States has been tracking bin Laden for months and finally located him in a residence in Pakistan. 

"I want to commend President Obama's Administration for its commitment and dedication to finally bringing Osama bin Laden to justice," Gov. Chris Christie said in a statement late Sunday night.

"As the former U.S. Attorney and now Governor of New Jersey, I speak for all the families of this state who have courageously endured the unspeakable and devastating consequences of terrorism. There is hardly a life that has gone untouched in New Jersey by the horrifying assault on American soil that took place on September 11th and today, after years of waiting, justice has finally been delivered. While our fight against terrorism continues, Osama bin Laden's reign of terror has come to an end, sending a clear signal that even in the face of immeasurable horror, democracy and freedom continue to prevail."

Bin Laden was leader of al Qaeda, the terrorist network behind the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, which killed approximately 3,000 people, many of them from the area.

Among those killed was Kinnelon resident Seth A. Morris, 35, James Martello,41, and Matthew Yarnell,26.

Last month, Collins announced that Kinnelon would be receiving an that would be placed on display in the Kinnelon Municipal Building. Collins said the artifact would be dedicated this September, on the tenth anniversary of the Sept. 11 event.

Bloomingdale Mayor Jon Dunleavy said, "America will never completely recover from the Sept. 11 tragedy. I continue to pray for the families who lost loved ones as a result of the terrible event. Now that the responsible party as been removed, I just hope this may bring some peace to those families and our country."

After midnight Sunday, a single family member of a 9/11 victim stood at Morris County's Sept. 11 memorial, located on West Hanover Avenue in Parsippany. The family member declined to comment for the record as he looked onto the tribute, built with steel from the twin towers of the World Trade Center, which toppled in the attacks.

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