World's most wanted terrorist Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has been killed in a US operation in Pakistan. An announcement to this effect was made this morning by US President Barack Obama in Washington. Bin Laden was killed in a mansion at Abbottabad, 150 kilometers north of Capital Islamabad. His body has been recovered by American authorities in Pakistan. US President Barack Obama who made the announcement said, Osama Bin Laden was killed in an US Operation.The US did not inform Pakistan about the closely guarded operation on the outskirts of Islamabad today that resulted in the death of al Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden. A senior US administration official said, the information was not shared with any other country including Pakistan, adding that in such a kind of operation, the information is kept only to a few people and this was done in this case too. The official told White House correspondents that the successful 40-minute operation was carried out by two US helicopters.Besides, Osama bin Laden, three men and one woman was killed in this operation.One helicopter was damaged due to mechanical failure, but no US special forces were injured or hurt in this operation. Announcing the death of bin Laden, President Barack Obama asked Pakistan to co-operate with the US in the war against terror. In his live televised speech, Obama spoke, Going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join the US in the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates. Obama said Over the years, he had repeatedly made clear that the US would take action within Pakistan if they knew where bin Laden was. Obama said that it is what they have done. But it’s important to note that their counter-terrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead them to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding. Obama said, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well, and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people. He said, he called Pakistan President Zardari, and his team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterpart. Obama said, they agree that this is a good and historic day for both of their nations.A senior US administration official said they would investigate as to how Osama bin Laden was living so close to Pakistan’s capital that too in a neighbourhood which was normally a residence of top retired military officials.Born in 1957, Laden was the son of Saudi Arabia's wealthiest construction magnate. He created and funded the al Qaeda terror network, was accused of being behind a number of atrocities, including the attacks on New Yorks World Trade Centre and Washington on 11 September 2001. Osama was suspected of playing large roles in the 1998 bombings of two US Embassies in Africa and the attack on the USS Cole in the Yemeni port of Aden in October 2000. The Saudi exile had been on the run since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan overthrew the ruling Taliban regime, which harboured bin Laden.The French President, Mr. Nicolas Sarkozy has praised the United States for its tenacity in hunting down Osama bin Laden calling it a major event in the world's struggle against terrorism. Britain and Russia also welcomed the news while in Kenya, the target of Al Qaeda attacks more than a decade ago, Prime Minister Raila Odinga described the news as positive.Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel joins the American people on this historic day of the elimination of Osama Bin Laden. In a statement received by AIR in Dubai today, the Israeli Prime Minister congratulating the US President Barack Obama and America's military and its intelligence services for this great accomplishment has said that it is a resounding victory for justice, freedom and the common values of all democracies that are resolutely fighting shoulder to shoulder against terrorism.Saudi Arabia has said that elimination of Al-Qaeda leader is a step towards supporting international efforts to combat terrorism and dismantle its cells. Country’s official news agency quoting official source has said that the elimination of deviant thought that stands behind him will help the international fight against terrorism. The statement added that people of the Saudi Kingdom were among those targeted most by this terrorist . Meanwhile, Iraq's army and police is on high alert for possible revenge attacks in the country. Al Qaeda militants became a significant force in the violence that ravaged Iraq after the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam.Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the news of Osama bin Laden's death was welcome, but cautioned that while Al-Qaeda has been hurt today, Al-Qaeda is not finished. War against terrorism must continue. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said Laden's death was good news for all men in the world who think freely and are peaceful. Italian Foreign Minister, Franco Frattini called it a victory of good over evil, of justice over cruelty. Singapore, which sits in a region where the Al-Qaeda-inspired Jemaah Islamiyah have carried out a number of large-scale fatal attacks, also cautioned that bin Laden's demise did not mean the world was safe.