New Delhi, May 2 (IANS) French President Nicholas Sarkozy Monday saluted the ‘tenacity’ of the US to chase Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who was finally killed by American forces in Abbottabad near Islamabad, and said that criminals identifying with the organization should be ‘pursued relentlessly’.
‘President Obama’s statement announcing the death of Osama bin Laden following a remarkable operation conducted by American specical forces in Pakistan, is a major event in the global fight against terrorism. France salutes the tenacity of the United States, which had been searching for him since the past ten years,’ said Sarkozy.
‘The main person responsible for the 11 September 2001 attacks, Osama bin Laden promoted an ideology of hatred and headed a terrorist organisation that claimed thousands of victims all over the world, particularly in Muslim countries,’ said the statement.
‘For these victims, justice has been done. This morning, these victims and their families are in France’s thoughts,’ he added.
Said Sarkozy: ‘The scourge of terrorism has suffered a historic defeat, but this is not the end of the Al Qaeda. The fight against criminals identifying themselves with this organisation must be pursued relentlessly and bring together all the States that are victims of these crimes.’
