Georgia Celebrates Bin Laden's Killing

ATLANTA -- Georgians celebrated with the rest of the world after President Barack Obama announced the killing of Sept. 11 mastermind Osama bin Laden.

Nearly 10 years after the attacks on New York City’s Twin Towers and the Pentagon that killed thousands, Obama made the announcement late Sunday night saying, ”Justice has been done. He said bin Laden was killed in a U.S. operation on a compound where he was hiding in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

”Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There’s no doubt that al-Qaida will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must, and we will, remain vigilant at home and abroad, Obama said.

Immediately after the speech, chants of ”U-S-A could be heard as crowds gathered outside the Capitol and at Ground Zero in New York. GA Daily News found a crowd gathering at Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta, echoing the same chant.

”You can't put it into words. It’s like everything we wanted was a long time coming, said Jackson Chandler.

Chandler was among a group of Georgia Tech students waving the American flag in celebration.

Georgia lawmakers began releasing triumphant messages.

”Thanks to a lot of people in our Central Intelligence Agency, the national security agencies and the men and women of the U.S. armed services. It brings to close an unfortunate chapter in American history, Georgia senator Johnny Isakson said.

Monday moing, Channel 2’s Amy Napier Viteri was at Hartsfield-Jackson Inteational airport, where Georgians told her the victory hit close to home. Airport employee D’Angelo Gray told her he started assisting the Transportation Security Administration with bomb inspections after 9/11.

Gray said his sister was working in the Pentagon on the day of the attacks, and he remembers her having to hide under her desk when the plane hit. He said bin Laden’s death brought a sense of justice.

”A long time coming, more than ten years. I’m very thankful to God and also, the govement itself and all the soldiers, Gray said.