Middle East papers including in Osama bin Laden's homeland Saudi Arabia on Tuesday hailed the al Qaeda chief's death as a victory for US President Barack Obama, but they also warned of possible retaliation. Some newspapers questioned the US special forces raid that killed bin Laden in Pakistan, saying the operation could backfire on Washington, which should have arrested him instead.
The Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat printed in bold letters on its front page: "The killer is killed." "The so-called 'leader of the mujahideen' (holy fighters), was killed in his luxurious house, and not on the battlefield or in jihad" or holy war, wrote Tareq Hamid in the paper under the headline "Bin Laden died in his home!"
Hamid called bin Laden's death "a huge blow to al Qaeda." Saudi columnist Dawood al-Sherian acknowledged the operation's "symbolism" and "positive impact on the image of the United States" domestically. But "the way the end came for bin Laden has raised doubts in both its timing and detail, which might backfire on the United States's image in the Arab and Muslim worlds," he wrote in the London-based Al-Hayat daily.
Fahd Kheitan, editor of Jordan's independent daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm, wrote in an editorial that the American raid "was an electoral victory for Obama. But it caused limited damage to al Qaeda." "Al Qaeda has lost its leader, but its followers will try to avenge his murder, creating exceptional conditions for the anti-terror coalition which has to be ready to face revenge." Jordanian political columnist Oreib agreed, but to a lesser extent.