US President Barack Obama on Thursday hailed the death of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden as a message to terrorists everywhere that America will never forget the September 11, 2001 attacks. "What happened on Sunday. sent a message around the world, but also sent a message here back home that when we say we will never forget, we mean what we say," Obama told fire-fighters during a stop at a Manhattan firehouse.
The US commandos who raided bin Laden's fortified compound deep in Pakistan did so "in part because of the sacrifices that were made in the States. They were doing it in the name of your brothers that were lost," Obama said. Standing in front of a firetruck, he praised the fire-fighters for their work on that September day when they were among the emergency teams who rushed to the World Trade Center, moments after it was hit by two hijacked planes.
Many of their number were killed in the difficult, dangerous operation to rescue people trapped in the collapsing twin towers, brought down by al Qaeda militants inspired by their leader, bin Laden. "This is a symbolic site of the extraordinary sacrifice that was made on that terrible day almost 10 years ago," Obama told the fire-fighters at the Pride of Midtown firehouse.
"Obviously we can't bring back your friends that were lost, and I know that each and every one of you not only grieve for them, but have also over the last 10 years dealt with their family, their children, trying to give them comfort, trying to give them support." CNN television said the fathers of 28 children had been killed when the firehouse staff responded to the unfolding disaster. And Obama told them: "You're always going to have a president and an administration who's got your back the way you've got the backs of the people of New York over these last many years."
Although their daily work might not get as much attention, "every time you run into a burning building, every time that you are saving lives, you're making a difference," Obama said. After the president spoke, one of the fire chiefs showed the president a plaque commemorating all those from the fire station who died in the attacks.
Obama joined the men for lunch, before travelling onwards towards Ground Zero. Throngs of onlookers crowded the route as Obama arrived at a police precinct in lower Manhattan. The president was to lay a wreath at Ground Zero later in honour of all those who died on September 11 in what the White House said would be a "bittersweet" visit.