WASHINGTON – Maine lawmakers cheered the news of Osama bin Laden’s death and lauded the work of U.S. intelligence and military forces in bringing the terrorist to justice.

 

Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said that the word of bin Laden’s death marked “an historic and seminal moment for our nation and the world.”

Snowe added that, “I think about all of the soldiers who willingly joined the military specifically to fight because of what happened on 9-11, and the sacrifices of their families and the lives that have been lost. Indeed, we are forever grateful to the brave men and women of our armed forces and intelligence community who have laid their own lives on the line to keep our homeland safe and secure.”

Sen. Susan Collins, the top Republican on the Senate Homeland Security Committee, said she was told last night by the director of the National Counterterrorism Center that bin Laden was killed in a U.S. operation.

“This welcome news is a credit to our intelligence efforts and brings to justice the architect of the attacks on our country that killed nearly 3,000 people on September 11, 2001,” Collins said.

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Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-1st, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said that, “We are grateful for the highly trained and effective intelligence and security forces that were able to hunt down Osama bin Laden and carry out a very difficult and complex mission to kill him. At moments like this we are once again reminded that we have the most talented, highly trained and dedicated armed forces in the world.”

Pingree added that bin Laden’s death means “justice has been served and I hope it will provide a certain amount of closure for the families of 9/11 victims.”

And Rep. Mike Michaud, D-2nd, said that the news delivered by President Obama of bin Laden’s death will be as vivid in Americans’ memories as what happened on Sept. 11, 2001.

“Finally, this terrorist has been brought to justice for the despicable attacks he organized against our country,” Michaud said.

 

Washington Bureau Chief Jonathan Riskind can be contacted at 791-6280 or at: jriskind@mainetoday.com


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