Noor Bin Ladin, niece of the notorious terrorist - who was shot dead during an operation ordered by Trump's predecessor Barack Obama - said that the Republican "must" remain at the White House. Read more

No sentence for Obama, therefore, for the operation planned and carried out by stars and stripes commandos with the goal of "finishing off" the leader of Al Qaeda. Indeed, says "Catholic Civilization", the risks of a trial were many and with strong geopolitical implications. The Jesuit magazine evaluates very carefully and with realpolitik the death of Bin Laden and does not condemn the choice made by the Obama administration. The burial of Bin Laden at sea, is remembered, "it is not appropriate for a Muslim", however, he emphasizes, "it is easy to imagine that no country would accept the remains. Thus, the possibility of creating a place of pilgrimage was avoided".

The way in which the head of al Qaeda was killed gave rise to a debate "on the legitimacy and legality of the operation 'kill or capture'." Not releasing photos and video, however, "seemed to serve for not providing extremists useful means for their propaganda". After noting that, according to the White House, the operation was motivated by a direct order of the President towards an enemy "of humanity", it is observed: "Anyway, Bin Laden was dangerous. He had to be stopped. To presume his innocence was legally legitimate, but unreasonable". The "Catholic Civilization" then states that the "procedural truth" about the terrorist actions of Bin Laden "may be ascertained by other means", in particular, by prosecuting the Guantanamo detainees.

Yet the key questions, according to the influential Jesuit journal, are others: "Who in fact could reasonably believe that bin Laden was innocent? And that the result of a regular trial would not have been the maximum penalty? In addition, a long trial could have given the defendant an opportunity for propaganda and making revelations that are unpleasant even for the U.S. allies. Of course, that's the way the reasoning goes, if Bin Laden had been given a regular trial and without torture, would we not have assisted to yet another 'ode to death', no matter how lawful and legitimate? Yet, at the same time, a prisoner like bin Laden would have motivated his followers to capture hostages to secure the release of their hero".

Read more of the Jesuit magazine: Bin Laden a menace to mankind and had to be stopped

In an interview with Piers Morgan, he said he believed the terror chief should have been put on trial in the U.S., but Americans were too scared.

"We've lost something of our soul", he said.

As scenes of jubilation at Osama's death were seen across New York, Moore said, "The world is a better place without him. To celebrate someone's death I think goes a step further... it's the way I was raised."

"A lot of people say "what would Jesus do?" I don't think Jesus would go down to Ground Zero like a lot of people did on Saturday night with champagne and pop corks and have a party", Moore said.

"Common sense tells you he was executed," Moore tells the Wrap in a new interview. "That was the plan all along. Just tell us that and quit treating us like children."

"I have a lot of faith in Obama," he adds, "but we've received three different stories in three days. We heard, "There was a firefight." "He used a woman as a shield." Now it turns out none of these things were true. He wasn't armed".

"I'm a Catholic", Moore said, and the position of the Catholic Church and the Pope is that we are 100 percent against the death penalty unless it is in self-defense.

Look at the Nuremberg Trials. We didn't just pop a bullet in the heads of the worst scum in history. We thought it was important to put them on trial and expose their evil. In a democracy we believe in a system of justice and we believe in a judicial system that gives people a day in court...and then we hang them.

Meanwhile, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams has voiced his reservation about the manner of bin Laden's death.

"I think the killing of an unarmed man is always going to leave a very uncomfortable feeling, because it doesn't look as if justice is seen to be done. In those circumstances, I think it's also true that the different versions of events that have emerged in recent days have not done a great deal to help."

"I don't know the full details any more than anyone else; but I do believe that, in such circumstances, when we are faced with someone who was manifestly a war criminal in terms of the atrocities inflicted, it is important that justice is seen to be served", Rowan Williams said.

Sources

• The Wrap
• Church Times
• Mail Online

What is the most compelling image we have relating to the killing of Osama? "No, not the soon-to-be-released Bin Laden-shot-in-the-head photo (which could become one of the most viewed photographs in history), but the photo of the President and his advisers in the White House situation room.

Why amazing?

Because the President seems so small and peripheral to the action. He is hunched down, seated on the margins of the meeting, seemingly trying not to take up space. It appears as if he couldn't even find a place to put his jacket." So writes Jeffrey Goldberg in the Atlantic.

What is compelling about this picture is that it looks so civilised.

Some cheered and waved flags. We are told The Vice President of the United States took up his rosary beads. There are those that even manage to make jokes about the killing of Osama bin Laden.

The polls say most people are "relieved" that he is dead. Many are delighted, some gloating. Few condemn it.

According to a poll taken on Monday 60 percent of Americans are "proud" about the killing of Osama, 58 percent say they're "happy" about it. But it's relief that is the prevailing reaction: 72 percent report being relieved. 82 percent of Republicans say they're relieved, as do 71 percent of Democrats and independents alike.

Far fewer Americans — just 16 percent — say they're feeling "afraid" about the killing of Osama.

Sources

• Story: Jeffrey Goldberg The Atlantic
• Poll Results:The Washington Post
• Image: The Atlantic

The Vatican statement May 2 came the day after President Barack Obama announced that U.S. forces had killed bin Laden in an attack on his hideout in northwest Pakistan. In several U.S. cities, the news prompted street demonstrations and expressions of jubilation.

Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, released a brief written statement reacting to the news.

"Osama bin Laden, as we all know, bore the most serious responsibility for spreading divisions and hatred among populations, causing the deaths of innumerable people, and manipulating religions to this end," Father Lombardi said.

"In the face of a man's death, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibilities of each person before God and before men, and hopes and works so that every event may be the occasion for the further growth of peace and not of hatred," the spokesman said.

The Vatican missionary news agency, Fides, reported that Christian schools and other institutes were closed and churches put on guard in Pakistan's main cities out of fear of possible repercussions on the Christian minorities there. Pakistani Christians are often identified in extremist literature with the West and the United States.

Paul Bhatti, a government adviser for religious minorities in Pakistan, told Fides that "the situation is tense."

"In fact, there are strong fears of reactions — senseless reactions — against the Christian minorities. The government is giving the maximum attention to prevention measures," he said.

Father Mario Rodrigues, director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Pakistan, said after a meeting with government officials May 2: "They put us on alert, requesting the closure of our institutes and making available additional police personnel around the churches. The Christians of Pakistan are innocent victims in this and other situations. Any pretext is used to threaten them or launch an attack."

Rodrigues said some experts predicted that bin Laden's killing would weaken the Taliban and their ideologies, which could help diminish anti-Christian persecution in the long term. But he said radical Islamic groups were flourishing in Pakistan, and other extremist leaders could arise.

What is needed, he said, is a serious policy of interreligious tolerance at every level — cultural, social, political and legislative.

Sources

• Reuters
• Catholic News Service