CAIRO: The Egyptian government declined to comment on Osama Bin Laden`s death on Monday, as the Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil El-Arabi said during a meeting with his British counterpart William Hague in Cairo that “Egypt has no official stance regarding the killing of Osama Bin Laden.” However, Egypt`s best-organized opposition movement, the Muslim Brotherhood condemned in a statement the killing of Bin Laden by US troops, saying the group “doesn't believe in assassinations.” The Muslim Brotherhood, in its statement, called on the US to withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan. It denounced the assassination of Bin Laden, explaining that it is “against violence of any form, and they support a fair trial for any criminal, regardless of the crimes committed.” The statement issued on the group's official website, added what it called the “vicious” media campaign against Islam and linking religion and terrorism after the attacks on the US on September 11, 2001. They stressed that resistance against foreign occupation by any country is a “legitimate right,” and thus called on that the US, NATO and the European Union to end the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan and recognize the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. The MB added that resistance would continue as long as occupation is taking place. “The Muslim Brotherhood asks the US to stop conducting intelligence operations against those who disagree with them and to stop interfering in the business of Arab and Muslim countries,” the statement read. In other statements by the organization, Mahmoud Ezzat, a senior member, told reporters that “Islam is not Bin Laden”, adding that “After September 11, there had been a lot of confusion. Terrorism was mixed up with Islam,” he said. “In the coming phase, everyone will be looking to the West for just behavior.” On the other hand, Egypt announced Monday that the offices of the US and British embassies across the country have been put under tight security measures, following the killing. Egyptian authorities also secured all tourist destinations, due to fears Al-Qaeda was planning an act of retaliation against foreigners in Egypt . Local newspapers reported that military and police forces were deployed at the Cairo and Luxor airports. A security source said that strengthening security is a precautionary procedure taken by Egyptian authorities at all American and British establishments across Egypt following the announcement. Egypt also decided to tighten security at all archaeological sites and roads leading to Luxor and the rest of Upper Egypt's tourist cities to provide “more protection to foreign archaeological missions.” For his part, British Foreign Minister William Hague, who was paying a visit to Tahrir Square, hailed the death of the Al-Qaeda leader, saying it was a “great development” and congratulated the United States troops on killing bin Laden and added that people all over the world are happy by such news. The Al-Qaeda leader was killed in a US-led operation involving helicopters and ground forces in Pakistan last week, ending a nearly 10-year worldwide hunt for the mastermind of the September 11 attacks, American President Barack Obama said in a televised speech late on Sunday. US officials said bin Laden was found in a million-dollar compound in Abbottabad, 60km (35 miles) north of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. A source familiar with the operation said bin Laden was shot in the head. Bin Laden and three adult men, including a son of bin Laden, were killed along with a woman who was allegedly used as a shield by a male combatant, US officials said, although they have since added that they are unsure of this fact. They said bin Laden's body was taken to Afghanistan and then buried at sea. “Justice has been done,” President Barack Obama declared in the White House speech announcing the death of the militant Islamic group's leader behind a series of deadly bombings across the world. Former President George W. Bush called the operation a “momentous achievement” after Obama called him with the news. A travel alert for Americans worldwide was issued following the news by the US State Department, warning of the potential for anti-American violence. Thousands of people gathered outside the White House, waving American flags, cheering and chanting “USA, USA, USA.” Internationally, French President Nicolas Sarkozy congratulated the United States for its “tenacity” in hunting down bin Laden nearly 10 years after the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington. British Prime Minister David Cameron said bin Laden's death would “bring great relief to people across the world”. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his country joins together in the joy of the American people after the “liquidation” of bin Laden, and congratulates US President Obama for this “victory for justice, liberty and the common values of democratic nations which fought side by side against terrorism.” BM
