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Welcome to the Monday Morning News Kick Off from got geoint? Well, we all had quite the surprise this morning when we checked the news this a.m. Yes, it has been confirmed that we have officially assassinated 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden. Unless you were up at 11:30 p.m. last night to hear President Obama’s official announcement on the assassination, we all woke up to this historic news — what a way to start the work week. It goes without saying that this is a major coup in our war against terror. So, for this week’s Monday Morning News Kick Off post we have decided to provide a compilation of all the major news around this momentous occasion. So, fire up that second cup of coffee and read on!

Unfolding Details of Osama bin Laden’s Death; The World Reacts
George W. Bush advisor Karl Rove had praise for his boss’ successor in the handling of Osama bin Laden’s killing in Pakistan on Sunday. He also had some advice for Obama, which he shared with Fox News Monday morning. “He needs to now engage the American people and help them understand why this is — as important as this was, we still have is a long way to go to tear down the al-Qaida and to make Afghanistan an ally in the war on terror and now is the time we need to redouble our efforts. Not the moment to say things are done, let’s come home. It will be important for presidential leadership at this moment.” Rove was also handed the opportunity to defend the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba, as senior administration officials said information from Guantanamo detainees led them to a trusted al-Qaida courier who was living with bin Laden in his compound. “There is continuity in these kind of things and the tools that President Bush put into place – Gitmo, rendition, enhanced interrogation, the vast effort to collect and collate this information, put it in a usable form – obviously served his successor quite well.” Read the full National Journal story here.

Satellite Technology Predicted That Bin Laden Was in Walled Compound (from 2009 USA Today Article)
Fugitive terrorist Osama bin Laden is most likely hiding out in a walled compound in a Pakistani border town, according to a satellite-aided geographic analysis released today. A research team led by geographer Thomas Gillespie of the University of California-Los Angeles used geographic analytical tools that have been successful in locating urban criminals and endangered species. Basing their conclusion on nighttime satellite images and other techniques, the scientists suggest bin Laden may well be in one of three compounds in Parachinar, a town 12 miles from the Pakistan border. The research incorporates public reports of bin Laden’s habits and whereabouts since his flight from the Tora Bora region of Afghanistan in 2001. Looks like Thomas Gillespie was right! Read the full 2009 USA Today article here.

President Thanks Intelligence Employees, Military for Bin Laden Operation
In announcing Sunday night that U.S. forces had killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, President Obama offered his appreciation to the members of the intelligence community and the military services who have worked together for years to achieve the goal. “Tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who’ve worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome,” the president said. “The American people do not see their work, nor know their names. But tonight, they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice.” “We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation,” Obama added, “for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country. And they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden” since Sept. 11, 2001. Read the full Government Executive story here.

CIA Director Panetta’s Statement on Bin Laden Death
This morning, CIA Director Leon E. Panetta sent the following message to Agency employees: Today, we have rid the world of the most infamous terrorist of our time. A US strike team stormed a compound in Abottabad, Pakistan and killed Usama Bin Ladin. Thankfully, no Americans were lost, and every effort was taken to avoid civilian casualties. Nothing will ever compensate for the pain and suffering inflicted by this mass murderer and his henchmen. But just as evil never rests, neither does good. May the fact that Usama Bin Ladin no longer inhabits the earth be a source of comfort for the thousands of families, here in America and around the globe, who mourn the victims of al-Qa’ida’s barbarity. Read the full statement here.

Osama Bin Laden’s Small Town Hideout Gets Google Maps Treatment
Google Maps fans have been in full satire mode writing reviews for what might be the site where American forces killed Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Shortly after President Obama spoke to the nation on Sunday, people scoured Google’s satellite imagery and came up with what may very well be the hideout where the al-Qaeda leader was staying. The purported Bin Laden site on Google Maps looks like a large estate surrounded by large security walls, similar to the description of the compound showing up in news reports. Read the full PC World article here.

In The End, A Lack Of Tech May Have Helped Bring Bin Laden Down
Osama Bin Laden met his end yesterday in a raid on a luxury compound in Abbottabad, a city north of the Pakistani capital of Islamabad. His remain, according to numerous reports emerging this morning, have been buried at sea. Details are beginning to emerge of the painstaking detective work that led to the raid, and one fact that has caught my attention is this: The property where he was hiding, while valued at $1 million, had no phone service, nor any Internet connection. This turned out to be key red flag that helped bring increased an increase in scrutiny that in time led to the attack on the compound that President Obama ordered yesterday. Read the full WSJ post here.

Stocks Set to Rise on Bin Laden, Strong Earnings
Stocks appear headed for a higher opening Monday after the death of Osama bin Laden, several strong earnings reports and a big corporate deal in the drug sector. President Barack Obama said late Sunday that bin Laden, the al-Qaida chief who inspired the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, had been killed in a firefight with American forces in Pakistan. That raised investors’ spirits on Wall Street. “It’s a win for the United States,” said Oliver Pursche, president of Gary Goldberg Financial Services, who said the death had led to “exuberance and relief” among investors. Read the full AP article here.

Tags: Bin Laden's Death, Bin Ladin assassination, GEOINT and BIn Laden, Google Earth and Bin Laden, Leon E. Panetta, Panetta and Bin Laden, Thomas Gillespie, Thomas Gillespie and Bin Laden, USGIF