John Howard has said the death of Osama bin Laden is "a great blow for justice" for the 88 Australian victims of the 2002 Bali bombing, as well as the Twin Towers victims.
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"He was the world leader and godfather" of international terrorism, the former prime minister told The Age.
"I'm delighted", said Mr Howard, who was in Washington on 9/11 2001. He immediately pledged Australian support for President George W. Bush's battle against terrorism and invoked the ANZUS treaty.
Having been in the country when the attacks on the towers and the Pentagon occurred deeply affected the then PM and led to his very close and personal relationship with President Bush.
Mr Howard said he knew from being in the US at the time what an impact the bin Laden death would have in that country.
He congratulated the soldiers who carried out the operation, and the US for its persistence — the Americans deserved a "collective pat on the back".
This would be a "shot in the arm" for the anti-terrorist cause, Mr Howard said — at a time when growing numbers of people were starting to lose heart, just because things had been going on such an interminable time.
Mr Howard said that warnings against possible retaliation were appropriate, although he did not think there was any hierarchy of vulnerable targets. There was just a general possibility of retaliation.
