Pakistan confirms bin Laden's death

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, May 2 (UPI) -- Pakistan Monday confirmed the death of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, saying it was a "major setback to terrorist organizations around the world."

The confirmation, from the Pakistani foreign office, came hours after the news of bin Laden's death was announced by the United States.

A foreign office statement said bin Laden died in an "intelligence-driven military operation" by the U.S. Army in Abbottabad, northeast of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

The operation against the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States was "conducted by the U.S. forces in accordance with declared U.S. policy that Osama bin Laden will be eliminated in a direct action by the U.S. forces, wherever found in the world."

The foreign office, which said the death of bin Laden was "a major setback to terrorist organizations around the world," stated President Obama telephoned Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari about the U.S. operation.

The statement said al-Qaida had also declared war on Pakistan, sponsoring scores of terrorist attacks that resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent men, women and children and more than 5,000 members of security forces.

"We have had extremely effective intelligence-sharing arrangements with several intelligence agencies, including that of the U.S.," the statement said. "We will continue to support international efforts against terrorism."

The report gave no details of the operation against bin Laden.