Osama Bin Laden and the radical islamic movement of which he was a part were trained and funded by intelligence forces of the US, as a way of undermining the Soviet Union for geo-strategic reasons and because that is the kind of thing intelligence services do. That is a matter of record.
Subsequently, Osama Bin Laden fell out with the his earlier mentors and launched attacks against western targets which killed and injured large numbers of civilians. That these attacks were purportedly in response to attacks on Moslem countries or to defend Moslem nations is, of course, no excuse.
Unfortunately, these attacks were used as excuses to launch wars of aggression and as justification by many governments, political forces and military organisations to attack human rights and to try to redefine them in their own interests.
The death of Bin Laden provides an appropriate occasion to condemn his crimes against human rights and pay respects to his innocent victims.
It is also an occasion for us to renew our faith in human rights and the creation of a better world with mutual respect between religions, tolerance and peace between nations.
The current events around the world, and particularly the success of the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia are testament to the efficacy of non-violent struggle and to the building of solidarity between people and the ineffectiveness of terrorism and war in building a better world.
Of course, the messages which leaders give out now over the next few days will be good indications of the key messages they are trying to put across, and unfortunately, strengthening human rights, the folly of proxy wars and violence, the winding down of the War on Terror or actual repect for the rights of muslims are unlikely to be among them.
Human rights investigations 