GENEVA, May 3 (Reuters) - The United Nations' top human rights official called on the United States on Tuesday to give the U.N. details about Osama bin Laden's killing and said that all counter-terrorism operations must respect international law.
But Navi Pillay, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that the al Qaeda leader, killed in a U.S. operation in Pakistan, had committed crimes against humanity as self-confessed mastermind of "the most appalling acts of terrorism", including the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on America.
| Thanks for considering that... |
It was always clear that taking bin Laden alive was likely to be difficult, she said, noting that U.S. authorities had stated that they intended to arrest him if possible.
| Turns out that it wasn't possible, and anyways we forgot to include a cop and a warrant in the final composition of SEAL Team Six... |
"This was a complex operation and it would be helpful if we knew the precise facts surrounding his killing. The United Nations has consistently emphasised that all counter-terrorism acts must respect international law," Pillay said in a statement issued in response to a Reuters request.
| Except that terrorism exists outside of all international law. Terrorists should not be protected by international law. Kill them and be done with it. |
"If he was captured and brought before a court, I have no doubt he would have been charged with the most serious crimes, including the mass murder of civilians that took place on 9/11, which were planned and systematic and in my view amounted to crime against humanity," said Pillay, a former U.N. war crimes judge.
| Who no doubt is unhappy over not being able to preside over the trial of the new century. |
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