BBC News with John Jason

The American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that the killing of the founder of al-Qaeda Osama Bin Laden by American special forces is a milestone in the war on terrorism, but that the battle is

not yet

over. She said that Bin Laden’s death was a message to the Taliban that it could not

prevail

.

'Our message to the Taliban remains the same. But today it may have even greater

resonance

- you cannot wait us out; you cannot defeat us; but you can make the choice to abandon al-Qaeda and participate in a peaceful, political process.'

President Obama who announced the death of Osama Bin Laden earlier in the day said the world was now a better place.

The White House counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan said US troops had been prepared to take the al-Qaeda leader alive if the opportunity arose, but he resisted and was shot in the head.

'If we had the opportunity to take Bin Laden alive, if he didn’t present any threat, the individuals involved were able and prepared to do that. We had discussed that

extensively

in a number of meetings in the White House and with the president. The concern was that Bin Laden would oppose any type of capture operation. Indeed he did. There was a firefight. He therefore was killed in that firefight and that’s when the remains were removed.'

Mr Brennan confirmed that the authorities in Pakistan had not been told anything about the operation. The raiders took Bin Laden’s body with them and it was buried at sea. Mr Brennan said America