Fort Lee Residents, Leaders React To Killing Of Bin Laden

Reaction in Fort Lee Monday to the news of Osama bin Laden's death was a mix of exultation that the United States' most elusive foe was dead as a result of U.S. action, thoughts and prayers for 9/11 victims and their families and trepidation about what comes next.

Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich said bin Laden’s death respresents “a monumental and historic day for all Americans, for the families and friends of the victims of 9/11 and terrorism worldwide.”

“And it is testament to the dedication of our armed forces and intelligence agencies,” Sokolich said. “And I can only hope and pray that this event will bring some form of solace to the family and friends of the victims of terrorism and in particular 9/11. I don’t think the recent events will ever bring closure, especially to the family and friends of the victims. But I just hope that somehow, some way, they will find solace in these events and relief of the burden that they take with them 24/7.”

In March, Sokolich talked about the monument to be built in Constitution Park and dedicated on Sept. 11, the tenth anniversary of the tragic events of 9/11 with a girder and other pieces of the World Trade Center donated to the borough for that specific purpose by the Port Authority.

At the time Sokolich said Fort Lee is "deserving" of a 9/11 memorial, “because we played an integral role with our emergency services going to the site.”

Fort Lee also served as a staging area for emergency vehicles from New Jersey that needed to get to the site, noted Fort Lee councilman Jan Goldberg, who is part of Sokolich’s planning committee for the 9/11 memorial.

“They would park here, and one of our volunteer fire departments covered for the fire department in the Bronx,” Goldberg said. “We also set up triage at the high school.”

“Not to mention we lost residents,” Sokolich added. “It could have been a lot worse considering all the people that work in the city here.”

After some exhaustive research, it was determined that six Fort Lee residents in fact lost their lives at the World Trade Center nearly 10 years ago. But Sokolich noted that those were people technically living in Fort Lee at the time and that it’s impossible to account for the many more who may have lived most of their lives in Fort Lee but were living elsewhere when they died in the attacks. Thus it was decided that the idea of putting names on a plaque as part of the monument was not a viable option.

On Monday , Sokolich said he "would rather be criticized for not mentioning names than for inadvertently leaving someone off of this sacred list.”

Reached by phone Monday morning, Fort Lee Fire Chief Jeff Silver said, "I think it’s great that we got him and none of our troops got hurt. It brings closure to part of the overall tragedy. I’m glad we got him. He deserved to get what he got, and all our boys went home safe, and that’s really what’s important.”

Patch caught up with several Fort Lee residents walking the path at Constitution Park Monday morning, including Arnold Schanfield, who called the news, "fantastic."

"It’s really a little bit of justice done," Schanfield said. "He’s been on our radar screen for so many years. We’ve spent a tremendous amount of money and manpower. We’ve lost so many lives. There’s such a negative feeling going on and so much emphasis on capturing him that it’s just phenomenal news."

Schanfield said he thought the news would have an immediate impact.

"A bit of America’s prestige has been restored from this," he said. "We had a cloud over us, and now … I think it’ll be a lesson to a lot of other folks around the globe, and I think as well we may end up seeing a bit of a curtailment of what’s going on in Afghanistan now and other parts of the globe. So I see only positive things coming from this."

Also walking at Consitution Park were Luciana Valenti of Fort Lee and another local resident who would only give her first name, Lilia.

“It’s awesome," Valenti said. "I’m really happy for our military and for everyone who lost their family in 9/11.”

Asked for her reaction to the news and whether she thinks it will have the impact that Schanfield predicted, Lilia said, “I’m not sure, but I’m glad that he was killed.”

Outside the Fort Lee Post Office on Main St. Monday morning, Raymond Massagllia of the VFW was handing out red flower pins and collecting donations to support veterans' benefits. He said he'd just heard about the news earlier in the morning.

“Finally, after all these years," Massagllia said. "They knew where he was, but they never got him until now."

He offered a slightly different take on the effect of bin Laden's death.

"It’s just like the Pope," Massagllia said. "One dies; another one takes his place. So somebody else is going to take his place. There’s always going to be a leadership."

Rabbi Meir Berger of the New Synagogue of Fort Lee, who was born in Israel, offered his own unique perspective Monday, saying, "there’s never going to be closure."

"[Bin Laden] certainly deserved what he got, [but] it can create tremendous anger in the people of the Arab countries," Berger said. "The first one who’s going to suffer, I can guarantee you, is going to be Israel … It would have been nicer if they captured him and put him in prison for the rest of his life. It’s like a Catch-22. I don’t know what’s going to happen to us, but it’s not going to be very good.”

Sokolich emphasized that the planned memorial is a tribute to the borough’s own emergency services, but he said the news of bin Laden’s death “brings new meaning” to it.

“It’s an event that has occurred that wasn’t contemplated for the memorial,” Sokolich said. “It was a mission that the American government committed to 10 years ago. And this next upcoming 9/11, which is the 10th year anniversary, will also be the first 9/11 that will occur since this event, and I think it will make it that much more meaningful. We’re memorializing the heroes, and we’ve accomplished one of the goals of our people.”

“I’m happy for the world,” Fort Lee dentist Robert Zampieri of Saddle River told The Record. “I knew we would never give up, not because of our presidents, but because of our military. They are the best. They just wouldn’t allow him to be around.”

Zampieri lost a son on 9/11, according to the article.

The president said that the U.S. had been tracking bin Laden for months and finally located him in a residence in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

"Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation. ... After a firefight, [soldiers] killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body," Obama said in an historic address to the nation.

“On nights like this one, we can say that justice has been done," the president added.

"I want to commend President Obama's Administration for its commitment and dedication to finally bringing Osama bin Laden to justice," Governor Christie said late Sunday. "As the former U.S. Attorney and now Governor of New Jersey, I speak for all the families of this state who have courageously endured the unspeakable and devastating consequences of terrorism.

"There is hardly a life that has gone untouched in New Jersey by the horrifying assault on American soil that took place on September 11th and today, after years of waiting, justice has finally been delivered."

Said US Senator Robert Menendez, “As a nation, we may all feel some measure of closure that justice was accomplished. ...  My thoughts and prayers, along with those of all New Jerseyans, are with those who lost family and friends on 9/11. Hopefully they can find some solace and a measure of closure today."

U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg said that the “civilized world” will have “great satisfaction” and called bin Laden “one of the worst killers in the history of man.”

“He was a ruthless terrorist responsible for a savage mission that killed thousands of innocent Americans and others around the world,” Lautenberg said. “Now we must be particularly diligent and let the message get out that we we’ll do whatever is necessary to stop this kind of madness.”

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