Osama bin Laden, the glowering mastermind behind the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks that killed thousands of Americans, was killed in an operation led by the United States, President Barack Obama said Sunday.

A small team of Americans carried out the attack and took custody of bin Laden’s remains, the president said in a dramatic late-night statement at the White House, declared, “Justice has been done.”

The development comes just months before the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Centers and the Pentagon.

Pentagon officials reported bin Laden was buried at sea Monday.

-Stephanie Nelson