Scenes of jubilation in Washington after the announcement of the death of bin Laden

AFP-Thousands of Americans gathered spontaneously outside the White House Sunday night to shout their joy after the announcement of the death of Osama bin Laden. "We had waited so long," said one student while the crowd sings "USA, USA".

"I've never felt such emotion," said John Kelley, a 19 year old student from New Jersey, near New York. "It's something we've waited so long. When I heard the news, my legs were shaking."

"As soon as I heard the news, 'says he," I called my best friend who lost her brother in the attacks of Sept. 11.He was overwhelmed with joy. It sounds too good to be true, I can not believe it, "he said.

Behind him, a young man crying in his phone: "we have had!". Students return to the campaign slogan of Barack Obama's to accommodate the news of the day: "Yes we can, yes we did" ("We can, we have done). Others sing the American anthem .

The crowd is very young. Many donned a sweatshirt "USA", some football shirt of the United States.The smile, the shouts, one picture taken in front of the White House to mark this historic day in a carnival atmosphere worthy of a victory in the "Superbowl".

Hoping to be heard by the U.S. president, students yelling "It cancels exams, which begin in a few weeks.

Anna Howell, 27, came with her husband. They look at the crowd, a little away, waving their flags. "It's great, what joy for the families who lost relatives on Sept. 11," she said."It's not every day that America and communion."

She lives in Alexandria, a suburb of Washington, near the Pentagon, the headquarters of the Ministry of Defence targeted for Sept. 11. Would she have preferred that Bin Laden is captured alive? "Dead or alive, I do not care. They have, that's what counts," she replied before thinking: "It would have been nice to bring him to justice."

Nearby, a young man disagrees.It exhibits a cardboard sign on which he wrote in black marker: "We got rid of the junk bin Laden."

In the streets of Washington overlooking the White House, Americans come in clusters. Taxis honk filled as for a wedding. Jon Garcia, a 19 year old student came to the White House to "be part of history."

"I feel a sense of justice. It took so long but we got it. It is only fair for families bereaved by Sept. 11," he said."It gives meaning to our mission in Afghanistan," he adds.

David Abel, an "Obama fan" of forty years, is "shared". "For many people it is a symbolic victory. But it's too selfish. We sing + USA + USA, we only think we are forgetting the rest of the world," he laments before returning to his hotel .