Watsonville Locals Share Mixed Reactions of bin Laden's Death

A day after Sunday's news of Osama bin Laden’s death echoed internationally, locals on Main Street in downtown Watsonville expressed mixed reactions of both relief and skepticism.

“I feel much safer now that he’s gone,” said Teres Sanchez of the al-Qaeda mastermind responsible for the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers in New York City. “I think there will be more peace.”

Rosa Contreras was also beaming at the news. “I’m happy,” said Contreras, whose husband returned from service in Iraq last year. “I think we’ll have less terrorism now.”

For Jose Alfredo Gomez, the the death marked a moment of justice for the U.S.

“I believe that he was a terrible person responsible for the loss of many innocent lives,” said Gomez in Spanish. “I’m glad he’s dead.”

Yet for skeptics such as Lila Zamora, his death could contribute to even more violence.

“He’ll probably be seen as a martyr by fanatics,” said Zamora in Spanish, adding that, if anything, she feels less safe.

One skeptic’s view matched many of those in nearby .

“It’s just a show. I don’t buy it,” said Orlando Corea. “Where’s the body? He probably got killed at the beginning of the war.”

Corea was not persuaded by the fact that the U.S. said it acquired DNA evidence of bin Laden’s body.

“I didn’t see the tests,” he said with a grin.