Local residents went about their daily commute Monday, but most erred on the side of caution after President Barack Obama confirmed that Sept. 11 mastermind Osama bin Laden has been killed.
Bellmore resident Dave Sumersille has been working in Jersey City for eight years. He was not working there on Sept 11., but was concerned about security this morning.
Sumersille took the 7:26 a.m. train out of Bellmore where he said there was a "normal amount of people" and no police presence at train station. He also said that there were no announcements made by the MTA on the train.
Once at Penn Station, Sumersille went through the New Jersey Transit terminal on his way to the path train, but said he didn't see any heightened security.
Rose Milano, also of Bellmore, added that she was a little nervous about her commute Monday morning.
"You can't help, but think that there will be retaliation ... it's in the back of your mind a lot," she said.
Milano said she was "thankful" for the added police presence she witnessed at Penn Station.
"They were checking bags at the entrance to the E train and it seemed like anyone with a big bag was being stopped, which is different than the usual random bag check," she said.
Caren Kabak, another Bellmore commuter, said that the area surrounding Penn Station had a more barricades than normal.
"Everyone was talking about it and walking with newspapers," she said. "Penn had a few more national guard [soldiers] with rifles, but not a lot more than usual. [There were] more barricades on street, perhaps in anticipation of protests."
"Let's hope there is no retaliation – I think that is the concern now," Kabak added.
President Obama said that the leader of al-Qaida, responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks, was killed during an operation he ordered inside Pakistan a week ago. The president added that American officials were in possession of his body.
