Evan McMorris-Santoro May 1, 2011, 11:58 PM

Former president George W. Bush says he spoke with President Obama by phone this evening and congratulated him on the death of terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden.

“I congratulated him and the men and women of our military and intelligence communities who devoted their lives to this mission,” Bush said of the conversation in a statement to reporters. “They have our everlasting gratitude.”

Bush called the killing of the man behind the 9/11 attacks by U.S. military forces in Pakistan Sunday “a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world.”

It was Bush who led the nation in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, and who kicked off the two wars that followed the attacks. He said the death of bin Laden is an important chapter in the post-9/11 story.

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“The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message,” Bush said. “No matter how long it takes, justice will be done.”

Read the whole statement:

Earlier this evening, President Obama called to inform me that American forces killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of the al Qaeda network that attacked America on September 11, 2001. I congratulated him and the men and women of our military and intelligence communities who devoted their lives to this mission. They have our everlasting gratitude. This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001. The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done.

George W. Bush