Official Reissues His 'Killing bin Laden' Video Game

Jesse Petrilla, the Rancho Santa Margarita city councilman who never seems to be too far from a headline, has immersed himself in the major news story of the week.

On the heels of President Barack Obama's announcement that U.S. Navy SEALs killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, Petrilla sent out a press release Monday titled "Take part in killing bin Laden."

The press release has to do with a game that Petrilla created in the immediate wake of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Elected to the City Council in November. Petrilla, 27, is currently undergoing Army Armor School training with the California National Guard in Fort Knox, KY. He has been learning to become a tank platoon leader since Feb. 22. He will return to RSM in mid-June.

Here is the text of the release, which appears on his website, joinjesse.com, and was sent to his followers: 

"You may not be aware, but I am a video game designer. For those gamers out there, in light of recent events I am re-releasing to my friends the old video game I developed titled Quest for Al-Qa'eda, circa 2002. Although I may now be a small time politician, I still find it very difficult to subscribe to political correctness. You'll hear a familiar voice actor for the enemies and main character. Enjoy."

The free game works on Windows-based computers.

It's not the only time that Petrilla has "killed" the al-Qaida leader. He formed the United American Committee and, on the the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, took part in hanging an effigy of bin Laden outside a Culver City mosque. The event reportedly had about 700 in attendance, about 500 of whom were supporters of the UAC.

Petrilla's game isn't the only one offering a shot at bin Laden. Kuma Games, which provides war games based on real-life battles, announced it will release a game scenario May 7 based on the gunfight inside the bin Laden compound in Pakistan.

Here's what the Kuma Games site has to say about its impending release:

"After months of stake outs and growing amounts of intel, a US helicopter crosses Pakistan under the cloak of darkness. 79 Navy SEALs drop from the sky into a secret compound, designed for defense and manned by al Qaeda killers. In forty minutes and a rain of hot lead, a decades-long, world wide manhunt for Osama Bin Laden will be ended ... by you."

Like the Petrilla game developed in 2002, it is free.