The Raid and Death of Osama

Osama Bin Laden was once head of the extremist Islamic militant group known as Al Qaeda, and was killed during a U.S operation which was an attempt to capture him. He was killed in Pakistan on May 2nd, 2011, around 1 am local time.

After post 9/11 the CIA’s main goal was to find and locate Osama. Over the years, they had began tracking al Qaeda members, and eventually the CIA had located one of Al Qaeda Couriers, The Courier had been tracked for many years, until the Courier finally lead the CIA, to a compound in Pakistan, in the city of Abbottabad just 55 miles (34 km) from the capital city of Islamabad. In 2010 The CIA had rented a house in the city of Abbottabad, and operatives had ‘steaked out” and observed the compound. The CIA analysts back in the US had extensively analyzed all the circumstantial evidence to determine whether or not Osama, was hiding out in that location since no voice recording, or any sort of physical identification of Osama had been verified from the extensive Intelligence gathering.

In late 2010 after numerous Intelligence gathering operations, plans to assault the compound were being made. It was to be called Operation Neptune Spear. The objective would be to raid the compound, find out if Osama was indeed was residing there; he was to be killed or captured.

The raid consisted of 2 dozen Navy Seals from DEVGRU or formerly known as Seal Team 6 deployed from 2 Blackhawk helicopters, along with a few CIA operatives. After President Barrack Obama had authorized the action, Operation Neptune Star was to commence. The Seals were flown in by helicopters from a staging base in eastern Afghanistan from Jalalabad. 2 heavy lift Chinook helicopters were left on standby with and additional 2 Seal teams in case anything was to go wrong. During the evening, once it was dark, helicopters approached the compound, the Seals, fast roped down to the roof of the compound, while the second team  moved down into the courtyard and secure the ground floor, at least according to the battle plans. Acording to released information from the media, and that the U.S government released, once the Seals had breached the house, Al – kuwati, Osama’s coureier opened fire on the Seals, but was shot, a woman identified as the couriers wife was killed in the ensuing firefight. Another male was killed who was identified as a relative of the courier, when it was claimed he grabbed a knife. The Seals had supposedly encountered Osama while going upstairs and approaching his bedroom. The man who was visually identified by the Seals as Osama, ran towards his bedroom, the Seals chased him to the room ,where he was shot in the chest and head. It had been assumed that he was going for a weapon, since an Ak47, and a 9mm Makarov pistol were found by his bedside, one of Osama’s wifes, and children were wounded in the raid. Any other children or individuals found in the compound unarmed were restrained with plastic zip cuffs. The raid was to take 30 minutes but , the actual time between the Seals entrance and departure was reported to be 38 minutes, slightly longer than expected.  The Seals had identified Osama by taking a photograph of his corpse and taking a digitalsample of his DNA, an of one of his relatives, nad was electronically sent back to America for analysis. Also weapons caches, ammunition. Three ak47’s and 2 pistols were found. Hard drive, and electronic hardware’s, along with computers were seized, in hopes for obtaining more information. During the raid 1 helicopters had accidentally crash-land, and was destroyed by the SEAL operators in order to prevent anyone from capturing sensitive electronic data. After the raid was over, Osama’s body once identified was taken to the aircraft Carrier USS Carl Vinson, and his body was later buried in the sea. This was explained later by U.s officials that this was done because, no country wanted to bury him, nor did they want his burial grounds to become a sacred place for Islamic extremists.

After the raid it became apparent that the Pakistani government had not been aware of the American surveillance of the area or the raid, and had deep concerns about the Americans for crossing over Pakistani territory without permission. This argument had been countered by American officials asking the question how it was possible that the Pakistan government had no idea that Osama bin laden was in the country, even going as far as to accuse Pakistan for being knowledgeable of Osama’s presence, supporting him, and letting him remain.

Although this is considered to be a great victory for the United States, and its NATO allies, the War will continue, and military operations to get rid of insurgents, and provide aid to Afghanistan will continue. American officials promise to increase security within the U.S fear Al Qaeda will retaliate.

Sources

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42852700/ns/world_news-death_of_bin_laden/t/us-forces-kill-osama-bin-laden-pakistan/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Osama_bin_Laden