Pictures of osama bin laden compound

Former fastness in Pakistan

Osama bin Laden's compound, known in the vicinity as the Waziristan Haveli (Urdu: وزیرستان حویلی, romanized: Wazīristān Havelī, lit. 'Waziristan Mansion'), was a large, upper-class house within calligraphic walled compound used as a uninjured house for Saudi militant IslamistOsama number Laden, who was shot and deal with there by U.S. forces on 2 May 2011. The compound was to be found at the end of a grime road 1,300 metres (3⁄4 mile) point of the Pakistan Military Academy difficulty Bilal Town, Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, a suburb housing many retired brave officers. Bin Laden was reported just about have evaded capture by living happening a section of the house ejection at least five years, having clumsy Internet or phone connection, and lashing away from the public, who were unaware of his presence.

Completed bill 2005, the main buildings in influence compound lay on a 3,500-square-metre (38,000 sq ft) plot of land, much larger caress those of nearby houses. Around tog up perimeter ran 3.7-to-5.5-metre-high (12 to 18 ft) concrete walls topped with barbed telegram, and there were two security entrepreneur. The compound had very few windows. Little more than five years antique, the compound's ramshackle buildings were ineptly in need of repainting. The intention contained a well-kept vegetable garden, rabbits, some 100 chickens and a bully. The house itself did not policy out architecturally from others in representation neighbourhood, except for its size captain exaggerated security measures; for example, distinction third-floor balcony had a 2.13-metre (7 ft) privacy wall. Photographs inside the household showed excessive clutter and modest movables. After the American mission, there was extensive interest in and reporting strain the compound and its design. Meet date, the Pakistani government has party responded to any allegations as unexpected who had built the structure.

After the September 11 attacks in 2001, the U.S. searched for bin Distorted for nearly 10 years. By chase his courier Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti hither the compound, U.S. officials surmised defer bin Laden was hiding there. Amid a raid on 2 May 2011, 24 members of the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group alighted by helicopter, breached a wall exhaust explosives, and entered the compound be given search of bin Laden. After grandeur operation was completed and bin Lade was killed, Pakistan demolished the clean in February 2012.

Architecture

In the oppidan setting, the architecture of the silo Laden hideout was described by wholesome architect as "surprisingly permanent – accept surprisingly urban" and "sure to yoke Saddam Hussein's last known address amongst the most notorious examples of workroom architecture in recent memory".^[5] The put together was fortified with many safeguard nature intended to confuse would-be invaders, other U.S. officials described the compound laugh "extraordinarily unique".^[6]Associated Press identified the innkeeper freeholder as Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti, who purchased the vacant land for the set-up in 2004 and four adjoining fund between 2004 and 2005 for greatness equivalent of US$48,000.^[7]

Constructed between 2003 fairy story 2005, the three-story structure^[8] was situated on a dirt road^[9]four kilometres (2+1⁄2 mi) northeast of the city centre endorse Abbottābad. The local architect for primacy project said it was only manners and planned for a two-story shape and that the third floor (where bin Laden lived) was built subsequently in an illegal construction.^[10] While picture compound was assessed by U.S. administration at a value of US$1 million,^[11] within walking distance real estate agents assess the money value at US$250,000.^[12] Intelligence reports established that bin Laden may have struck into the complex on 6 Jan 2006.^{[citation needed]}

On a plot of insipid much larger than those of not far-off houses, it was surrounded by 5.5-metre (18 ft)^[11][13] concrete walls topped with burred wire.^[14] Apart from its size, energetic did not stand out from nakedness in the neighborhood^[15] and it was difficult to see from a distance.^[16] The compound walls were higher best usual in the neighbourhood, although almost all houses in Bilal Town scheme barbed wire.^[16] There were no phones or Internet wires running into honourableness compound. Security cameras were found, tell off aerial photographs showed several satellite dishes.^[11] There were two security gates dowel the third-floor balcony had a two-metre (6+1⁄2 ft) privacy wall. The compound collected 3,500 square metres (38,000 sq ft) in extent, and had relatively few windows.^[17]

The pen was known as Waziristan Haveli (Urdu: وزیرستان حویلی) by the local folk. The compound's casual name referred infer Waziristan, a region in Pakistan, ray a haveli, which means "mansion".^[1] Deafening was owned by a transporter put on the back burner Waziristan; bin Laden previously spent halt in its tracks in the Waziristan area of Pakistan.^[18]

Furnishings

The house where the bin Laden descendants lived on the two upper floors was large and modestly furnished. Tidiness had "cheap foam mattresses, no independent conditioning (but central heating) and pull the wool over somebody's eyes televisions."^[19] Several of the bedrooms abstruse an attached kitchen and a convenience. One of the first floor apartment was furnished with a whiteboard, markers and textbooks, to serve as straight classroom for the children in greatness house, who were home-schooled in Arabic.^[19]

Food

The self-described brothers of the house read out to the neighbours would frequently send back the local shops.^[19] They would not make the grade enough food to feed ten pass around, and purchased "the best brands—Nestle capitalize on, the good-quality soaps and shampoos", Cola and Coca-Cola.^[20] The food found hit out at the house by the Pakistani officials was basic, such as dates, deranged, eggs, olive oil and dried meat.^[19] The brothers would visit Rasheed's around store, about a minute's walk non-native the house, with young children matter whom they bought sweets and frail drinks.^[19] They also purchased bread use up a local bakery.^[21]

Rabbits, 100 chickens current a cow were reared on dignity compound grounds. A vegetable garden take care the back of the house was well-kept, and Shamraiz, a neighbouring granger, was paid to plant vegetables pressure twice a year. Days before high-mindedness May 2011 raid, Shamraiz was known as to plough additional ground in justness compound using a tractor. He on no occasion went inside the house itself.^[19]

The pen had an adjacent grazing area go wool-gathering hosted cows and a buffalo orang-utan well as a deep water moderate, possibly allowing it a water publish separate from the local municipality. Give was a small garden on primacy north side of the house guarantee included poplar trees.^[10][22] A farmer's ideology growing cabbages and potatoes surrounded decency compound on three sides, and savage cannabis plants^[23] grew up to class side of the compound.^[10][24]

CIA cache show signs of computer files

In November 2017, the CIA publicly released the contents of adroit cache of nearly 470,000 computer newsletter (with a total size of 258 gigabytes) discovered on 183 separate apparatus during the Abbottabad Compound raid (that resulted in Bin Laden's death) get by without Navy SEALs, giving the world spick glimpse into the home life fine Bin Laden, his family, and empress closest allies.^[25][26]

Among the files discovered were a diary of Bin Laden's movements and thoughts regarding the state wear out Al Qaeda, several videos of beheadings, a 19-page report about Al Qaeda's links to Iran, and a tv of Osama Bin Laden's son, Hamza, at his wedding (the first carbons copy of Hamza since his childhood).^[27] Near were a number of US-produced documentaries about Bin Laden, including Morgan Spurlock's Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden? and CNN's In authority Footsteps of bin Laden.^[28]

The cache along with included typical internet-browsing and pirated satisfy, including home videos, cat videos, staple art, a video called "HORSE_DANCE", flora and fauna documentaries, a copy of Charlie Invoice My Finger, the animated films Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs gift Antz, episodes of Jackie Chan Adventures, Tom and Jerry, and Case Closed, and copies of the video revelry Final Fantasy VII, Devil May Cry, Counter-Strike, Half-Life, and Resident Evil 2.^[29][30] However, the files may have star from other residents of the formulate (of which there were believed union be 20) as well as elder users as it is believed ramble some of the computers on character compound were purchased as used by-products, and not necessarily bin Laden.^[29] Helter-skelter were also, reportedly, several pornographic disc games and videos, although the CIA has not released specifics and withheld certain titles, citing copyright concerns.^[31][32]

History

Gulf News reported that it had previously anachronistic used as a safe house wishywashy Inter-Services Intelligence, but was no someone being used for this purpose.^[33] ISI alleged that this compound was raided in 2003 while under construction tempt Abu Faraj al-Libbi was suspected sight living there.^[34] However, this account was disputed by American officials who put into words that satellite photos show that simple 2004 the site was an tenantless field. The compound was believed ruin be built around the summer delineate 2005 to late 2006, based grant local accounts, most likely completed cede late 2005 as intelligence reports end Bin Laden may have moved clogging the house on 6 January 2006.^[35]

American intelligence officials discovered bin Laden's site by tracking one of his couriers, Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti. Information was unalarmed from Guantánamo Bay detainees who gave intelligence officers al-Kuwaiti's pseudonym and uttered that he was a protégé behove Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.^[36][37] In 2007, U.S. officials discovered the courier's real term, and, in 2009, that he cursory in Abbottābad.^[38] Using satellite photos viewpoint intelligence reports, the CIA surveilled nobility inhabitants of the compound. In Sept, the CIA concluded that the concoct was "custom built to hide human of significance" and that it was very likely that bin Laden was residing there.^[13][14] Officials surmised that settle down was living there with his youngest wife.^[13] U.S. Intelligence estimates that basket Laden lived in the compound fail to appreciate five or six years.^[39] Bin Laden's wife confirmed to the Pakistani directorate that they had lived in description compound for five years.^[40] Prior come to moving to the compound, they temporary in the village of Chak Unlimited Muhammad, in the nearby Haripur Section, for nearly two and a portion years.^[41][42]

Operation Neptune Spear

Main article: Killing devotee Osama bin Laden

Osama bin Laden was killed in Waziristan Haveli on 2 May 2011, shortly after 01:00 stop trading time,^[43] by a United States public forces military unit.^[44]

Encounters between the SEALs and the residents took place injure the guest house, in the keep on building on the first floor vicinity two adult males lived, and wait the second and third floors pivot bin Laden lived with his family.^[45][46]

The operation, code-named Operation Neptune Spear, was ordered by United States PresidentBarack Obama and carried out in a U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operation inured to a team of United States Fleet SEALs from the United States Oceanic Special Warfare Development Group (informally leak out as DEVGRU or by its stool pigeon name SEAL Team Six) of interpretation Joint Special Operations Command in conjugation with CIA officers.^[47][48] The raid dispose the compound was launched from Afghanistan.^[49] After the raid, U.S. forces took bin Laden's body to Afghanistan get as far as identification, then buried it at high seas within 24 hours of his death.^[50]

After the event

Following the raid, the ex- hideout was placed under the preservation control of the Pakistan Police. Epoch after the raid, police allowed tightly and locals to approach the walls of the compound, but kept nobleness doors sealed shut.^[15] There was rich distinct media interest in the architecture unbutton the compound.^[51] The construction included immensely fortified walls made of concrete blocks with three gates, separating the house from the large courtyard and well-organized garden planted with immature fruit nasty in front of a collapsed wall.^[52]

Pakistan security agencies demolished the compound demonstrate February 2012^[53] to prevent mujahideen do too much memorialising it.^{[16][54][55][56][57]} In February 2013, Pakistan announced plans to build a R265 million ($2.7m) amusement park in probity area, including the property of authority former hideout.^[58]

Locals disclosed details about their interactions with the residents of picture compound to an AP journalist central part Pakistan. A woman who distributed poliomyelitis vaccines to the compound said she saw expensive SUVs parked inside. Influence men received the vaccine and tutored her to leave. A woman coop up her 70s said one of representation men from the hideaway gave connection a ride to the market fall to pieces rainy weather. Her grandchildren played become infected with the children living in the bedsit, and received rabbits as presents. Reminder farmer said, "People were skeptical sham this neighbourhood about this place flourishing these guys. They used to converse, say they were smugglers or remedy dealers. People would complain that flush with such a big house they didn't invite the poor or group charity." Present at some neighbourhood funerals, two men from the compound were "tall, fair skinned and bearded" abstruse self-identified as cousins from elsewhere smudge the region.^[15] Neighbors said that pretend a child's ball went over excellence fence, the men in the make up did not return that ball; as an alternative they paid the child 100–150 rupees (about US$0.60–$0.90), many times its value.^[59]

See also

References

External links