In accordance with strict Islamic traditions, the body of Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden was wrapped and buried at sea around 3:00 a.m. Eastern time this morning, within 24 hours of his death. The 9/11 mastermind was positively identified via autopsy and DNA forensics.
Bin Laden was killed in a shootout with an elite group of Navy seals who landed their helicopters inside his fortified $1 million compound in Abbottobad, Pakistan, near Islamabad, early Sunday morning.
According to multiple news outlets, Navy seals stormed bin Laden’s bedroom and executed him with a single gunshot to the head. The high powered round blew off part of his skull and face, leaving him “unrecognizable.” There are reports that one of his sons was killed with him.
There are also reports that bin Laden was ordered killed — not captured — by U.S. President Barack Obama.
ABOVE: Aerial view of the area around Abbottabad, Pakistan taken in 2001. BELOW: The same view taken in 2005 when construction began on bin Laden’s compound (circled).
After years of roughing it in cold, musty caves in Tora Bora, Afghanistan, bin Laden moved across the Afghan border into what was described as a million dollar “luxury compound” on the outskirts of Aboottabad, in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The mansion, which was built to Osama’s specifications, had no internet service or telephone service. It was built near a Pakistan military academy. The compound was ringed by 12-18 foot walls topped with barbed wire. Armed patrols guarded the property day and night.
According to the NY Times, and other news outlets, construction on the mansion began in 2005. It’s location was known to U.S intelligence officials 4 years ago (in 2007), when George Bush was still in office.
Bin Laden lived there in relative comfort with his youngest wife and their children for years.
Osama’s blood-soaked bed can be seen in exclusive footage obtained by ABC News. A goat and a dog can be heard in the background. Click below to watch footage taken inside bin Laden’s bedroom.
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There are so many questions left unanswered this morning.
The biggest question is: if Osama’s location in Pakistan was revealed 4 years ago — while Bush was still in office — why did it take U.S. President Barack Obama three years of shuffling his feet to finally order Osama’s execution?
The answer may lie in what was said after Obama’s stunning announcement that was carried live on all the major networks after 12 a.m. early this morning.
A senior White House administration official told ABC News regarding bin Laden’s burial, “We are ensuring it is handled in accordance with Islamic practice and tradition. It’s something we take seriously and therefore it’s being handled in an appropriate manner.?”
So much respect for a mass murderer who is responsible for the deaths of 4,000 Americans?