Breakdown Of The Take Down: Osama Bin Laden

NAMESAKE INFOGRAPHIC NAMESAKE.COM OSAMA BIN LADEN'S COMPOUND ABBOTTABAD, PAKISTAN TWEETS IN THE NIGHT BRINGING DOWN BIN LADEN The assault kills three men-two were bin Laden's couriers and one suspected to be his son. A woman is also killed in the crossfire. Bin Laden's wife is shot in the leg after rushing a US Navy SEAL. Bin Laden is shot once in the head and chest, after refusing to surrender and resisting. US troops carry bin Laden's body to a helicopter. Operation lasts about 40 minutes. There are no US casualties. There is a loss of a US helicopter due to mechanical failure. Twitter user Sohaib Athar, a 33-year old IT consultant and resident of Abbottabad unknowingly tweeted the operation as it unfolded: @ReallyVirtual (Eastern Time) After the gunfire, U.S. forces swept the fortified compound in Pakistan and left with a trove of hard drives, DVDS and other documents that officials said the CIA was already poring over. The hope: clues leading to his presumed successor, al-Qaeda No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahiri. Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM (is a rare event). 3:08pm EST PRE-OPERATION TIMELINE Go away helicopter - before I take out my giant AUGUST 201o swatter :-/ 3:15pm EST President briefed on possible lead on bin Laden's location. Residence of courier with close ties to bin Laden is found in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The abbottabad helicopter/UFO was shot down near the Bilal Town area, and there's report of a SEPTEMBER 2010 CIA works with President on set of assessments leading to the flash. People saying it could be a drone. 3:22pm EST conclusion that bin Laden is possibly in the mansion at Abbottabad. And now, a plane flying over Abbottabad... 3:44pm EST MARCH 14-APRIL 28 Obama holds five National Security Council (NSC) meetings for the development of a plan to 'bring bin Laden to justice. I guess Abbottabad is going to get as crowded as the Lahore that I left behind APRIL for some peace and quiet. "sigh" 4:10pm EST Believing the intelligence to be credible enough, President initiates military preparations. Interesting rumors in the otherwise uneventful Abbottabad air today 8:20 AM ON 4/29/11 6:39pm EST Obama gives final order to pursue the operation before flying to Alabama. Uh oh, now I'm the guy who liveblogged the Osama raid without knowing it. U.S. NAVY SEALS 11:41pm EST lelamaba MAY 1ST Pakistan India OPERATION (Eastern Time) 10:30 PM 3:30 AM 2:00 PM Obama has final meeting with advisors and signs kill order. 2:30 PM US Navy Seals depart Ghazi Airbase for Islamabad to launch operation Sunday morning. 3:15 PM With President Obama and team watching live, via Predator drone feed, Navy SEALS raid and sweep the compound. 3:50 PM -4:00 PM 1:10 AM Burial preparations begin. 3:10-3:15 PM Choppers circle Abbottabad several times before engaging. President Obama receives news of tentative ID confirmation. Proceed to DNA match (99%) against bin Laden family members. Downed helicopter destroyed by US forces in "window-shattering explosion". Obama announces Osama bin Laden's death to the world. Osama buried in the North Arabian Sea from the USS Carl-Vinson. NAMESAKE INFOGRAPHIC NAMESAKE.COM OSAMA BIN LADEN'S COMPOUND ABBOTTABAD, PAKISTAN TWEETS IN THE NIGHT BRINGING DOWN BIN LADEN The assault kills three men-two were bin Laden's couriers and one suspected to be his son. A woman is also killed in the crossfire. Bin Laden's wife is shot in the leg after rushing a US Navy SEAL. Bin Laden is shot once in the head and chest, after refusing to surrender and resisting. US troops carry bin Laden's body to a helicopter. Operation lasts about 40 minutes. There are no US casualties. There is a loss of a US helicopter due to mechanical failure. Twitter user Sohaib Athar, a 33-year old IT consultant and resident of Abbottabad unknowingly tweeted the operation as it unfolded: @ReallyVirtual (Eastern Time) After the gunfire, U.S. forces swept the fortified compound in Pakistan and left with a trove of hard drives, DVDS and other documents that officials said the CIA was already poring over. The hope: clues leading to his presumed successor, al-Qaeda No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahiri. Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM (is a rare event). 3:08pm EST PRE-OPERATION TIMELINE Go away helicopter - before I take out my giant AUGUST 201o swatter :-/ 3:15pm EST President briefed on possible lead on bin Laden's location. Residence of courier with close ties to bin Laden is found in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The abbottabad helicopter/UFO was shot down near the Bilal Town area, and there's report of a SEPTEMBER 2010 CIA works with President on set of assessments leading to the flash. People saying it could be a drone. 3:22pm EST conclusion that bin Laden is possibly in the mansion at Abbottabad. And now, a plane flying over Abbottabad... 3:44pm EST MARCH 14-APRIL 28 Obama holds five National Security Council (NSC) meetings for the development of a plan to 'bring bin Laden to justice. I guess Abbottabad is going to get as crowded as the Lahore that I left behind APRIL for some peace and quiet. "sigh" 4:10pm EST Believing the intelligence to be credible enough, President initiates military preparations. Interesting rumors in the otherwise uneventful Abbottabad air today 8:20 AM ON 4/29/11 6:39pm EST Obama gives final order to pursue the operation before flying to Alabama. Uh oh, now I'm the guy who liveblogged the Osama raid without knowing it. U.S. NAVY SEALS 11:41pm EST lelamaba MAY 1ST Pakistan India OPERATION (Eastern Time) 10:30 PM 3:30 AM 2:00 PM Obama has final meeting with advisors and signs kill order. 2:30 PM US Navy Seals depart Ghazi Airbase for Islamabad to launch operation Sunday morning. 3:15 PM With President Obama and team watching live, via Predator drone feed, Navy SEALS raid and sweep the compound. 3:50 PM -4:00 PM 1:10 AM Burial preparations begin. 3:10-3:15 PM Choppers circle Abbottabad several times before engaging. President Obama receives news of tentative ID confirmation. Proceed to DNA match (99%) against bin Laden family members. Downed helicopter destroyed by US forces in "window-shattering explosion". Obama announces Osama bin Laden's death to the world. Osama buried in the North Arabian Sea from the USS Carl-Vinson. NAMESAKE INFOGRAPHIC NAMESAKE.COM OSAMA BIN LADEN'S COMPOUND ABBOTTABAD, PAKISTAN TWEETS IN THE NIGHT BRINGING DOWN BIN LADEN The assault kills three men-two were bin Laden's couriers and one suspected to be his son. A woman is also killed in the crossfire. Bin Laden's wife is shot in the leg after rushing a US Navy SEAL. Bin Laden is shot once in the head and chest, after refusing to surrender and resisting. US troops carry bin Laden's body to a helicopter. Operation lasts about 40 minutes. There are no US casualties. There is a loss of a US helicopter due to mechanical failure. Twitter user Sohaib Athar, a 33-year old IT consultant and resident of Abbottabad unknowingly tweeted the operation as it unfolded: @ReallyVirtual (Eastern Time) After the gunfire, U.S. forces swept the fortified compound in Pakistan and left with a trove of hard drives, DVDS and other documents that officials said the CIA was already poring over. The hope: clues leading to his presumed successor, al-Qaeda No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahiri. Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM (is a rare event). 3:08pm EST PRE-OPERATION TIMELINE Go away helicopter - before I take out my giant AUGUST 201o swatter :-/ 3:15pm EST President briefed on possible lead on bin Laden's location. Residence of courier with close ties to bin Laden is found in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The abbottabad helicopter/UFO was shot down near the Bilal Town area, and there's report of a SEPTEMBER 2010 CIA works with President on set of assessments leading to the flash. People saying it could be a drone. 3:22pm EST conclusion that bin Laden is possibly in the mansion at Abbottabad. And now, a plane flying over Abbottabad... 3:44pm EST MARCH 14-APRIL 28 Obama holds five National Security Council (NSC) meetings for the development of a plan to 'bring bin Laden to justice. I guess Abbottabad is going to get as crowded as the Lahore that I left behind APRIL for some peace and quiet. "sigh" 4:10pm EST Believing the intelligence to be credible enough, President initiates military preparations. Interesting rumors in the otherwise uneventful Abbottabad air today 8:20 AM ON 4/29/11 6:39pm EST Obama gives final order to pursue the operation before flying to Alabama. Uh oh, now I'm the guy who liveblogged the Osama raid without knowing it. U.S. NAVY SEALS 11:41pm EST lelamaba MAY 1ST Pakistan India OPERATION (Eastern Time) 10:30 PM 3:30 AM 2:00 PM Obama has final meeting with advisors and signs kill order. 2:30 PM US Navy Seals depart Ghazi Airbase for Islamabad to launch operation Sunday morning. 3:15 PM With President Obama and team watching live, via Predator drone feed, Navy SEALS raid and sweep the compound. 3:50 PM -4:00 PM 1:10 AM Burial preparations begin. 3:10-3:15 PM Choppers circle Abbottabad several times before engaging. President Obama receives news of tentative ID confirmation. Proceed to DNA match (99%) against bin Laden family members. Downed helicopter destroyed by US forces in "window-shattering explosion". Obama announces Osama bin Laden's death to the world. Osama buried in the North Arabian Sea from the USS Carl-Vinson. NAMESAKE INFOGRAPHIC NAMESAKE.COM OSAMA BIN LADEN'S COMPOUND ABBOTTABAD, PAKISTAN TWEETS IN THE NIGHT BRINGING DOWN BIN LADEN The assault kills three men-two were bin Laden's couriers and one suspected to be his son. A woman is also killed in the crossfire. Bin Laden's wife is shot in the leg after rushing a US Navy SEAL. Bin Laden is shot once in the head and chest, after refusing to surrender and resisting. US troops carry bin Laden's body to a helicopter. Operation lasts about 40 minutes. There are no US casualties. There is a loss of a US helicopter due to mechanical failure. Twitter user Sohaib Athar, a 33-year old IT consultant and resident of Abbottabad unknowingly tweeted the operation as it unfolded: @ReallyVirtual (Eastern Time) After the gunfire, U.S. forces swept the fortified compound in Pakistan and left with a trove of hard drives, DVDS and other documents that officials said the CIA was already poring over. The hope: clues leading to his presumed successor, al-Qaeda No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahiri. Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM (is a rare event). 3:08pm EST PRE-OPERATION TIMELINE Go away helicopter - before I take out my giant AUGUST 201o swatter :-/ 3:15pm EST President briefed on possible lead on bin Laden's location. Residence of courier with close ties to bin Laden is found in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The abbottabad helicopter/UFO was shot down near the Bilal Town area, and there's report of a SEPTEMBER 2010 CIA works with President on set of assessments leading to the flash. People saying it could be a drone. 3:22pm EST conclusion that bin Laden is possibly in the mansion at Abbottabad. And now, a plane flying over Abbottabad... 3:44pm EST MARCH 14-APRIL 28 Obama holds five National Security Council (NSC) meetings for the development of a plan to 'bring bin Laden to justice. I guess Abbottabad is going to get as crowded as the Lahore that I left behind APRIL for some peace and quiet. "sigh" 4:10pm EST Believing the intelligence to be credible enough, President initiates military preparations. Interesting rumors in the otherwise uneventful Abbottabad air today 8:20 AM ON 4/29/11 6:39pm EST Obama gives final order to pursue the operation before flying to Alabama. Uh oh, now I'm the guy who liveblogged the Osama raid without knowing it. U.S. NAVY SEALS 11:41pm EST lelamaba MAY 1ST Pakistan India OPERATION (Eastern Time) 10:30 PM 3:30 AM 2:00 PM Obama has final meeting with advisors and signs kill order. 2:30 PM US Navy Seals depart Ghazi Airbase for Islamabad to launch operation Sunday morning. 3:15 PM With President Obama and team watching live, via Predator drone feed, Navy SEALS raid and sweep the compound. 3:50 PM -4:00 PM 1:10 AM Burial preparations begin. 3:10-3:15 PM Choppers circle Abbottabad several times before engaging. President Obama receives news of tentative ID confirmation. Proceed to DNA match (99%) against bin Laden family members. Downed helicopter destroyed by US forces in "window-shattering explosion". Obama announces Osama bin Laden's death to the world. Osama buried in the North Arabian Sea from the USS Carl-Vinson. NAMESAKE INFOGRAPHIC NAMESAKE.COM OSAMA BIN LADEN'S COMPOUND ABBOTTABAD, PAKISTAN TWEETS IN THE NIGHT BRINGING DOWN BIN LADEN The assault kills three men-two were bin Laden's couriers and one suspected to be his son. A woman is also killed in the crossfire. Bin Laden's wife is shot in the leg after rushing a US Navy SEAL. Bin Laden is shot once in the head and chest, after refusing to surrender and resisting. US troops carry bin Laden's body to a helicopter. Operation lasts about 40 minutes. There are no US casualties. There is a loss of a US helicopter due to mechanical failure. Twitter user Sohaib Athar, a 33-year old IT consultant and resident of Abbottabad unknowingly tweeted the operation as it unfolded: @ReallyVirtual (Eastern Time) After the gunfire, U.S. forces swept the fortified compound in Pakistan and left with a trove of hard drives, DVDS and other documents that officials said the CIA was already poring over. The hope: clues leading to his presumed successor, al-Qaeda No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahiri. Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM (is a rare event). 3:08pm EST PRE-OPERATION TIMELINE Go away helicopter - before I take out my giant AUGUST 201o swatter :-/ 3:15pm EST President briefed on possible lead on bin Laden's location. Residence of courier with close ties to bin Laden is found in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The abbottabad helicopter/UFO was shot down near the Bilal Town area, and there's report of a SEPTEMBER 2010 CIA works with President on set of assessments leading to the flash. People saying it could be a drone. 3:22pm EST conclusion that bin Laden is possibly in the mansion at Abbottabad. And now, a plane flying over Abbottabad... 3:44pm EST MARCH 14-APRIL 28 Obama holds five National Security Council (NSC) meetings for the development of a plan to 'bring bin Laden to justice. I guess Abbottabad is going to get as crowded as the Lahore that I left behind APRIL for some peace and quiet. "sigh" 4:10pm EST Believing the intelligence to be credible enough, President initiates military preparations. Interesting rumors in the otherwise uneventful Abbottabad air today 8:20 AM ON 4/29/11 6:39pm EST Obama gives final order to pursue the operation before flying to Alabama. Uh oh, now I'm the guy who liveblogged the Osama raid without knowing it. U.S. NAVY SEALS 11:41pm EST lelamaba MAY 1ST Pakistan India OPERATION (Eastern Time) 10:30 PM 3:30 AM 2:00 PM Obama has final meeting with advisors and signs kill order. 2:30 PM US Navy Seals depart Ghazi Airbase for Islamabad to launch operation Sunday morning. 3:15 PM With President Obama and team watching live, via Predator drone feed, Navy SEALS raid and sweep the compound. 3:50 PM -4:00 PM 1:10 AM Burial preparations begin. 3:10-3:15 PM Choppers circle Abbottabad several times before engaging. President Obama receives news of tentative ID confirmation. Proceed to DNA match (99%) against bin Laden family members. Downed helicopter destroyed by US forces in "window-shattering explosion". Obama announces Osama bin Laden's death to the world. Osama buried in the North Arabian Sea from the USS Carl-Vinson.