September 11, 2001: A quarter of a century after the World Trade Center attacks, the horrors of that day remain etched in history. It took another 10 years to track down Osama Bin Laden, the mastermind behind the attacks. How did the United States find the world's most wanted terrorist? The gripping story of Operation Neptune Spear, in graphics...
Terrorists hijacked four US passenger jets and crashed them into the World Trade Center towers in New York, the Pentagon and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Nearly 3,000 people were killed. President George W Bush declared a “War on Terror” against Al-Qaeda, making Osama Bin Laden America’s most-wanted target. In December 2001, the US launched a massive military operation in eastern Afghanistan to search for Bin Laden. He escaped into Pakistan.
The SEAL team travelled in two specially modified MH-60 Black Hawk helicopters designed to reduce their heat, sound and radar signatures. The aircraft also featured customised noise-reduction systems.
The helicopters carried the assault team, a Pakistani-American interpreter and a Belgian Malinois named Cairo.
About 45 minutes after the Black Hawks took off, four MH-47 Chinook helicopters followed. Two remained near the Afghan border while the other two entered Pakistan.
The helicopters reached the compound in Abbottabad. One Black Hawk experienced a hard landing inside the compound and was damaged, but there were no injuries. The chopper had been affected by the compound’s high walls and the resulting turbulent air.
The compound where Bin Laden hid
The crucial 18 minutes: At around 12.45 am,the SEAL team entered the compound using explosives to breach gates and doors.
Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti, Bin Laden’s courier, and his wife were killed. Al-Kuwaiti was carrying an AK-47.
Another man was killed on the first floor.
Bin Laden’s son Khalid was killed. He was also carrying an AK-47.
Two soldiers moved towards the third floor. In the hallway, one restrained two women to clear the path to Bin Laden’s room. The second soldier entered the room and shot Bin Laden three times. Bin Laden was reportedly hiding behind his youngest wife when he was shot.
