Osama bin Laden’s family have spoken for the first time about the night the evil 9/11 mastermind was shot and killed by heroic US Navy SEALS.
Laden’s fourth wife Amal bin Laden was hiding in a safe house in Pakistan with bin Laden and the couple’s six children when American soldiers stormed the building on May 11, 2011.
Speaking to Adrian Levy and Cathy Scott-Clarke, for their book The Exile: The Flight of Osama bin Laden, Amal narrated the story of the night of May 11, 2011. Bin Laden, who was living in Abbottabad, along with Amal, six of their children, second wife Khairiah, third wife Seham and son Khalid, 22.
Around 11pm, as Amal lay next to Bin Laden, she woke up to the sound of a helicopter. Due to an electricity shortage, the streets were dark but Amal said she saw shadows dancing in the windows, Daily Mail reported.
“Americans are coming,” Laden exclaimed as they neared and sounds became louder. Following a loud screeching sound, the entire house rocked. The pair got off the bed and crept towards the balcony. “It was a moonless night which made it difficult to see,” Amal said.
Bin Laden called out to his son who grabbed his AK-47 and came rushing to his father. Meanwhile, Amal and Seham tried to comfort the other children who woke up frightened and crying.
Within seconds, there was a blast as the Seals blew off the gate of the house and entered.
Miriam and Sumaiya rushed towards the Seals but were thrown against the wall by the Arab-speaking man.
Seal Robert O Neill walked past them and entered the room. Amal was right in front of her husband and rushed towards the Seals as they entered the room. She was shot and collapsed onto the bed. Bin Laden was shot and as more Seals entered the room, more rounds were fired into his body.
Pain shooting up and down her leg, Amal woke to see what was happening but knew she had to play dead if she wanted to survive, so she closed her eyes and tried to slow her breathing.
Meanwhile, Amal saw little Hussein being grabbed by one of the Seals and water being thrown in his face, while Mirium and Sumaiya were grabbed and held over their father’s body, demanded to identify the man.
“My father,” Miriam murmured. “Osama Bin Laden.”
Bin Laden’s wife Khairiah was also grabbed by the Seal and asked to identify the body.
The Arabic-speaking man then said, “Hey, dual confirmation, confirmed it with the kid and with the old lady”.
Bin Laden’s body was then dragged down the stairs by the special forces leaving his head to bump behind them. Khalid lay dead on the staircase and when his mother tried to kiss him, she was pulled away, the article in Daily Mail added.
The Seals then transferred Bin Laden’s body into one helicopter and blew up the remaining Black Hawk.
