Chapter Nine: The Raid

CHAPTER NINE: THE RAID:

THIS IS HOW THE COMPOUND WAS LAY OUT: THERE WERE THREE FLOORS, TWO LEVELS FOR GUESTS, AND THE THIRD, WHICH WAS ILLEGALLY ADDED ON TO, ACCORDING TO THE BUILDING’S ARCHITECT, WHO DID NOT RELEASE HIS NAME TO INTERVIEWERS. THE CRASHED HELICOPTER HAD LANDED IN THE COURTYARD ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE COMPOUND, AS SEEN IN THE DIAGRAM ABOVE, SHOWN BY THE ORANGE ARROW. THE 12 MEMBERS ON THE CRASHED HELICOPTER EXITED THE HELICOPTER, AND PROCEEDED MOVING EAST, TOWARD THE COMPOUND’S MAIN BUILDING. BY THEN, THE SECOND HELICOPTER LANDED SAFELY NEXT TO THE CRASHED HELICOPTER, AND THE OTHER 12 MEMBERS EXITED. NOW THE SITUATION WAS, IN MILITARY TERMS, “BOOTS ON THE GROUND.”

            AS THE 24 MEMBER TEAM APPROACHED THE FIRST GATE, THEY ENCOUNTERED SAF, OR “SMALL ARMS FIRE,” FROM A SINGLE MAN FROM BEHIND THE GATE. SEALS SHOT AND KILLED THE SHOOTER IMMEDIATELY. THEY THEN CONTINUED UPSTAIRS, where they shot and killed al-kuiwaiti. After that, they moved up to the top floor and, upon entering, shot and killed on of bin laden’s sons. They then moved up and entered a small room, where he was…