Source: 2.7 terabytes of data recovered from bin Laden compound

By: Emily Rand
Topics: Terrorism

CBS

A law enforcement source tells CBS News that 2.7 terabytes of data were recovered from the laptops, computers, hard drives and other storage devices seized from the bin Laden compound. It's unclear whether all of the 2.7 terabytes are original files or if there are multiple copies of files. To put the amount of data recovered in perspective, just one terabyte of data could hold about 2,000 hours of audio or 220 million pages of text.

Intelligence officials have not said how they are analyzing the data, but a DOD computer forensic analyst who works on computers captured on the battlefield tells CBS News forensic analysts are most likely using search indexing tools and software to rapidly analyze seized electronic devices to locate information of interest to the intelligence committee.

Sources said much of the material seized in the daring raid was encrypted so the messages could not be read if they were intercepted.

Among the material confiscated was al Qaida propaganda material including al Qaida messaging strategies to inspire and recruit new Jihadists. There is some indication that bin Laden was continuing to develop his strategy to utilize homegrown operatives that were intimately famiilar with the countries in which they lived. There was also material on current events, in an apparent effort to keep bin Laden abreast on news from around the world.

Complete coverage: The Killing of Osama bin Laden

The compound did not appear to have been used as a nerve center or a command and control post, but analysts are looking further to determine the extent of bin Laden's involvement in day to day decisions and long-term strategy.

bin Laden had cash, phone numbers sewn in clothes

The first priority, sources tell CBS News, is for analysts to determine if the mother-lode of data contains any actionable plots in the works against the U.S. and western interests. Analysts will also seek to identify any al Qaida operatives or extremists in the United States or elsewhere.

A good portion of the material is being analyzed at CIA headquarters at Langley and at other intelligence community at sites around the world.

Another top priority for analysts is to search for evidence of a connection between al Qaida and al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), in particular links between bin Laden and AQAP's leader Anwar al awlaqi, living in Yemen, and Nasir al-Wahishi, AQAP's operational leader.

Digital forensic and evidence recovery specialists were part of the raid team---springing into action after the compound was secured. The team had to rapidly preserve everything, freezing everything on computers so that it didn't get wiped out. The recovery specialists had to be particularly careful before they unplugged the computers not to trigger software programs designed to destroy hard drives or delete data that may have been installed by bin Laden's people as protection.

Photos: Osama's hideaway

"The trick was to get it out fast but to preserve everything, a source said, "for intelligence purposes first but also for evidence for possible prosecutions,'' of terrorists.

Sources say it could take weeks or months to get a handle on what the U.S. has and what the value of it is.

CBS News' Pat Milton contributed to this story

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by carol444 May 8, 2011 9:17 AM EDT

TOP GOVERNMENT INSIDER: BIN LADEN DIED IN 2001, 9/11 A FALSE FLAG
http://www.infowars.com/top-us-government-insider-bin-laden-died-in-2001-911-a-false-fl

EXCERPT
"Dr. Pieczenik said that the decision to launch the hoax now was made because Obama had reached a low with plummeting approval ratings and the fact that the birther issue was blowing up in his face."

"Dismissing the government's account of the assassination of Bin Laden as a "sick joke" on the American people, Pieczenik said, "They are so desperate to make Obama viable, to negate the fact that he may not have been born here, any questions about his background, any irregularities about his background, to make him look assertive&.to re-elect this president so the American public can be duped once again."

"Pieczenik's assertion that Bin Laden died almost ten years ago is echoed by numerous intelligence professionals as well as heads of state across the world. Bin Laden, "Was used in the same way that 9/11 was used to mobilize the emotions and feelings of the American people in order to go to a war that had to be justified. He was directly told by a prominent general that 9/11 was a stand down and a false flag operation, and he is prepared to go to a grand jury to reveal the general's name."

"They ran the attacks," said Pieczenik, naming Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz, Stephen Hadley, Elliott Abrams, and Condoleezza Rice amongst others as having been directly involved. It was called a stand down, a false flag operation in order to mobilize the American public under false pretenses"

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by democracy5 May 8, 2011 7:16 PM EDT: Would you PLEASE give this tired BS a rest? You're embarrassing yourself and are too stupid to realize it.

by carol444 May 8, 2011 9:16 AM EDT

The neocon planning of PNAC (Project for the New American Century, a plan for world domination) led to 911 and the ongoing military invasions of sovereign countries for a NWO. Those involved in 911 will likely be exposed by the bumbling of the Bin Laden "9 deaths" fiasco unraveling. Dr. Pieczenik worked at the top levels of previous administrations; he's the hero character of the Clancy novels. He specifically warns the NAVY and Admiral Mullen not to carry out another false flag attack against Americans. He exposes the 911 perpetrators Bush Jr, Rumsfeld, Cheney, Wolfowitz, Eliott Abrams, Condoleza Rice, NSA's Stephen Hadley, etc. Pieczenik also mentions involvement of Air Force generals' in 911 but doesn't name them in this interview. From other reading, I know that one of them was Gen Meyer.

Dr. Steve Pieczenik: The Psychological Resurrection of Osama Bin Laden 1/2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d679JVfRcOM

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by democracy5 May 8, 2011 7:16 PM EDT: Would you PLEASE give this tired BS a rest? You're embarrassing yourself and are too stupid to realize it.


by imnho May 6, 2011 11:39 PM EDT: In all liklyhood he was in to mountain goats; Reply to this comment


by formrusmcsgt May 6, 2011 7:50 PM EDT: Depending on how quickly it can be harvested, this COULD be more valuable than aceing OBL.

It's value lessens with time.; Reply to this comment

by HawkSpringsIsHere May 6, 2011 6:10 PM EDT

Why on earth are they telling the world about this?
It would have been smarter to say the compound was empty and they found nothing.

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by formrusmcsgt May 6, 2011 7:49 PM EDT: Ahem.

Al Qaeda knows OBL was their leader and, as such, had the materials at his dosposal to run his organization.

There's no secret here that data was captured - it's a given.


by SusanStoHelit May 6, 2011 5:00 PM EDT: 2.7 TB - no doubt it's a massive mix. Contact info around the world, plots, video files, audio, etc. Al Queda isn't small, there is a ton of information that can be in there.; Reply to this comment


by username751 May 6, 2011 4:43 PM EDT: Only video files would chew up that much space. Unless it was a month-long, unedited diatribe about western power and how we are all ever so naughty, and damned to blah blah blah, in mp3 format.

Probably a bunch of pirated movies, with Allah-approved themes. Irony be damned.; Reply to this comment


by USSAmerikan May 6, 2011 3:11 PM EDT: 2.7 TBs? That must be information on everybody who's ever helped Al Quaeda... It sounds like the CIA and the SEALs will be busy delivering our brand of justice around the world for some time...; Reply to this comment