Intel hunt led to shootout at bin Laden fortress

Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, is seen following a U.S. military raid on May 2, 2011.

/ Reuters

Senior administration officials tell CBS News that the operation to find and kill al Qaeda boss Osama bin Laden began in earnest when the CIA learned the world's most wanted terrorist was in a specific compound in Pakistan.

The president ordered the raid by a small, elite Navy SEAL team, which found bin Laden in a home on a fortified compound in Abbottabad, near Islamabad, Pakistan's capital.

Complete coverage: Osama bin Laden's end

Intelligence agents believed there was a "high probability" bin Laden was hiding at the compound.

U.S. officials say inside information was key to the successful operation. The CIA has for decades tried to gain the confidence of people close to the al Qaeda boss. Terror detainees "flagged to us people who were providing direct support" to bin Laden. A lone courier in particular, an associate of other senior al Qaeda members, proved crucial in the end.

According to senior administration officials, Mr. Obama met with his national security team at least 9 meetings prior to the operation that ended bin Laden's life. The president's top national security officials met five times themselves, and their deputies seven times. In addition, Mr. Obama has frequent consultations between the NSC, CIA, DoD and other agencies on the bin Laden hunt.

A tape showing Osama bin Laden, taken before September 11, 2001.

/ CBS

The president made the decision to undertake the operation at 8:20am ET on April 29th in the Diplomatic Room, prior to going to Alabama to view the tornado damage. On May 1, the national security staff and others worked out final details for the operation. Following is more of the timeline:

2:00pm Mr. Obama met with the principals to review final preparations.

3:32pm Mr. Obama returned to the Situation Room for an additional briefing.

3:50pm Mr. Obama first learns that bin Laden was tentatively identified.

7:01pm Mr. Obama learns that there's a "high probability"  bin Laden has been identified.

8:30pm Mr. Obama receives a further briefings.

11:30pm Mr. Obama tells nation Osama bin Laden is dead.

Video: Osama bin Laden killed

CBS News was told that the courier was "trusted" by bin Laden. "We identified areas where this courier and his brother operated, but they had extensive operational security," said the official -- and those elaborate security procedures made the U.S. even more suspicious of whom they were catering to.

Bin Laden's residence was identified in August 2010 in Abbottabad, Pakistan, an affluent area home to many retired military officers.

American agents were "shocked by what we saw" at the compound, calling it an "extraordinary" complex many times larger than the other homes in the neighborhood, surrounded by an eight-foot high, barbed wire-topped wall.

/ CBS/AP

CBS is told there were secondary perimeter walls inside the compound, with two security gates. One thing intelligence operatives noticed was that the residents of the complex seemed to burn their trash, an unusual measure to maintain privacy which set them apart from their neighbors.

The lavish home had a terrace on the third floor, surrounded by its own seven-foot high privacy wall.

Another unusual feature of the unusually expensive home -- it had no telephone or internet connections. That set more alarm bells ringing.

The raid on Bin Laden's compound

Early Sunday afternoon, Mr. Obama ordered the "surgical" U.S. helicopter raid on the compound in Abbottabad. It was planned as an elite strike by a small team to minimize any collateral damage or death in the area.

CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports the team went in aboard two Blackhawk helicopters. It was a military team of about two dozen, but they were operating under the authority of Leon Panetta, the CIA Director, since the U.S. military does not have authority to operate in Pakistan. A second team of about two dozen orbited out of sight in case they were needed.

U.S. troops were at the compound for less than 40 minutes. In addition to bin Laden, three adult males were killed, including bin Laden's adult son and two couriers.

Bin Laden did not go peacefully, according to officials. He resisted arrest and was killed in a firefight as U.S. troops entered the compound.

One woman was killed when she was used as a human shield, U.S. officials say.

Two women were injured in the raid.

One of the U.S. helicopters had mechanical failure before leaving the raid and was destroyed.

None of the specific intelligence resulting in the raid was shared with another country. Only a "very small group of people" inside the U.S. government knew it was to happen. Officials say Pakistan's government was notified after the fact.

The officials, all of whom spoke to CBS News on condition they remain anonymous, said care was being take to ensure bin Laden's body was handled in an "appropriate manner" according to Islamic custom.

[jfl1950]

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http://www.infowars.com/category/featured-stories/

[WiseAsOwl]

A lot of us are being a might nastier to others than necessary... I'm thinking that Obama did a good job at this particular "project".. There's no use in taking any credit away from him for this.. He's the man.. He's a jerk, mostly unfit to be president, which will always be my opinion...but that isn't at all the issue of the day.. I rejoice that Obama was able to "make this happen" and must give him credit for it.. but, I give special credit for the efforts of our fighting men and women... We can all be proud.. Just don't some of you expect us to worship your Messiah...

[ms40237]

May Day! May Day!

[JRC_903]

This is truly a day to rejoice. The supporters of one hater of the country in particular--- and some haters of this counties' leaders in general--- are beset with grief this day. And yes, to all those who wrote in to remind us that that GW BUSH made this day possible. This is an disputable fact. Indeed, if he had done this on his watch, events of this day would never have happened.

[SoCal_Gridlock]

bin Laden is dead because of the use of enhanced interrogation techniques used at Gitmo. There are a lot of people celebrating in the streets of the USA right now who oppose waterboarding and support the closing of Guantanamo Bay. Just sayin'.

[Well_You_Aint_Me]

You're an idiot. Just sayin'

[AOCGUY]

SoCal, how about reading the news before commenting. This had nothing to do with GITMO and waterboarding. It had everything to do with intel folks on the ground noticing the unusual and conducting proper investigation.

BTW, in case you missed it, the unusal was that there was a very expensive home with absolutely no electronic communications. That subtle but very unusual fact caused the intel folks to pay claoser attention for almost a year until they made positive ID that Bin Laden was, in fact, in the residence.

[dogsoul]

I've criticized Obama many times before... and will most assuredly in the future - but today is not about one party vs another. As a conservative myself, I would encourage ALL of us to celebrate this victory as united Americans - and NOT begrudge the Obama Administration the success of this mission because it happened on their watch - we've seen that before & I for one will not stand for it. This was the result of many years of hard work under both Republican & Democratic Administrations using our various resources in the CIA, FBI & of course, our beloved men & women of the U.S. Military - thank you. No, terrorism is not dead & we will continue to remain vigilant - but at least that despicable, evil man has faced justice here on earth... and will at long last face his many victims before God in the final judgement.

[dogsoul]

...you sir are precisely what is wrong with this country. Only an idiot such as yourself could derive that from my statement. I will not hold others responsible for your masterful stupidity. Good day.

[dogsoul]

I believe Bush said Bin Laden had been 'marginalized' - meaning he had severely limited if any operational effectiveness once he became most wanted & was forced into hiding. It sounds like you doubt that statement to be true? Do you think the CIA stopped looking for Bin Laden? If so, you've got an opinion that runs counter to just about everyone with any sort of credentials whatsoever - including Obama who also acknowledged that this has been the result of ongoing efforts since 9/11. Why don't you go buy a lollipop from the corner store & sit on your porch for a while buddy... leave this conversation to the adults.

[jake5571]

Good by Bin Laden

[davefromdayton]

I am not an Obama fan and dislike many of his policies, but his handling of Afghanistan is the exception. He had a logical plan to track down bin Laden, executed that plan, and killed that POS. He reported the information that lead to the raid, gave credit to Pres. Bush for his efforts, and put the event in great historical context. Well done Mr. President!

[rexxcarz]

Good work, Intel and SeAL team 6. Next!

[stooge2990]

Did the raiding party find his computer? It would be crammed with codes and intel he used to communicate with his cronie terrorists!

[enlightenu]

shhhhh!

[Well_You_Aint_Me]

Did you read the article?

"Another unusual feature of the unusually expensive home -- it had no telephone or internet connections."

Exacly of what use would OBL have for a computer "crammed with codes and intel he used to communicate with his cronie terrorists!"

He would have no way to upload aor download info outside the compound.