Osama bin Laden had cash, phone numbers sewn in clothes

OSAMA BIN LADEN over his compound

/ CBS/AP

Osama bin Laden had 500 Euros in cash and two telephone numbers sewn into his clothing when he was killed, CBS News has confirmed.

The news was first reported by Politico Wednesday. It was unclear whether the money was denominated in Euros or another currency, but the revelation seems to indicate that the al Qaeda leader was prepared to flee in the event of a raid like the U.S. military strike in which he was killed on Sunday.

The Killing of Osama bin Laden

The details come from officials who attended a classified intelligence briefing on Capitol Hill.

"CIA Director Leon Panetta told lawmakers about the items found in bin Laden's clothing in response to a question about why he wasn't guarded by more security personnel at his relatively luxurious home in a military town north of Islamabad," Politico reported. "The answer, according to one source who attended the briefing: Bin Laden believed "his network was strong enough he'd get a heads-up" before any U.S. strike against him."

The White House on Tuesday gave a more complete picture of the assault -- and corrected some key details from earlier official accounts, such as revealing that bin Laden was not armed as previously claimed -- as the team that pulled off the storied raid in Pakistan briefed officials and rested back at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington.

White House changes story: Bin Laden unarmed

The administration possesses graphic images of bin Laden's corpse, at least one of which is likely to be released, according to CIA Director Leon Panetta. Officials hope that doing so would quiet any doubts that bin Laden is indeed dead. The worry is that anti-U.S. sentiment would be inflamed as a result.

CBS News national security correspondent David Martin has also had the photos described to him and said it "does sound very gruesome."

Bin Laden was shot twice at close range, once in the chest and once in the head, right above his left eye and that bullet opened his skull, exposing his brain and it also blew out his eye. So these are not going to be pictures for the squeamish," Martin said.

How did bin Laden resist Navy SEALs without a weapon?

White House officials initially suggested bin Laden had been holding a gun and perhaps firing at U.S. forces. The corrected account raised questions about whether the Americans ever planned to take him alive, or simply were out to kill him.

After they shot him in the head and chest, the SEAL team in just minutes quickly swept bin Laden's compound for useful intelligence, making off with a cache of computer equipment and documents. The CIA was hurriedly setting up a task force to review the material from the highest level of al Qaeda's leadership.

The revised account of bin Laden's final moments was one of many official details that have changed since he was killed in the nighttime raid early Monday morning in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad. The White House misidentified which of bin Laden's sons was killed -- it was Khalid, not Hamza. Officials incorrectly said bin Laden's wife died in gunfire while serving as his human shield. That actually was the wife of a bin Laden aide, and she was just caught in crossfire, the White House said Tuesday.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney attributed those discrepancies to the fog of war, saying the information was coming in bit by bit and was still being reviewed. Nevertheless, the contradictory statements may raise suspicions about the White House's version of events, given that no independent account from another source is likely to emerge. The only non-U.S. witnesses to survive the raid are in Pakistani custody.

[167irishboy]

This is THE video that describes the intensity of SEAL Team 6. Enjoy!

"Shoot To Thrill" AC/DC Live, Stark Expo, Flushing, New York

http://reelsoundtrack.wordpress.com:80/2010/05/07/iron-man-2-soundtrack/

[morriswise]

There was no reason to kill Osama except to silence him. He knew something that would cost many people in high office their jobs or send them to prison. The people protecting Osama were blackmailing the US and that is why he was silenced in a covert operation.

[username751]

You interchanged "Osama" with "Obama" so many times, I can only hope that your mush-brained perception detected the discord. Somehow, I doubt it. We can only be thankful your entry wasn't in ALL CAPS! FOR CERTAINLY, THAT WOULD INDICATE A SLOBBERING IDIOT AT THE TERMINAL! YOU ARE MUCH BETTER THAN THAT!

[username751]

I hope you do not have a driver's license.

Or a license to dispense medication.

Or, feel the need to procreate (that means make the sex, "High five!").

But, I fear you will accomplish at least one of the aforementioned. And so, please find a brick, and apply it forcefully and liberally to your head. Having done so, consider yourself a patriot.

[Lindag10]

Looks like Osama's safety network, the Pakistani government and army failed him. So sad, too bad.

[WiseAsOwl]

It sounds to me like we "rolled him"........

[WiseAsOwl]

I'll reply to my own comment.. This is one thing that the Libs have taught us... "If reasonably possible, DON'T ever take prisoners.."

[imnho]

In the situation that they were in anything less then a complete and total surrender would have justifed the employment of deadly force. The seal only had a second ot two to make the decsion

[BJP343]

I believe our military killed him, and I personally don't give a flip about how they did it ! I am very proud of our military,and i believe for our safety and theirs, some secrets are necessary.

[senca67]

and our President Mr Obama.

[1pheasant1]

Indeed, the leader of our military, the Commander in Chief, President Barrack Obama!

[username751]

One was the number of his dry cleaner, the other was his bookie. The odds of getting those stains out, 1000-to-1.

[aartsawandtool]

Wow. Americans have the best sense of humor. Is that from an old joke? Very, very, very funny...

[cbs_bull]

And hopefully, we're going to send two missiles to the two number's owners each ...

[WiseAsOwl]

NOW, you're talking.. That would make perfect sense.... Let's do it!!

[AlFranken]

I don't understand why he didn't flee to Europe in the first place. There are plenty of Muslims in Europe that would have happily hide him from us.

[stn_sage]

OH, REALLY?! Did they search his body cavities, also?! Maybe he had 2 pounds of C-4 and det cord up his fanny, too?!
The more I hear stories like this, the more I think it's contrived!
As Shakespeare wrote, approximately, 'Me doth thinketh the lady protests too much'! At least, I think it was him...I'll have to check on it in
awhile, I haven't fully woken up yet! :)

[san850]

You apparently live in a fantasy world. Hope you are enjoying it there.

[stn_sage]

to san850: Nope. The people that believe this story, the Jessica Lynch story, 911, Oklahoma City, and various other govt proposed conspiracy theories, ARE, the ones living in a fantasy world! And, your govt thanks you, up and until, the end...