assassination of Osama bin Laden

assassination of Osama bin Laden
Name	Operation Neptune Spear
Part of	War in Afghanistan (2001-2021), War on terror
Date	May 2, 2011
Place	Abbottabad, Pakistan
Result	Death of Osama bin Laden

Assassination of Osama bin Laden. The operation to kill Osama bin Laden, the founder and leader of the Islamic terrorist organization al-Qaeda, was carried out by United States Navy SEALs from the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU), also known as SEAL Team Six, in a raid at his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The operation was authorized by President of the United States Barack Obama, and was the culmination of years of intelligence gathering by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the National Security Agency (NSA), and other intelligence agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), with support from Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and other Pakistani intelligence agencies. The operation was also supported by Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM), and was facilitated by the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan and the Strategic Partnership Agreement between the United States and Afghanistan.

Background

The background to the operation involved the September 11 attacks in 2001, which were planned and carried out by al-Qaeda under the leadership of Osama bin Laden, resulting in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people, including citizens of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and other countries, and leading to the launch of the War in Afghanistan (2001-2021) by the United States and its allies, including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The United States Congress passed the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) in response to the attacks, which authorized the President of the United States to use military force against those responsible, including al-Qaeda and its affiliates, such as Taliban and Haqqani network. The CIA and other intelligence agencies had been tracking Osama bin Laden for years, following leads and gathering intelligence from various sources, including Abu Zubaydah, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and other high-value detainees held at Guantanamo Bay detention center and other facilities. The FBI had also been investigating Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda for their role in the 1998 United States embassy bombings and other terrorist attacks, and had issued a FBI Most Wanted Terrorists list, which included Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders, such as Ayman al-Zawahiri and Saif al-Adel.

Planning and preparation

The planning and preparation for the operation involved the CIA and other intelligence agencies gathering intelligence on Osama bin Laden's location and activities, using a variety of methods, including signals intelligence (SIGINT) and human intelligence (HUMINT), and analyzing data from National Security Agency (NSA) and other sources, including satellite imagery and communications intercepts. The United States Navy SEALs from SEAL Team Six were selected for the mission, and underwent extensive training and preparation, including rehearsals at a mock-up of the compound at Harvard University's Camp Peary and other facilities, and were supported by Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM). The operation was planned to take place on May 1, 2011, but was delayed due to weather conditions, and was ultimately carried out on May 2, 2011, with the support of United States Air Force (USAF) and United States Army (USA) units, including the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) and the 24th Special Tactics Squadron (STS).

Operation Neptune Spear

The operation, code-named Operation Neptune Spear, involved a team of 24 United States Navy SEALs from SEAL Team Six, who were flown to the compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan on Stealth Hawk helicopters, and were supported by United States Air Force (USAF) and United States Army (USA) units, including the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) and the 24th Special Tactics Squadron (STS). The SEALs breached the compound and engaged Osama bin Laden and his bodyguards in a firefight, resulting in the death of Osama bin Laden and several others, including Khalid bin Laden and Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti, and the capture of Amal Ahmed Abdul Fatah, one of Osama bin Laden's wives. The operation was monitored in real-time by President of the United States Barack Obama, Vice President of the United States Joe Biden, and other senior officials, including Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, from the White House Situation Room.

Aftermath

The aftermath of the operation involved the United States announcing the death of Osama bin Laden to the world, and the Pakistani government facing criticism for not detecting the presence of Osama bin Laden in the country, and for not being informed of the operation in advance, leading to tensions between the United States and Pakistan, and affecting relations between the two countries, including the United States-Pakistan strategic dialogue and the Kerry-Lugar-Berman Act. The CIA and other intelligence agencies continued to analyze the intelligence gathered from the compound, including documents and computer files, which provided valuable insights into al-Qaeda's operations and plans, and helped to disrupt the organization's activities, including the al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). The FBI also updated its FBI Most Wanted Terrorists list to reflect the death of Osama bin Laden, and continued to investigate and prosecute al-Qaeda members and affiliates, including Anwar al-Awlaki and Samir Khan.

Reactions

The reactions to the operation were widespread, with many world leaders, including Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron, Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper, and Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard, congratulating the United States on the successful operation, and praising the bravery and skill of the United States Navy SEALs involved. The United Nations (UN) and other international organizations, including the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), also welcomed the news, and called for continued cooperation in the fight against terrorism, including the Global War on Terror and the War in Afghanistan (2001-2021). However, some countries, including Iran and Venezuela, criticized the operation, and called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Osama bin Laden, and the Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups vowed to avenge his death, leading to increased tensions and violence in the region, including the War in North-West Pakistan and the Insurgency in Balochistan.

Controversies

The controversies surrounding the operation involved questions about the legality of the operation, including whether it constituted an extrajudicial killing or a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty, and whether the United States had the right to carry out the operation without the consent of the Pakistani government, leading to debates and discussions in the United Nations (UN) and other international forums, including the United Nations Security Council and the International Court of Justice. The operation also raised questions about the treatment of Osama bin Laden's body, which was buried at sea in accordance with Islamic tradition, and the handling of the intelligence gathered from the compound, which was shared with other countries, including the United Kingdom and Canada, and was used to disrupt al-Qaeda's operations and plans, including the al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). The CIA and other intelligence agencies faced criticism for their role in the operation, and for their use of enhanced interrogation techniques (EITs) and other methods to gather intelligence from detainees, including Abu Zubaydah and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, which were widely condemned as torture and human rights abuses, and led to calls for greater oversight and accountability, including the Church Committee and the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Category:Assassinations