23 children, 9 women with Bin Laden in assault—US official
WASHINGTON – A US official says al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was far from alone when US forces launched their assault on his compound in Pakistan.
The official tells The Associated Press that 23 children and nine women were in the compound that had served as Bin Laden’s secret home for six years. The official says the women and children were turned over to Pakistani authorities.
The official, who had been briefed on the operation, spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss matters of intelligence.
A team of Navy SEALs killed Bin Laden during an intense fire fight that also left dead one of Bin Laden’s sons and two al-Qaida facilitators.
The official says the US forces captured a great deal of material from the site, from documents to electronic hardware.
