3 May 2011 Last updated at 19:24

How Osama Bin Laden was killed

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Joe Biden Barack Obama
  • 1
    Helicopter-borne US Navy Seals fly from Afghanistan to Osama Bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, arriving at
    around 0030 Monday (0930GMT Sunday).
  • 2
    Two Black Hawk helicopters set down at the compound after one develops problems. A team of 25 Seals breaches at least three walls to reach the main building.
  • 3
    As they go through the compound one person fires on the commandos. Three men and a woman are killed by the US Navy Seals. There are no
    US casualties.
  • 4
    On the second floor US commandos find Osama Bin Laden with his wife. She is shot in the leg. Bin Laden, who is unarmed, is shot twice and killed.
  • 5
    Computer hard drives and other evidence is taken from the compound, along with Bin Laden's body. The US team departs after destroying the damaged aircraft.

Tension in the White House situation room

President Barack Obama followed the raid on Bin Laden's compound from the White House situation room - a secure space used to monitor and manage crises. For 40 minutes, the president and his senior aides were kept updated of the progress of the operation. "The minutes passed like days," said White House counter-terrorism chief John Brennan. On hearing of Bin Laden's death, Mr Obama declared: "We got him."

1. Joe Biden

Vice president of the United States

2. Barack Obama

President of the United States

3. Brigadier General
Marshall B "Brad" Webb

Joint special operations command

4. Denis McDonough

Deputy national security adviser

5. Hillary Clinton

Secretary of state

6. Robert Gates

Secretary of defense

7. Admiral Mike Mullen

Chairman of the joint chiefs of staff

8. Tom Donilon

National security adviser

9. Bill Daley

Chief of staff

10. Tony Blinken

National security adviser to the vice president

11. Audrey Tomason

Director for counter-terrorism

12. John Brennan

Assistant to the president for
homeland security and counter-terrorism

13. James Clapper

Director of national intelligence

Bin Laden's bedroom

Footage from inside Bin Laden's Abbottabad compound tells of the bloody fire fight that left the al-Qaeda leader dead.

Crashed helicopter

One of the helicopters used in the operation failed and was destroyed by the special forces before they left.

The compound

The fortified compound was built on the edge of the hill town of Abbottabad, with no phone or internet connections.

Osama Bin Laden's compound: How it evolved over time

The Pentagon released satellite images dating back several years of the compound where Osama Bin Laden was discovered. They clearly show how it was extended over the years.

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