Bin Laden's daughter claims father was 'captured alive' before being killed

Osama bin Laden's daughter has claimed her father was captured alive before being shot dead by US special forces.

The claim about the death of the world's most wanted man was reported by Al Arabiya.

The report puts further pressure on the White House after a spokesman already confirmed bin Laden was not armed.

But spokesman Jay Carney said the al Qaeda leader "did resist" during the raid on his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

"There was concern bin Laden would oppose the capture operation and indeed, he did resist," he said.

Reporters were later briefed he "appeared as if he was reaching for a weapon".

However, CIA Director Leon Panetta said the US Navy SEALs that carried out the mission knew they might have to take bin Laden's life.

"The authorities we have on bin Laden are to kill him. And that was made clear," he said.

"But it was also, as part of their rules of engagement, if he suddenly put up his hands and offered to be captured, then they would have the opportunity, obviously, to capture him. But that opportunity never developed."

Panetta also told American TV channel NBC that a photo of a dead Bin Laden would “ultimately” be released.  Carney said bin Laden's wife tried to rush the US troops as they stormed into the room where her husband was - dispelling speculation he used her as a human shield.

She was shot in the leg but not killed as first reported.

"Bin Laden was then shot and killed. He was not armed," he added, saying several other people in the building were armed and that there was a "volatile firefight."

Officials at the White House have previously said the al Qaeda leader would have been captured alive had there been the opportunity to do so.

After bin Laden's death, the ground commander of the raid, who was supposed to use the code word "Geronimo" for bin Laden's killing or capture, instead transmitted the more emotional "For God and country, Geronimo, Geronimo, Geronimo," MSNBC reported.

Another senior US official said that footage existed of both the operation to get the terrorist and his burial at sea.

One of the wives of the terror chief has already identified the body and DNA tests compared with family members showed a "virtually 100%" match.

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@ ray These are the dirty sides of politics and it shows that these things work out like a boomerang! You try to hit someone else and finally it gets on to you. And this happens to all parties involved without the exception of anyone, be it the CIA or fundamentalists groups like Al-Qaeda. I don't sympatise with neither side nor the other, but what's bad for one side is bad for the other one as well, not only sympatising with one side, who after all committed the worst nuclear disaster in the world, that is Hiroshima and Nagasaki.The Japanese were innocent and civilian people too, not only the people at the twin towers. I condemn all these actions, coming for any side, which result in loss of innocent life.All parties should target the main objects only.
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Jessica Chetcuti
Glad that you find me entertaining, and I bow to your superior knowledge. But having sat through his trial on tv, when it was emphasised explicitly that his trial and his execution had to be carried out by his own countrymen for political expediency, then who am I to argue. The execution was also filmed by permission of the Iraqi government for posterity but was never made public fearing a religious backlash, which makes sense to me. That is why when the cell phone footage was shown worldwide it caused further escalation of violence between the Sunni/Shiite religious groups, of which we are still seeing to this day.
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@Quo Vadis What Jamrie said is true. Shame it doesn't fit with you conspiracy theory. Having said that, you are missing 1 crucial point. Saddam Hussein was also very close to the CIA. Regarding your comment 'That means that as usual the Americans use people for their own interests and then they try to get rid of them just like that!' , This is exactly what Bin Laden did. He befriended the Americans and than used people (suicide fanatics) to bomb them. And what the hell did you expect the Americans to do? Throw him a surprise party??
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@ Jamrie I bet that you are Roman Catholic from your comments about other religions! Why don't you see the hatred and intollerance that your religion is showing towards people who want to, and have got a right, for another option if their marriage breaks down!!I wonder what stand the Maltese church will take when it comes to deal with gay marriage, or perhaps they should take advice from a Maltese MEP member of the PPE, on the PN ticket! He's so staunch against divorce, but what is his position about gay marriage? The church says that marriage is between a MAN and a WOMAN!!!!! I'm curious about any replies.
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@ Jamrie You make me laugh!! So according to you, the hanging and the video footage of the execution of Saddam Hussein was no authorised by the CIA??? Far from it, they gave a big green light, because they wanted to make a fool out of him in all that sad story. If you believe everything that is said in the US official statements, I feel very, but very sorry for you!!
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Jessica Chetcuti
@Quo Vadis, The Americans had nothing to do with the trial and execution of Sadam Hussain, this was carrid out by the Iraqi's. The footage shown of Sadams execution which was shown worldwide was made by an unauthorised cell phone.
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fishy or not, he was responsible for thousands of innocent lifes and for the fear his barbaric acts and statements created. still if he wasnt harmed with any firearms one can not really say if he had any other booby trap hidden under his hiddeous turban. at least the Seal team were merciful enough to give him one shot and not make him live all the saddness that families suffered because of his irresponsible and primitive doings.
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Jessica Chetcuti
It seems that the media are now nit-picking over every little detail of this guy’s demise? Who cares if he did or didn't resist? .... Who cares if he was armed or unarmed? The fact is that he got his just deserves. He was shot and killed and is now buried, and the world is now a better place for that. If it is true that someone close to Bin –Laden fingered his whereabouts that will make many of his lieutenants very nervous indeed. However what we will now see is more lunatics being recruited by the hate mob who will continue with their evil ways…..All in the name of Islam.
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There's something very fishy in all this. I just wonder why the americans, who use their media as a weapon, didn't show any photos or videos like they did with Saddam Hussein. And I hope that in all the coverage that they are doing about Bin Laden's killing they will mention that he was very close with the CIA in the Afghanistan war between 1979 - 1984. That means that as usual the americans use people for their own interests and then they try to get rid of them just like that!
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He got the same justice that he gave to hundreds of others.