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Data found with Bin Laden will trap fanatics
By The Sun
Wed 04 May 2011, 07:40 CAT [530 Reads, 0 Comment(s)]
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A TREASURE trove of computers, hard drives and discs snatched by US Navy Seals from Osama Bin Laden's HQ could nail THOUSANDS of other terrorists.
US officials last night called it "the mother lode of intelligence".
The data could prove even more significant in crippling al-Qaeda than Sunday's execution of their warlord.
The existence of the huge haul was revealed as Pakistani intelligence bosses admitted they DID know where Bin Laden was hiding.
Special Forces troops grabbed five computers, ten hard drives and more than 100 computer memory devices, including DVDs and memory sticks, during the raid on Bin Laden's compound lair in Abbottabad.
Hundreds of agents were last night examining the material in Afghanistan.
A US intelligence official said spy bosses were "very excited". He added: "The Seals cleaned it out. Can you imagine what's on Osama Bin Laden's hard drive?"
John Brennan, White House senior adviser on counter-terrorism, confirmed: "We were able to acquire material.
"We're interested in insights into any terrorist plot that might be under way and leads to other individuals in the organisation and their capabilities."
It emerged that Bin Laden was cornered on the third floor of his base. Two of his couriers and a woman hit by cross-fire died with him.
Two top-ranking Pakistani intelligence officers told The Sun yesterday that they knew for several weeks that Bin Laden was at Abbottabad.
The men, who did not want their identities revealed, claimed they hoped to capture the al-Qaeda boss but the US beat them to it.
One, a commander in the Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI), said: "Bin Laden's presence in Abbottabad was discussed at the highest level. We were 100 per cent sure. We wanted to act before the US got their hands on him. Top bosses wanted us to wait."
An intelligence bureau director added: "We were getting close to that house weeks back. We had finalised he was in there. All the relevant authorities were told. We were waiting for a decision when the US acted."
Former ISI chief Lieutenant General Hamid Gul said he thought corrupt agency bosses were preparing to SELL the information to the US - or capture Bin Laden and grab the $25million bounty on his head.
Gul, 74, said: "The ISI and the government must have known everything."
President Asif Ali Zardari denied Pakistan "lacked vitality" in its fight against terrorism. And ISI officials said they handed information on the compound to the US.
But PM David Cameron warned that all the facts suggested Bin Laden had an "extensive support network" in Pakistan.
He said "searching questions" needed to be asked.
But he vowed that the UK would stand by "democratic Pakistan" and insisted a controversial £650million aid package he pledged last month would survive. Tory MP Philip Davies called the aid deal "an outrage".
A document released by WikiLeaks last week showed that Libyan terrorist Faraj al-Libi told US interrogators in 2008 that Bin Laden had a base in Abbottabad.
Can we have our ball back, Mr Bin Laden
CHILDREN would kick balls over Osama Bin Laden's garden wall and never get them back, neighbours revealed yesterday.
The al-Qaeda supremo was so terrified of being glimpsed - and his luxury hideout rumbled - he got his henchmen to pay the kids to get lost.
The going rate - including for cricket and tennis balls - was £2.50 a pop, according to locals in the well-heeled suburb where the monster, 54, was shot dead in his bolthole by US Special Forces.
One lad told how he twice hit his cricket ball over the 18ft walls of the mystery compound - little suspecting the world's most wanted man was holed up behind them.
Daniel Alvi, 16, dodged security to retrieve it BOTH times.
He said yesterday in the hill town of Abbottabad, which is 65 miles from Pakistan's capital: "I went over the wall on two occasions after I hit the ball over there.
"Luckily for me there was no one around. I think there was a $25million reward for Bin Laden - but I never imagined he was in there."
Ice cream vendor Tanvir Ahmed confirmed: "If a ball went into Bin Laden's compound the children would not be allowed to get it.
"They were given money instead. They were paid 100 to 150 rupees (£2.50) per ball."
The sprawling million-dollar hideaway is a far cry from the dank caves that Bin Laden's acolytes were led to believe he was skulking in. Yesterday it bore the scars of Sunday's sensational raid.
Walls and floors were blood-spattered. Among the debris a clock on the floor was stuck at 2.20am - when the elite US Navy Seals struck.
The remains of a Black Hawk helicopter blown up by the squad after it crashed into the compound with a fault was a twisted tangle of scorched metal. Bits were carried off by trophy-hunters.
A mechanic fixed Osama Bin Laden car 10 days ago
he crack troops escaped in three other choppers. They were in and out within 40 minutes - taking Bin Laden's corpse with them.
Duped al-Qaeda fanatics had long justified the hardships they were expected to endure with the thought their leader was surviving in stone-age conditions in the unforgiving mountains of Afghanistan.
In reality the secret three-storey residence was built for him across the border seven years ago - and he had spent at least half a decade relaxing there.
White House counter-terrorism chief John Brennan confirmed: "He was in this compound for the past five or six years."
Bin Laden never ventured out and kept away from windows while living the life of a cult leader surrounded by nine women - at least two of them his wives - and 23 kids.
Two other families lived alongside his own. The children - none of whom were injured in the US raid - were aged between three and eight, according to local tailor Siraj Ahmad, who was often asked to make clothes for them.
Zarar Ahmed, 12, told how he would visit the vast 38,000 sq ft compound to play with Bin Laden's kids. He said: "He had two wives. One spoke Arabic and the other Urdu. They had three children, a girl and two boys. They gave me two rabbits.
"They had installed a camera at the outer gate so they could see people before they entered the house."
The milkman only delivered to outside the security gate - and never rang the bell. Anyone daring to lean on the wall was warned to move on.
A woman medic once turned up to try to give the kids polio vaccines but was turned away - after commenting on the expensive SUVs she saw parked behind the walls that were topped with razor wire.
Farmer Mashood Khan, 45, said local gossip was that the occupants were "smugglers or drug dealers".
He added: "People would complain that even with such a big house they didn't invite the poor or distribute charity."
Shopkeepers told how the youngsters would be sent to fetch provisions with two of the terror chief's henchmen - both of whom are believed to have been killed. One was named locally as Arshad Khan - who local cops claimed was the registered owner of the property. Records indicated the name was an alias.
Shopkeeper Raja Shuja said of the two men: "They were always in a hurry and never stopped for chit chat. Their car was always shining, not necessarily brand new but kept very clean.
"They used to always come for snacks and buy litre bottles of Coke, crisps and ice lollies when it was warm. They always paid with fresh hundred rupee notes.
"I remember they once said they had to go and pay some bills - so they must have been in charge of jobs like that. One was about 33 and the other maybe 36."
Mechanic Wajid Mushtaq, 29, who serviced their red Suzuki car, told how both were gruff-voiced and heavy smokers. He said: "I'm sure they were cousins. The last time I saw them was about ten days ago over a dent in the car.
"Sometimes there would be four or five children in the back seat. They were always polite kids."
The compound boasted an arsenal of weapons and ammo, including rocket launchers. Alongside were toys such as bikes, a smashed red pedal car and a dolls house.
Bin Laden's youngest wife, 27-year-old Amad Ahmed al-Sadah, was at first thought to have been killed as he tried to flee using her as a human shield. Yesterday it emerged she suffered only a leg wound.
Pakistani officials said of those who had been living in the compound: "They are all in safe hands and being looked after in accordance with the law.
"Some need medical care and are under treatment in the best possible facilities. As per policy, they will be handed over to their countries of origin.