Five years after OBL raid, CIA 'live tweets' operation

To mark five years to the raid which captured and killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, the CIA 'live tweeted' the operation as if it happened today.

Join us beginning at 1:25 p.m. EDT today as we tweet the #UBLRaid as if it were happening today. pic.twitter.com/x8EBpW571f

— CIA (@CIA) May 1, 2016

On May1, at 10:25 pm [Pakistan Time] Director CIA Leon Panetta approved the execution of an operation in Abbottabad.

1:25 pm EDT-@POTUS, DCIA Panetta, & JSOC commander Admiral McRaven approve execution of op in Abbottabad.#UBLRaid pic.twitter.com/YhvuJVrMVc

— CIA (@CIA) May 1, 2016

On May 1, 10:51 pm helicopters departed from Afghanistan to the compound in Abbottabad.

On May2, at 12:20 am two helicopters descended into the Abbottabad compound. One of the helicopters crashed but the operation continued without delay.

All of the operation was being watched by US President Obama on a television screen at the CIA offices.

3:30 pm EDT - @POTUS watches situation on ground in Abbottabad live in Situation Room#UBLRaid pic.twitter.com/59KPF7eUTr

— CIA (@CIA) May 1, 2016

At 12:39 am Osama bin Laden was found on the third floor of the building and killed. The team collected a large number of documents from the compound till 1:10 am. Another helicopter took the documents and team members back to Afghanistan.

3:39 pm EDT - Usama Bin Ladin found on third floor and killed#UBLRaid

— CIA (@CIA) May 1, 2016

US President Barack Obama received "tentative confirmation of positive identification" of Osama bin Laden at 12:53 am.

3:53 pm EDT - @POTUS receives tentative confirmation of positive identification of Usama Bin Ladin#UBLRaid

— CIA (@CIA) May 1, 2016

The CIA claimed in tweets that the team was trained to combat on a life-size replica of the compound. There was no internet or phone connection in the OBL house and the family burnt their trash instead of giving it to the garbage collector.

By 2:53 am, the US marines had destroyed a crashed helicopter, picked up remaining team members and materials, and reached back to the base in Afghanistan. 

5:53 pm EDT - Helicopters return to Afghanistan where Admiral McRaven greets team#UBLRaid

— CIA (@CIA) May 1, 2016

President Obama confirmed the death of the al Qaeda leader in a speech from the White House's East Room at 11:35 pm EDT (8:35 am Pakistan time).

According to the CIA, by 12:59 am EDT (9:59 am Pakistan time) bin Laden's body was buried at sea from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in the Arabian Sea.