Osama Bin Laden – RTE
Surely, this is one of the most riveting documentaries to come our way in a while. It details the conclusion of the efforts by the United States to finally capture the world’s most wanted man.
This is a one-thousand piece jigsaw painstakingly put together bit by bit, but even at the final hour, the intelligence picture is still somewhat out of focus. Is the tall figure – the 'Pacer', that strolls nonchalantly in the compound, that lies inconspicuously within Pakistani borders, Bin Laden. At best 50-50.
American Intelligence has gotten hold of information that suggests a courier high up in Al Quaeda is within their sights. Intelligence gleaned from Guantanamo Bay, where attempts are made to put the Americans off his scent, only serve to amplify their suspicions that something is awry. The CIA is on to him, and what is assembled is a technological and human project aimed at following his every breath. Satellite photographs, 'drone' aircraft and spies on the ground are all over him like a cheap, badly-fitting suit.
The ‘Kuwaiti’, as he becomes known, eventually leads the Americans to the compound. This is a curious place. Kids playing cricket outside are given money instead of their ball back! High wire fences and no telecommunications infrastructure all add to US' suspicions. The 'Kuwaiti is in and out. The satellites turn their gaze onto what may be Bin Laden’s lair. Spies inconspicuously move in nearby and log the compound’s inhabitants 24-hour existence.
Lo and behold, a tall figure emerges daily -- the ‘Pacer’? Is this their man? Amazingly, satellite photos of the figure and his shadow along with the angle of elevation towards the sun are applied to a trigonometric formula to see can they confirm this man’s height at 6 feet 4inches, Bin Laden’s known height. Inconclusive!
Back on American soil the briefings to Obama are coming thick and fast. Navy SEAL officers meanwhile are training in a mock-up of the Pakistani compound in Nevada. Unerring details of the building in Abbotabad, from door widths to stairwell heights to operating in near-darkness conditions are factored in to their preparation for what could be the biggest mission of their lives. They do not who their prey is. That’s the least of their worries. The project and its minutiae of detail is what matters.
Things quickly move on. An objective view of the intelligence is sought to filter out any bias that could have infected those who have worked so intensively gathering the intelligence. The outsiders' objective conclusion is a probability of 40% that Bin Laden is the central actor in the compound. This is a significantly lower level of probability than that the CIA had come up with.
Obama believes its probably 50-50. Ultimately, the decision is his. Does the US encroach on foreign soil in what could easily be construed as an act of war to execute a plan that could go awry? Obama sleeps on it.
The 44th President of the US concludes it’s ‘worth a shot.' The orders are given.
Back in Afghanistan, the cry has gone up. The senior officers inform their men the target is Osama Bin Laden! 2 Black Hawk helicopters specially adapted to avoid radar are loaded up with the trappings of such a raid. Most importantly on a moonless night a crack team of the most highly trained human beings (and dogs!) are heading to Abbotabad. The tension for the viewer is unbearable.
Back in the White House, Obama alongside his closest aides and military intelligence officers are gathered in a room with communication relayed by the CIA of every move the mission takes.
Black Hawk down! One of the helicopters goes down caught in an atmospheric vortex. Breaths are held but those on board are okay. The prospect of something like this had been computed into the operation. Now, rather than the building being breached from top and below everything has to take place from the ground up.
The SEALS are in. They’ve got 30 minutes. The helicopter crash causes a stir on Twitter. The SEALS move along. They confront a man and woman. They are taken out. Immediately they are identified as the ‘Kuwaiti' and his wife. A door is torn open to reveal a block wall. This is then blown out and the crack team are inside. Next down is the Kuwaiti’s brother. They make their way up the stairwell. One more down: Bin Laden’s son. Finally they are confronted by what could be their man. They fire and miss. He flees. They pursue. Could he be armed? Could he 'suicide-bomb' them? They corner him in a room. A woman screams. She is shot in the leg. The man is shot in the chest and head. Dead.
But is it their man? To check his height a SEAL of similar height lies down beside him. Photographs are taken of his face and relayed back to base to be forensically analysed. A back up Chinook chopper is sent to carry away the men and any Al Quaeda intelligence in the form of files and computer hardware.
Bin Laden’s remains are taken to an aircraft carrier on the Arabian Sea. DNA samples are taken. His body is washed and given due care according to the edicts of the Islam faith.
Finally he is buried at sea.
President Barack Obama announces to the world that Osama Bin Laden was killed by American Special Forces in a planned operation.
Catch up with this riveting drama RTE next Tuesday 28th August at 10:05pm.
