US spy agency marks fifth anniversary of al-Qaeda chief’s assassination by posting timeline of operation on Twitter.
US spy agency the CIA has “live tweeted” the military raid that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan five years ago, drawing derision and satire from many people on Twitter.
Bin Laden was killed by US Navy Seal commandos on May 2, 2011, when they raided his compound in Abbottabad.
Several of the tweets included diagrams and maps of the compound, providing a rundown of the operation from the moment US President Barack Obama and intelligence officials approved it until the president received confirmation that bin Laden had been killed.
Speaking to ABC News, CIA spokesperson Ryan Trapani defended the operation, arguing that the “takedown of bin Laden stands as one of the great intelligence successes of all time”.
He said: “On the fifth anniversary, it is appropriate to remember the day and honour all those who had a hand in this achievement.”
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