U.S. Navy Seals found 17 letters written by Osama bin Laden when they raided his compound in 2011. One of those letters reveals what the head of al-Qaeda did to keep him and family members hidden and reveals how he was able to remain invisible while travelling around Pakistan.
The letter was from bin Laden to someone named Sheik Mahmud, whose true identity is still unclear. It was one of a number of documents the Combating Terrorism Center from West Point translated and subsequently released Thursday. The letter is undated but analysts are pretty sure bin Laden was living in the compound at Abbottabad when he wrote the letter. He was there with two wives and several of his children and grandchildren. His other wife, Khairiah was under house arrest back in Iran, along with some of his other family but was set to be released.
The letter detailed the complicated instructions of how he wanted his wife, once released, to be moved into Pakistan to eventually be reunited with him at the compound. He was aware of the different ways in which people could follow her and ultimately expose where he was hiding.
From there she was to go to a market, change cars once again and head to a safe house. He also wrote how everything that came from Iran, no matter how small had to be thrown away because the Iranians may send listening devices and were not to be trusted. It is unknown if she arrived the way he wanted, but once there it is said, she caused problems for many in the household.
