A Treasure Trove, including Videos

Information collected from Osama bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, proves that the terrorist leader was still very much in control of al Qaeda, a senior US intelligence official told reporters. “The materials reviewed thus far reveal that bin Laden continued to direct even tactical details of the group’s management and to encourage plotting,” the official said during a background briefing at the Pentagon May 7. The intelligence official characterized the information as a “treasure trove” and said US intelligence analysts are hoping to find some “golden nuggets” that lead to other senior al Qaeda personnel. Among the materials were videos, five of which the Pentagon has released. Although US officials removed the audio from each so as not to promote the anti-American propaganda, the videos remain otherwise unedited. (Briefing transcript, including link to videos) (See also Osama bin Laden is Dead.)