The Untold Story of SEAL Team Six’s Raid That Took Down Osama Bin Laden – Part 2

In an explosive interview with 60 Minutes, one of the Navy SEAL Team Six operators who participated in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden gives an in-depth look at the mission that gripped the world on 2nd May 2011. Writing under the pseudonym “Mark Owen” for his book No Easy Day, the SEAL sheds light on the operation’s preparation, execution, and aftermath.

This post is part two of a two-part Osama Bin Laden Series and you can read Part 1: ‘Uncovering the Secrets of Osama Bin Laden’s Mind: Insights from His Hard Drives‘ below.

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Behind the Scenes: SEAL Team Six’s Daring Operation to Capture Osama Bin Laden

Planning the Raid: The Role of ‘Miss 100%’

Owen reveals that a key part of the mission’s success came from a CIA analyst dubbed “Miss 100%,” who was certain that Osama bin Laden was hiding in the compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

She had tracked a trusted courier of bin Laden to the location and was confident the terrorist leader was there. Her certainty was a driving force behind the planning of the raid that took America’s most wanted terrorist down.

The Helicopter Crash: Luck, Improvisation, and Skill

As the SEAL team approached the compound, things took an unexpected turn when one of their helicopters crashed. The incident, which threatened to turn the mission into a disaster even before boots were on the ground, was the first setback Seal Team Six faced.

The team quickly shifted gears and adapted, showcasing the combination of planning and improvisation that enabled them to turn what could have been a disaster into a success. “We were trained to expect the unexpected,” Owen recalls, emphasizing the role that preparation played in their ability to stay composed under pressure.

Hostility Inside the Compound

The raid was not without resistance. One of bin Laden’s couriers opened fire on the SEALs as they entered the compound and proceeded to clear the outhouses. Despite coming under heavy fire as they tried to breach the doors with explosives, the Seal team swiftly neutralized the threat.

Surprisingly, the women inside the compound were unusually hostile, unlike what the SEALs had experienced during raids in Afghanistan. “They came at us aggressively, which was something we hadn’t faced before,” Owen said, adding that their behavior heightened the tension in an already highly risky operation.

Clearing the Compound: Osama Bin Laden’s Final Moments

The team methodically cleared the first two floors of the house before moving to the third floor, where bin Laden was believed to be hiding. A “point man” led the way, spotting bin Laden and firing a fatal headshot. Owen then approached bin Laden’s body and shot him multiple times as well, to ensure he was dead. “We had to be absolutely sure,” Owen explained, describing the moment as both tense and surreal.

Inside the SEAL Team Six Raid that Killed Osama Bin Laden

Risks and Courage: Facing the Unknown

The SEALs knew they were taking immense risks, especially when the point man grabbed two women in the room with bin Laden, suspecting they might have been wearing suicide vests. “He was putting his life on the line for the team,” Owen remarked, highlighting the constant threat they faced during the raid. Most terrorists would be wearing these suicide vests when they knew they were being raided.

Victory for the Eagle: ‘Geronimo’ is Dead

The Seals had now finished clearing the third floor and it was time to confirm the kill. After a bit of inspection, and despite seeing that the individual they had just killed was a little tall—at about 6.2ft—the unit commander was called in and on just a single glance, confirmed that it was indeed Osama Bin Laden.

Nicknamed ‘Operation Geronimo’, the raid on Osama Bin Laden was a victory and the men and women of Seal Team Six had exacted vengeance on America’s public enemy number 1. Moments later, a call went into the situation room at the White House saying: ‘For land and for country, ‘Geronimo’ is down‘.

Securing Evidence: DNA and Contingency Plans

After bin Laden was confirmed dead, the SEALs quickly collected DNA samples and gathered evidence. They prepared for the worst by making two copies of the DNA and photos of the body, knowing that if one of their helicopters was shot down on the return flight, the remaining team would still have proof of their success.

The Return: Miss 100% and Watching the Announcement

Back at a US base in Afghanistan, “Miss 100%” was overjoyed and moved to tears when Seal Team Six returned victorious, knowing that her assessment had been right. The team then watched as President Obama announced the death of bin Laden to the world. “It was surreal,” Owen recalled, describing the jubilation that swept the country as people celebrated the news.

The Inside Story of SEAL Team Six’s Raid on Osama Bin Laden

Meeting President Obama: A Team Effort

Later, the SEALs were privately awarded medals of valor by President Obama, who praised their courage and precision. Even so, when President Obama asked who fired the fatal shot, the team declined to name the shooter. “It was about the team, not one person,” Owen emphasized, underscoring their collective effort.

The Controversy Around ‘No Easy Day’

Mark Owen wrote No Easy Day to share the story of the raid, aiming to honor the hundreds of people who contributed to the decade-long pursuit of bin Laden. Expectedly, the US government criticized the book, claiming Owen had broken his oath of secrecy. A government spokesperson stated that Owen should have “submitted a copy of the book for editing by the government” before publication, a move that was seen as censorship. Despite the allegations, Owen maintained that the book contained no classified information.

In 2016, however, Mark Bissonnette—understood to be the book’s author and ‘Mark Owen’, was forced to pay all proceeds from the book to the US government, as he had signed non-disclosure agreements, NDAs, as part of his military service. He, however, wrote another book titled ‘No Hero: the Evolution of a Navy Seal,‘ which he submitted for editing and from which several sections were redacted.

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A Full-Circle Moment: Visiting the 9/11 Memorial

One of the most emotional moments for Owen came when he visited the 9/11 Memorial in New York City. “It was a full-circle moment for the team,” he said, reflecting on the significance of their mission in avenging the thousands of lives lost in the 9/11 attacks.

9/11: 20 Years On

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Owen’s interview and book provide a compelling, behind-the-scenes look at one of the most important military operations in recent history. Through his narrative, he sheds light not only on the raid itself but also on the bravery, teamwork, and sacrifice that made it possible.

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Watch the 60 Minutes Interview of ‘Mark Owen’. Courtesy of 60′.

The Aftermath of Osama Bin Laden’s Death: The Rise of Daesh and the Ensuing War of Ideology

The death of Osama bin Laden on 2nd May 2011 marked a symbolic victory in the global fight against terrorism, but it did not spell the end of extremist ideologies. Al Qaeda, though significantly weakened by his death, managed to adapt and splinter.

Over time, one of its offshoots, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), also known as ‘Daesh’, grew into a global threat. This group capitalized on the instability in war-torn regions, particularly Iraq and Syria, attracting a new generation of jihadists by positioning itself as more brutal and uncompromising than Al Qaeda. The rise of Daesh signaled the evolution of jihadist terrorism from centralized leadership under bin Laden, to a decentralized network of extremist groups with regional strongholds and global influence.

The real battle following bin Laden’s death is one of ideology. While military victories have been achieved on the ground, particularly against ISIS’s territorial claims, extremism continues to thrive in the shadows of social media, prisons, and failed states. Recruitment drives online and in disaffected communities have kept the cycle of radicalization alive, despite global efforts to counter it.

As former President Obama said after bin Laden’s death, “The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat Al Qaeda,” but he also warned that the ideology driving groups like Al Qaeda was far from vanquished. In the years since, governments and societies worldwide have struggled to win the “war of hearts and minds”, seeking to de-radicalize individuals while also countering the narratives that drive extremism.