Islamabad: The Pakistani inquiry commission
probing the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden on Tuesday visited
the heavily guarded compound in the garrison city of
Abbottabad where the al Qaeda leader lived for years.
The walled compound at Bilal Town, a short distance from
the Pakistan Military Academy and a few kilometres away from
the main city of Abbottabad, was surrounded by security forces
and police during the visit of the commission.
The members of the panel earlier visited Tor Ghar
district, where US helicopters had reportedly landed before
the raid by American special forces on bin Laden`s compound,
local correspondents said.
Reports had suggested that the helicopters had refuelled
at Tor Ghar.
The commission had published an advertisement in local
newspapers of Abbottabad asking people to share information
about events related to the US raid of May 2. People were
assured that their names would be kept secret.
The panel`s members will stay in Abbottabad for three
days and meet senior officials of the police and local
administration to question them about the covert US military
operation.
The commission’s spokesman said the members would also
record the statements of witnesses.
The commission, headed by former Supreme Court judge
Javed Iqbal, has been asked by the government to ascertain how
bin Laden managed to live in Pakistan for several years,
investigate the US operation that killed him, determine the
nature and causes of lapses by authorities, and make suitable
recommendations.
PTI
