Black Ops (2012) s01e02 Episode Script
Taking Down Bin Laden
Narrator: HE IS THE MOST WANTED TERRORIST IN THE WORLD.
AFTER ALMOST A DECADE, U.
S.
INTELLIGENCE HAS FINALLY TRACKED OSAMA BIN LADEN DOWN TO A COMPOUND IN PAKISTAN.
SEAL TEAM SIX, A U.
S.
ELITE SPECIAL FORCES UNIT, IS TASKED WITH A NOW-HISTORIC CAPTURE OR KILL MISSION.
THEY HAD BEEN WAITING FOR THIS CALL FOR YEARS.
Narrator: THIS IS THE INSIDE ACCOUN OF ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS BLACK OPS MISSIONS OF ALL TIMES.
Mann: IT GETS MORE EXCITEMENT IN THE AIR, AND EVERYBODY STARTS GETTING A LOT MORE SERIOUS.
"BOARD THE HELOS.
WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING NOW.
WE'RE GOING IN.
IT'S GOING IN AT NIGHT.
" Narrator: HOW SEAL TEAM SIX PLANNED THIS HIGH-RISK RAID AND HOW IT ALMOST FAILED.
NOW ON "BLACK OPS," TAKING DOWN BIN LADEN.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS OPERATION NEPTUNE SPEAR.
TWO BLACK HAWK HELICOPTERS CARRYING A TEAM OF U.
S.
NAVY SEALS ARE APPROACHING A COMPOUND IN ABBOTTABAD, PAKISTAN.
THEY BELIEVE OSAMA BIN LADEN IS HIDING THERE.
BUT THEN, DISASTER.
[ CLANKING .]
IT'S RARE AN OP EVER GOES LIKE IT'S PLANNED.
THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT COMES UP WITHOUT EXPECTING IT.
CAUSING IT TO HIT THE COMPOUND WALL AND CRASH-LAND.
THE TOWN'S AWAKE, AND SO THEY'RE THINKING, "ANY MINUTE NOW WE CAN BE RUN DOWN WITH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF ENEMY FORCES COMING AT US.
" Narrator: THE SEALS HAVE LOST THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE.
EVERY SECOND IS NOW CRITICAL.
THE SPECIAL FORCES TEAM MUST QUICKLY ADAP AND RESPOND TO THE CHANGED SITUATION.
WHAT YOU'RE EXPECTED TO DO IS MAKE A DETERMINATION WHETHER THE OCCUPANTS ARE A THREAT OR NOT A THREAT.
Narrator: THE SEALS BLOW THEIR WAY INTO THE COMPOUND.
AND YOU HAVE TO REACT IN AN INSTANT.
IF THEY'RE A THREAT, THEN YOU ENGAGE.
[ GUNFIRE .]
Narrator: THIS ELITE UNIT HAS TRAINED FOR EVERY SCENARIO.
THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER IN THE HUNT TO BRING BIN LADEN TO JUSTICE -- A HUNT WHICH BEGAN MORE THAN A DECADE EARLIER.
[ SIREN WAILS .]
ON 9/11, 2001, THE U.
S.
ENDURES THE WORST ATTACKS ON ITS SOIL IN MODERN HISTORY.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING .]
ALMOST 3,000 PEOPLE ARE DEAD.
PRESIDENT BUSH VOWS TO HUNT DOWN OSAMA BIN LADEN, AL-QAEDA'S LEADER AND THE MASTERMIND OF THE ATTACKS, AND BRING HIM TO JUSTICE.
THERE'S AN OLD POSTER OUT WEST, AS I RECALL, THAT SAID, "WANTED, DEAD OR ALIVE.
" Narrator: IN DECEMBER 2001, U.
S.
FORCES CHASED BIN LADEN TO THE CAVES OF TORA BORA IN AFGHANISTAN, BUT HE MANAGES TO SLIP AWAY.
Townsend: WE WERE ALWAYS ON THE HUNT.
WE WERE USING EVERY FORM OF INTELLIGENCE GATHERING, WHETHER IT WAS HUMAN INTELLIGENCE, SIGNALS INTELLIGENCE.
Narrator: FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS, BIN LADEN MANAGES TO ELUDE U.
S.
FORCES.
WE STILL HAVEN'T KILLED OR CAPTURED OSAMA BIN LADEN AND HIS TERRORIST CADRE.
DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW WHERE HE IS? HE MAY BE DEAD.
HE MAY BE SERIOUSLY WOUNDED.
HE MAY BE IN AFGHANISTAN.
HE MAY BE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
Schmitt: BIN LADEN LEARNS VERY EARLY ON THAT HE CAN'T TRUST ANYTHING ELECTRONIC.
HE ALMOST DIES IN TORA BORA IN THE MOUNTAINS OF AFGHANISTAN FROM USING CELL PHONES, AND SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS HE DOES IS BASICALLY GETS RID OF ANYTHING ELECTRONIC THAT COULD BE TRACED BACK TO HIM.
Narrator: MINIMIZING THE USE OF COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS AL-QAEDA'S LEADER AND HIS CLOSE DEPUTIES TO OPERATE UNDER THE RADAR.
Mudd: WE SAW HIS NAME CROP UP SO LITTLE BECAUSE VERY LITTLE COMMUNICATION.
I THINK VERY FEW PEOPLE IN THE ORGANIZATION KNEW WHERE HE WAS.
[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE .]
Narrator: BIN LADEN SEEMS TO HAVE DISAPPEARED OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
THE ONLY CLUES COME FROM VIDEOTAPES HE RELEASES, TAUNTING THE U.
S.
Townsend: YOU WERE LOOKING AT THINGS AS SIMPLE AS THE FOLIAGE AND THE LIGHT AND THE TERRAIN TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT WHERE IT MAY HAVE BEEN TAPED.
WE LOOKED AT HIS HEALTH.
DID HE USE PARTICULAR WORDS? WAS IT POSSIBLE THAT WHAT LOOKED LIKE JUST A SORT OF MESSAGE TO FOLLOWERS MIGHT HAVE HAD SOME EMBEDDED MESSAGE? Narrator: OVER THE DECADE, THE U.
S.
DOES ACHIEVE SOME PROGRESS.
SENIOR AL-QAEDA FIGURES ARE CAPTURED AND INTERROGATED.
Mudd: THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE BIG PLAYERS IN THE ORGANIZATION, THE ARCHETYPAL PLOTTERS IN THE AL-QAEDA ORGANIZATION, WAS PARTLY TRYING TO LEARN LOCATIONAL INFORMATION.
WHERE IS THE MAN? SO, THE FIRST QUESTION YOU MIGHT ASK THEM MIGHT BE THINGS LIKE, "WHERE'S BIN LADEN?" Narrator: DESPITE THESE SUCCESSES, PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE REMAINS AT LARGE.
BY THE TIME PRESIDENT OBAMA TAKES OFFICE IN 2009, MOST PEOPLE BELIEVE HE'LL NEVER BE CAUGHT.
BUT AT THE CIA, SOME ANALYSTS ARE STILL LOOKING FOR NEW CLUES.
Mudd: THE BITS AND PIECES ARE THINGS LIKE TALKING TO DETAINEES.
HOW DOES THE NETWORK OPERATE? WATCHING THEM MOVE.
Narrator: CASE OFFICERS SUGGES STUDYING THE STRUCTURE OF AL-QAEDA'S NETWORK.
WHO DOES BIN LADEN USE TO PASS MESSAGES, ALLOWING HIM TO REMAIN UNDETECTED? THE ANALYSTS BELIEVE THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION WILL LEAD THEM BACK TO BIN LADEN.
Mudd: SOMEBODY SAYS SOMETHING HERE.
SOMEBODY SAYS SOMETHING THERE.
OVER THE COURSE OF YEARS, YOU ACCUMULATE THOSE GRAINS, AND SLOWLY A PICTURE COMES INTO FOCUS.
Narrator: AFTER YEARS OF FRUSTRATION, THE ANALYSTS BELIEVE THEY'VE GOT SOMETHING.
THEY KNEW THERE WAS PROBABLY A COURIER OUT THERE, AND IT WAS FROM SOME OF THESE INITIAL INTERROGATIONS AT GUANTANAMO BAY AND OTHER PRISONS THAT THEY LEARNED OF ONE COURIER IN PARTICULAR.
Narrator: AL-QAEDA'S DETAINEES REVEAL THE COURIER BIN LADEN TRUSTS IS SOMEONE WHO'S KNOWN AS AL-KUWAITI -- THE MAN FROM KUWAIT.
DIGGING DEEPER, THEY FIND HIS REAL NAME -- SAEED AHMED.
IF THEY FIND HIM, THEY MAY BE ABLE TO FIND HIS BOSS.
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS .]
Dozier: THROUGH INTERCEPTS OF HIS CELLPHONES AS HE TRAVELED THROUGHOUT THE GULF AND PAKISTAN, THEY FIGURED OUT THAT HE SEEMED TO STILL BE IN TOUCH WITH THE HIGHEST RANKS OF AL-QAEDA.
AND THEY STARTED TRACKING HIM ON THE GROUND IN PAKISTAN.
Narrator: AS THEY TRACK HIM, CIA OPERATIVES NOTICE A HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS PATTERN TO AL-KUWAITI'S BEHAVIOR.
THEY FOUND THIS VERY STRANGE THING HE WOULD DO WAS TO TURN OFF HIS CELLPHONE, AND THEN DROP OFF THE MAP FOR A WHILE.
THINGS THAT MADE THE AMERICANS THINK, "THIS IS THE KIND OF EXTRAORDINARY MEASURE "THAT THE MOST HUNTED TERRORIST IN THE WORLD MIGHT TAKE.
LET'S FOLLOW THIS GUY.
" Narrator: THE BREAKTHROUGH COMES WHEN THE AGENTS MANAGE TO FOLLOW THE COURIER'S CAR.
TO THEIR AMAZEMENT, IT IS HEADED TOWARD A RESIDENTIAL COMPOUND IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF ABBOTTABAD A PAKISTANI ARMY TOWN ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF DRIVE FROM THE CAPITAL, ISLAMABAD.
Schmitt: IT'S THE HOME OF PAKISTANI'S WEST POINT, ONE OF ITS TOP MILITARY ACADEMIES.
IT'S A GARRISON TOWN.
Narrator: THE CIA STARTS WATCHING THE COMPOUND.
SURVEILLANCE REVEALS THAT AL-KUWAITI, THE COURIER, LIVES THERE WITH HIS BROTHER AND THEIR FAMILIES.
BUT THEY ARE NOT ALONE.
HIDDEN BEHIND UNUSUALLY HIGH WALLS, THERE ARE OTHER RESIDENTS, PERHAPS EVEN ANOTHER FAMILY LIVING ON THE TOP FLOOR OF ONE OF THE BUILDINGS.
THEY STILL DON'T KNOW WHO'S IN THE COMPOUND, OF COURSE, IN ABBOTTABAD, BUT THEY SUSPECT IT'S SOMEBODY QUITE SENIOR EITHER IN AL-QAEDA OR ONE OF THE OTHER TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS.
Narrator: FINDING OUT WHO THAT MYSTERIOUS SENIOR PERSON IS WILL NOT BE EASY.
Townsend: ABBOTTABAD WAS TEEMING WITH MILITARY OFFICIALS, LIKELY INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS, SECURITY OFFICIALS TO PROTECT THE PAKISTANI MILITARY.
SO IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT OPERATING ENVIRONMENT.
Narrator: IT'S SO DIFFICULT THAT AT FIRST, THE CIA IS FOCUSING THE EFFORT ON SURVEILLANCE FROM SPACE.
Schmitt: YOU HAD SATELLITES PEERING DOWN NIGHT AND DAY, TRYING TO GET AN IMAGE OF WHOEVER WAS WORKING IN THERE.
YOU HAD ELECTRONIC EAVESDROPPING EQUIPMEN THAT WAS TRYING TO PICK UP ANY SIGNALS, BE IT E-MAILS, TEXT MESSAGES, CELLPHONE CONVERSATIONS.
AND YOU HAD THIS NEW, STEALTHY AIRCRAF THAT WAS FLYING HIGH OVER PAKISTAN TRYING TO GET A GLIMPSE OF, AGAIN, WHO'S INSIDE.
Narrator: AFTER WEEKS OF SATELLITE IMAGERY, U.
S.
INTELLIGENCE TEAMS MANAGE TO IDENTIFY A FIGURE WHO OCCASIONALLY TAKES WALKS AROUND THE COURTYARD BUT APPEARS TO NEVER LEAVE THE COMPOUND.
THEY CALL HIM "THE PACER.
" THE PACER IS VERY TALL.
BIN LADEN IS ABOUT 6'4.
IT'S A TANTALIZING CLUE THAT MAY BRING THEM CLOSER TO TRACKING DOWN BIN LADEN.
BUT ANY ATTEMPT TO CONFIRM THE PACER'S IDENTITY IS FRAUGHT WITH RISK.
Narrator: ALMOST A DECADE AFTER 9/11, AFTER PORING THROUGH INTEL DATA AND TRACKING AN IMPORTANT AL-QAEDA COURIER, U.
S.
ANALYSTS THINK THEY MAY HAVE FOUND OSAMA BIN LADEN.
SURVEILLANCE SHOWS THA A MYSTERIOUS COMPOUND NOT FAR FROM PAKISTAN'S CAPITAL IS HOME TO WHAT SPECIAL OPS CALL AN H.
V.
T.
-- A HIGH-VALUE TARGET.
THE MYSTERIOUS RESIDENT IS A TALL MAN WHO PACES UP AND DOWN BUT NEVER VENTURES OUTSIDE.
TO TRY AND CONFIRM THEY HAVE THE RIGHT MAN, THE CIA ACTIVATES AGENTS ON THE GROUND.
THEY HAD A SAFE HOUSE OVERLOOKING THE COMPOUND WHERE THEY HAD PAKISTANI AGENTS, PEOPLE SPYING FOR THE CIA, TRYING TO ESTABLISH WHAT THEY CALL A PATTERN OF LIFE.
WHO GOES IN? WHO GOES OUT? HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE THERE? WHO'S INTERACTING WITH THE COMPOUND? Narrator: THE AGENTS SOON REPORT ON THE UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR PATTERNS OF THE RESIDENTS.
Dozier: THE HOUSE ITSELF HAD NO REAL CONNECTIONS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD.
THERE WAS A SATELLITE DISH, BUT THERE WERE NO PHONE LINES.
THERE WERE NO HARD WIRES BEYOND SOME ELECTRICITY WIRES GOING IN AND OUT.
IT'S AS IF THESE PEOPLE WANTED TO LIVE OFF THE GRID.
Panetta: MY FIRST REACTION WHEN THEY DESCRIBED THE COMPOUND IN ABBOTTABAD WAS THAT WE HAD SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY UNUSUAL.
[ LAUGHS .]
Narrator: NEIGHBORS SAY THE COMPOUND'S RESIDENTS KEEP TO THEMSELVES.
OCCASIONALLY, THEY HAVE VISITORS.
STRANGELY, THEY BURN THEIR TRASH.
IN WASHINGTON, ANALYSTS ARE STILL TRYING TO DETERMINE WHO IS THE HIGH-VALUE TARGET IN THE COMPOUND.
BUT IT'S DECIDED THERE'S ENOUGH TO BRIEF THE PRESIDENT.
Schmitt: PRESIDENT OBAMA'S TOP COUNTERTERRORISM AND INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS GO TO HIM AND SAY, "LOOK, WE THINK WE MAY HAVE "THE LOCATION WHERE BIN LADEN IS RIGHT NOW.
"WE CAN'T BE CERTAIN, BUT GIVEN ALL THE OTHER CLUES THAT WE HAVE" OBAMA IS CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC.
THIS IS BY FAR THE MOST SOLID LEAD THEY'VE HAD ON THE LOCATION OF BIN LADEN IN YEARS.
Panetta: ONCE THE INTELLIGENCE REACHED A POIN WHERE THERE WAS AT LEAS A HIGHER CONFIDENCE LEVEL ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY, THE NEXT QUESTION WE ASKED WAS WHAT SHOULD WE DO OPERATIONALLY? Narrator: A GROUP OF THE PRESIDENT'S CLOSEST ADVISERS IS CALLED IN TO DISCUSS THE NEW LEAD.
THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS ON HIS MIND.
Schmitt: "ARE THERE MILITARY OPTIONS? "WHAT ARE THE DIPLOMATIC OPTIONS? WHAT ARE THE POLITICAL OPTIONS HERE THAT I'M DEALING WITH?" AND, SO, HE AND HIS ADVISERS BEGAN TALKING ABOUT THOSE KIND OF OPTIONS, TASKING THE MILITARY AND THE CIA TO COME UP WITH OPTIONS OF HOW YOU DEAL WITH THIS, ASSUMING BIN LADEN'S THERE.
Narrator: OFFICIALLY, THE SITUATION-ROOM MEETINGS DON'T EXIST.
THE TOP SECRET IS SHARED ONLY WITH A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
Schmitt: WHENEVER THEY HAD THESE MEETINGS AT THE WHITE HOUSE, THEY WEREN'T EVEN PUT ON THE DAILY SCHEDULES THAT THE TOP NATIONAL SECURITY OFFICIALS GET.
IT WAS JUST A BLANK SPACE IN THEIR CALENDARS.
Narrator: THERE'S DANGER THA IF BIN LADEN IS AMONG THE COMPOUND'S RESIDENTS, HE MAY SLIP AWAY BEFORE A PLAN IS HATCHED.
THERE MAY BE ESCAPE ROUTES OR TUNNELS LEADING OUT OF THE COMPOUND.
THEY HAVE TO ACT FAST.
CIA DIRECTOR LEON PANETTA WANTS TO MOVE THINGS TO THE NEXT STAGE.
HE CALLS IN THE COMMANDER OF U.
S.
SPECIAL FORCES, VICE ADMIRAL WILLIAM McRAVEN.
Dozier: BILL McRAVEN IS A BIT OF A LEGEND IN THE COMMUNITY FOR A BOOMING VOICE, A LOT OF CHARISMA.
HIS GUYS LOVE HIM.
Zinke: HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN HARD-CHARGING, A GOOD, CLEAR THINKER, AND HAS ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD THAT MODERN WARFARE CHANGES, AND SPECIAL OPERATIONS HAS TO BE FLEXIBLE.
Narrator: McRAVEN OVERSEES JSOC, THE JOINT SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND.
HE WROTE THE BOOK ON BLACK OPS, AND HE NEEDS TO COME UP WITH A PLAN.
IN THE NEXT WEEKS, HIS TEAM WILL HAVE TO FIGURE OU IF THERE IS ENOUGH INTELLIGENCE TO GO AFTER THE TARGET.
IF SO, WHAT KIND OF AN OPERATION IS FEASIBLE, AND WHICH IS THE BEST UNIT TO CARRY IT OUT? McRAVEN IS LOOKING AT WHAT OPERATIVES ON THE GROUND FOUND THROUGH SURVEILLANCE, SATELLITE IMAGERY, AND THE ANALYSIS OF COMMUNICATION INTERCEPTS.
AFTER REVIEWING THE INTELLIGENCE, HE IS READY TO PRESENT THREE OPTIONS TO THE PRESIDENT AND HIS TEAM.
THE FIRST OPTION INVOLVES A MASSIVE BOMBING CAMPAIGN BY A B-2 BOMBER.
THE ADVANTAGE TO THIS KIND OF CAMPAIGN -- IT WOULD KILL ANYBODY IN THE COMPOUND.
THE DOWN SIDE, OF COURSE, WAS YOU'D NEVER BE SURE BIN LADEN WAS EVER THERE.
Narrator: ANOTHER OPTION IS A MORE SURGICAL DRONE STRIKE.
THEY HAD PROVED EFFECTIVE AGAINST AL-QAEDA BEFORE.
Dozier: A COUPLE OF THE SENIOR ADVISERS TO THE PRESIDEN WERE ALL FOR DROPPING A SMALL MUNITION, A MISSILE, ONTO THE COMPOUND.
BUT OTHERS WERE ARGUING THA THERE WERE A LOT OF CIVILIANS IN THE COMPOUND -- WOMEN, CHILDREN.
THAT WOULD PRODUCE MANY CASUALTIES.
Narrator: AND A DRONE STRIKE WOULD STILL NOT GUARANTEE KNOWING IF THEY HAD ACTUALLY KILLED BIN LADEN OR NOT LEAVING JUST ONE OTHER OPTION.
[ GUNFIRE .]
Schmitt: TO ENSURE THAT YOU GET THE MAN THAT YOU'RE GOING AFTER, YOU SEND IN A COMMANDO TEAM.
THIS HAS THE ADVANTAGE, OF COURSE, THAT YOU CAN HAVE EYES ON YOUR TARGET.
YOU CAN BE GUARANTEED THAT HE'S KILLED OR CAPTURED.
Narrator: THIS IS A JOB MADE FOR AN ELITE UNIT LIKE THE NAVY SEALS.
Mann: WHEN IT CAME TIME TO GET IN THE OP FOR BIN LADEN, I MEAN, THEY WERE MORE THAN READY.
THEY HAD MORE COMBAT EXPERIENCE NOW THAN ANY UNIT IN THE WORLD, AND THEY'D BEEN FIGHTING MORE THAN WE'VE EVER FOUGH AS A COUNTRY.
Dozier: THEY'VE BEEN DOING A DOZEN RAIDS A NIGH NEXT DOOR IN AFGHANISTAN, AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS.
SO, THEY HAD THE SKILLS.
THEY WERE CLOSE BY.
AND THEY'D BEEN HUNTING BIN LADEN FOR A DECADE.
Narrator: BUT PLANNING AN OPERATION BASED ON LIMITED INTELLIGENCE IS RISKY.
EVEN AFTER MONTHS OF CONCENTRATED EFFORTS, THERE'S NO CERTAINTY THAT BIN LADEN IS INDEED IN THE COMPOUND.
RUSHING TO ACTION COULD NEEDLESSLY COS THE LIVES OF DOZENS OF U.
S.
TROOPS.
Narrator: ALMOST A DECADE SINCE THE TRAIL WENT COLD, THE BIGGEST MANHUNT IN HISTORY IS COMING TO A BOIL.
CIA ANALYSTS ZERO IN ON A COMPOUND IN PAKISTAN.
THEY THINK OSAMA BIN LADEN IS THERE.
PRESIDENT OBAMA IS FACING THE MOST MOMENTOUS DECISION OF HIS CAREER.
HE NEEDS TO CHOOSE THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION -- BOMB THE COMPOUND FROM THE AIR, SEND IN A BLACK OPS UNIT, OR MAYBE WAIT UNTIL HE IS SURE BIN LADEN IS THERE.
Schmitt: THE PRIORITY WAS TO ENSURE THA YOU EITHER KILL OR CAPTURE OSAMA BIN LADEN.
AND THE ONLY WAY YOU COULD DO THA WAS TO SEND IN A COMMANDO TEAM TO DO THAT JOB.
Narrator: AS THE PRESIDENT CONSIDERS HIS OPTIONS, ONE U.
S.
SPECIAL OPS TEAM IS ORDERED TO START PREPARING.
HAND-PICKED FOR THE JOB, THEY ARE THE BEST OF THE BEST -- THE NAVY'S TOP-SECRET COUNTERTERRORISM FORCE, SEAL TEAM SIX.
Zinke: WELL, HISTORICALLY, PEOPLE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT SEAL TEAM SIX.
IS ALL A CLOSE-HELD SECRET.
[ GUNFIRE .]
Narrator: INSIDE THE NAVY, THE UNIT IS ONLY KNOWN AS DEVGRU, SHORT FOR NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE DEVELOPMENT GROUP.
YOU CAN'T REALLY TRAIN ALL THE OTHER TEAMS TO QUICKLY DEPLOY TO THE JUNGLE, QUICKLY DEPLOY TO THE DESER OR THE ARCTIC OR AN URBAN.
SO, YOU HAVE ONE TEAM MADE UP OF THE ELITE, WHO CAN DEPLOY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
AND THAT TEAM REALLY IS OUR NATION'S 911 WORLDWIDE CALL.
Narrator: ONLY SEAL OPERATORS WITH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE ARE CONSIDERED FOR A JOB WITH THE TEAM.
YOU HAVE A SCREEN TO BECOME PART OF SEAL TEAM SIX.
THERE'S ADDITIONAL YEARS OF TRAINING, OF SCREENING, OF REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED.
Narrator: McRAVEN KNOWS HE CAN RELY ON TEAM SIX.
HE WAS ONCE A COMMANDER WITH THE UNI AND HELPED SHAPE IT AS ONE OF THE BEST COUNTERTERRORISM FORCES IN THE WORLD.
Zinke: I THINK THE THING THAT SEPARATES SEAL TEAM SIX FROM ALL OTHERS IS SEALS JUST DON'T QUIT.
THEY'RE TRAINED NEVER, EVER QUIT.
Narrator: OVER THE LAST DECADE, U.
S.
SPECIAL FORCES HAVE HAD A GREAT DEAL OF OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE.
Zinke: THOUSANDS OF OPERATIONS HAD BEEN CONDUCTED.
MANY OF THEM ARE NOT ON THE FRONT PAGE, BUT ALMOST ALL HAVE HAD A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE ON THE DIRECTION OF THE WAR ON TERRORISM.
Narrator: ONE OF THE FEW PUBLICLY KNOWN MISSIONS WAS THE RESCUE OF THE CAPTAIN OF THE MAERSK ALABAMA FROM SOMALI PIRATES WHO HIJACKED HIS BOA NEAR THE HORN OF AFRICA IN 2009.
Mann: THE HOSTAGES WERE RESCUED.
THE SNIPERS, YOU KNOW, DID THEIR HIT ON THE SOMALI PIRATES.
FOR EVERY ONE THAT YOU HEAR ABOUT, THERE'S A HUNDRED SUCCESSES YOU DON'T HEAR ABOUT.
[ GUNSHOT .]
Narrator: IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, NIGHTLY RAIDS HAD BEEN PART OF THE SEALS' MISSION.
THEY ARE READY FOR ACTION.
THEY WERE GOING TO TRAIN AND TRAIN AND TRAIN AND BE READY IF THE PRESIDENT SAID, "GET ON THAT PLANE AND GET TO PAKISTAN.
" NOT ONE OF THEM BREATHED A WORD TO THEIR FAMILIES OR TO THEIR OTHER SEAL TEAMMATES AT SEAL TEAM SIX.
Narrator: THERE'S ONE REAL CONCERN ABOUT KEEPING THE MISSION SECRET -- SHOULD THE U.
S.
INVOLVE THE PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT? THERE ARE WORRIES ABOUT TRUST.
Mudd: OVER TIME, WE SAW PROBLEMS WORKING WITH PAKISTANI INTELLIGENCE -- INFORMATION GOING OUT THE BACK DOOR, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE WERE COOPERATING WITH THEM.
Schmitt: TOO OFTEN, WHEN THEY GOT A TIP, IT TURNED OUT THA AN HOUR BEFORE A RAID, FOR INSTANCE, MYSTERIOUSLY, THE TARGET OF THAT RAID WOULD DISAPPEAR.
HE WOULD HAVE BEEN TIPPED OFF.
Narrator: THE PRESIDENT DETERMINES THA BRINGING THE PAKISTANIS IN ON THE PLAN COULD MEAN LOSING THE ONE CHANCE IN ALMOST A DECADE TO GET OSAMA BIN LADEN.
BUT KEEPING THE PAKISTANIS IN THE DARK MAKES THIS RAID EVEN MORE RISKY.
Mudd: THIS IS CROSSING A BORDER, CROSSING A LARGE TERRITORY OF PAKISTAN, A SOVEREIGN COUNTRY, WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF LOCAL SECURITY SERVICES WITH THE PROSPECT THAT LOCAL POLICE MIGHT GET ONTO YOU AND START SHOOTING YOU IN ABBOTTABAD.
THE RISK FACTORS HERE WERE INCREDIBLE.
Narrator: THE CONSEQUENCES OF A POTENTIAL DISASTER WEIGH HEAVY ON THE PRESIDENT AND HIS AIDES.
IN THE BACK OF EVERYONE'S MIND IS THE FAILED DESERT ONE OPERATION TO RESCUE HOSTAGES FROM IRAN IN 1980.
EIGHT AMERICAN SERVICEMEN WERE KILLED WHEN THEIR HELICOPTERS COLLIDED ON THE WAY TO THE MISSION.
IT WAS A CRUSHING BLOW FOR THE CARTER PRESIDENCY.
AND SOME OF THOSE IN THE ROOM WITH OBAMA ARE STILL HAUNTED BY WHAT CAME TO BE KNOWN AS "BLACK HAWK DOWN," A SPECIAL FORCES OPERATION CODE-NAMED "GOTHIC SERPENT" INTO SOMALIA IN 1993.
MILITANTS SHOT DOWN TWO U.
S.
HELICOPTERS.
AT THE END OF THE BATTLE, 18 AMERICAN SOLDIERS WERE DEAD, THEIR BODIES MUTILATED AND DRAGGED THROUGH THE STREETS OF MOGADISHU.
Schmitt: THESE ARE HIS TOP ADVISERS -- POLICE LIKE VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN, SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON, DEFENSE SECRETARY BOB GATES, CIA DIRECTOR LEON PANETTA.
AND THEY'RE ALL GIVING THEIR ASSESSMENTS TO THE PRESIDENT.
SOME ARE MORE SKEPTICAL ABOUT THIS THAN OTHERS.
JOE BIDEN, FOR INSTANCE, IS A LITTLE MORE SKEPTICAL.
GATES IS SKEPTICAL ABOUT SENDING IN GROUND TROOPS.
HE'S THE ONE INDIVIDUAL FROM THIS GROUP WHO LIVED THROUGH DESERT ONE.
OTHER INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS, HOWEVER, INCLUDING PANETTA, WERE MUCH MORE BULLISH.
WHENEVER YOU'RE ADVISING THE PRESIDEN ABOUT A PARTICULAR OPERATION, IT'S HOW CERTAIN DO YOU FEEL THAT YOUR TARGET'S THERE AND THAT YOU WILL HAVE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTE THAT MISSION VERSUS WHAT ARE THE LIKELY CONSEQUENCES OR POTENTIAL POINTS OF FAILURE? Narrator: TO STACK THE ODDS IN HIS FAVOR, OBAMA ORDERS ADDITIONAL BACKUP.
Dozier: THE PRESIDENT SAID, "I WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT THESE GUYS AND GET THEM OUT.
" Narrator: THE PRESIDENT WANTS ANOTHER SEAL TEAM READY NEARBY AS A QUICK-REACTION FORCE.
Schmitt: ONE THING THAT HE PERSONALLY WANTED TO SEE WAS THE OPTION TO FIGHT THEIR WAY OUT IF THEY HAD TO.
THEY DIDN'T WANT TO BE PINNED DOWN.
AND SO, THE MILITARY WENT BACK AND DEVISED SOME BACKUP PLANS THAT HAD ADDITIONAL TRANSPORT HELICOPTERS READY ON A CHANCE THAT THERE MIGHT BE A PROBLEM.
[ GUNFIRE .]
Narrator: EVEN NOW, THE PRESIDENT STILL HASN'T DECIDED WHETHER TO GREEN LIGHT THE OPERATION.
BUT MEMBERS OF SEAL TEAM SIX ARE SENT TO PREPARE IN NORTH CAROLINA AND THE NEVADA DESERT.
AN EXACT REPLICA OF THE COMPOUND IS BUIL ESPECIALLY FOR THEM TO TRAIN FOR EVERY POTENTIAL SCENARIO.
Zinke: YOU COULD HAVE LAND MINES, OR THE WHOLE BUILDING COULD BE A TRAP, AND THE MOMENT YOU GET IN THE COMPOUND, YOU KNOW, 4,000 POUNDS OF EXPLOSIVES GETS DETONATED.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S ENOUGH TO KILL THE ENTIRE FORCE.
THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE BUNCH OF CONTINGENCIES THAT THEY HAVE TO PREPARE FOR AND THAT PLANS DON'T ALWAYS GO ACCORDING TO PLAN.
WE HAVE A SAYING -- YOU KNOW, "PLAN YOUR DIVE AND DIVE YOUR PLAN.
" [ GUNFIRE .]
Narrator: FROM THE INTELLIGENCE GATHERED, THE SEALS LEARN THAT BEHIND THE HIGH WALLS SECURING THE COMPOUND ARE AT LEAST TWO BUILDINGS.
THE MYSTERIOUS RESIDENTS AND THE COURIER'S BROTHER SEEM TO BE IN THE MAIN ONE.
THE SMALLER BUILDING HOUSES AL-KUWAITI AND HIS FAMILY.
TO GET TO THEM, THE SEALS WOULD HAVE TO SPLIT INTO TWO GROUPS.
ONE WILL LAND IN THE COURTYARD AND SECURE THE PERIMETER, AND THE OTHER WILL FAST-ROPE TO THE ROOF, TAKING THE RESIDENTS BY SURPRISE.
Zinke: INTELLIGENCE WAS CRITICAL.
OUR SATELLITE IMAGERY, OUR GROUND INTELLIGENCE -- TO THE DEGREE WE COULD, WE HAD AN UNDERSTANDING OF AT LEAST THE BATTLEFIELD EXTERIOR OF THE COMPOUND.
Narrator: AS THE SEALS PREPARE, THE PRESIDENT CALLS IN MORE EXPERTS.
HE WANTS FRESH EYES ON INTELLIGENCE -- WHAT THE PROS CALL A RED-TEAM EXERCISE.
SENIOR ANALYSTS ARE GIVEN EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN GATHERED ON THE CASE.
THEIR JOB IS TO PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE INTELLIGENCE.
AFTER REVIEWING THE MATERIAL, THE RED TEAM CONCLUDES THE CHANCES BIN LADEN IS IN THE COMPOUND ARE ONLY 50-50.
TO GET THE 50-50 IN ITSELF I THOUGHT WAS SIGNIFICANT.
THAT MIGHT SEEM LIKE LOW ODDS FOR VEGAS.
FOR ME AS AN INTELLIGENCE PROFESSIONAL, THAT'S PRETTY GOOD ODDS.
Narrator: IN THE LAST SECRET WHITE HOUSE MEETING, THE ROOM IS STILL DIVIDED ON THE BEST PLAN OF ACTION.
Schmitt: AS THEY WENT AROUND THE TABLE, EACH ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS BASICALLY IS PREFACING HIS OR HER REMARKS BY SAYING, "MR.
PRESIDENT, WE KNOW THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT DECISION YOU'RE GONNA MAKE.
" AND, OF COURSE, IT GOT TO BE A JOKE AS THEY WENT AROUND, 'CAUSE THEY EACH ECHO EACH OTHER AS IF TO KIND OF SHIELD THEM FROM THE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY OF HAVING TO MAKE THIS DECISION, KNOWING, OF COURSE, THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF WILL BE THE ONE WHO DECIDES WHETHER TO GO OR NOT.
Mudd: I THINK MOST OF US WOULD HAVE SAID, "THE RISK HERE IS HUGE.
" AND THE BEST WE COULD TO IS TO SAY, "BOSS, I'M GONNA HAVE TO ASK YOU TO TAKE A HUGE RISK.
" THAT SAID, I THINK I WOULD HAVE SAID, "I'M NOT SURE IT'S GONNA GET ANY BETTER, AND NOW IT'S ON YOUR BACK.
" Narrator: IT'S THE ULTIMATE DECISION FOR THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF.
IS HE WILLING TO RISK THE LIVES OF AMERICAN TROOPS BASED ON SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY? PRESIDENT OBAMA SAYS HE NEEDS MORE TIME TO THINK, BUT DELAY CARRIES ITS OWN RISK.
Townsend: WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU WAIT SO LONG TO HAVE IT BE PERFEC THAT YOU LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY? Narrator: THE NEXT MORNING, THE PRESIDENT CALLS HIS TOP ADVISERS.
HE HAS MADE UP HIS MIND.
OPERATION NEPTUNE SPEAR IS A GO.
Schmitt: IT WAS THE BEST INFORMATION THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE THIS WAS BIN LADEN, AND THIS WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO STRIKE, THE OPPORTUNITY THEY'D BEEN LOOKING FOR FOR YEARS.
AND THE RISKS WERE WORTH IT.
Narrator: THE RAID IS PLANNED FOR THE NEXT DAY, SATURDAY, APRIL 30th, WITH SUNDAY, MAY 1st, AS AN ALTERNATIVE IF THE WEATHER IS BAD.
AS THE SEALS PREPARE FOR THE OPERATION, THE PRESIDENT CONTINUES WITH HIS PLANNED COMMITMENTS.
THE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER IS SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY NIGHT.
THE PRESIDENT ALWAYS ATTENDS IT.
Schmitt: THIS IS AN ANNUAL EVENT HERE IN WASHINGTON WHERE THE PRESIDENT SHOWS UP IN A BLACK TIE.
HE'S USUALLY SUBJECT -- YOU KNOW, HE'S EXPECTED TO GIVE A FUNNY SPEECH.
ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY, PLEASE HAVE A SEAT.
Narrator: TO MAKE SURE THE OPERATION REMAINS A SECRET, EVERYONE HAS TO ACT AS IF IT'S BUSINESS AS USUAL.
Dozier: THE WHITE HOUSE ADVISERS REALLY DEBATED "DO WE PRETEND THAT THE PRESIDENT IS SICK?" "DO WE WANT HIM MAKING JOKES FROM THE PODIUM --" WHICH IS THE POINT OF THAT PARTICULAR DINNER -- "JUST AS THE RAIDERS ARE HITTING THE COMPOUND?" WHAT IF THE HELICOPTERS GO DOWN? WHAT IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER "BLACK HAWK DOWN" SITUATION WHERE YOU LOSE A WHOLE TEAM? Narrator: IN THE LAST MINUTE, FORECASTS FOR CLOUDY WEATHER DELAYS THE MISSION.
SEAL TEAM SIX MUST WAIT ANOTHER DAY TO CARRY OUT THE PLAN.
Narrator: 11:00 P.
M.
IN JALALABAD, AFGHANISTAN.
IT'S A MOONLESS NIGHT.
24 HOURS LATER THAN ORIGINALLY PLANNED, TWO BLACK HAWK HELICOPTERS TAKE OFF FROM A U.
S.
AIR BASE.
EACH IS CARRYING 12 MEMBERS OF NAVY SEAL TEAM SIX.
THE OPERATION TO GET OSAMA BIN LADEN, CODE-NAMED NEPTUNE SPEAR, IS FINALLY UNDER WAY.
Mann: "BOY, THIS IS A LITTLE HAIRY HERE.
"OKAY, WE ARE FLYING INTO PAKISTAN.
YEAH, THIS IS A GO.
THIS IS DEFINITELY A GO.
" AND THEN IT GETS MORE EXCITEMENT IN THE AIR, AND EVERYBODY STARTS GETTING A LOT MORE SERIOUS.
"WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING NOW.
WE'RE GOING IN.
IT'S GOING IN AT NIGHT.
" Narrator: ON THE TENSE FLIGHT TO ABBOTTABAD, THE TROOPS GO THROUGH LAST-MINUTE PREPARATIONS.
Mann: AND THERE WILL BE A VERY DETAILED PATROL LEADER'S ORDER -- TIME YOU'RE GOING IN, TIME YOU'RE COMING OUT, WHAT GEAR YOU'RE GONNA TAKE, WHO'S GONNA BE SITTING WHERE IN THE HELOS.
Narrator: THESE SEALS WERE HAND-PICKED FOR THE MISSION BECAUSE OF THEIR SPECIALTIES AND EXPERIENCE.
IT'S THE OPERATION THEY'VE LONG BEEN WAITING FOR.
Mann: THE AIR IS SO, SO THICK.
PEOPLE ARE SAYING LAST-MINUTE PRAYERS AND THINKING ABOUT THEIR FAMILIES, AND MAKING SURE THEIR WEAPONS LOADED, DOING PRESS CHECKS, MAKING SURE THERE'S A ROUND IN THE CHAMBER, MAKING SURE ALL THE GEAR'S SECURED.
GOING OVER THE LAST-MINUTE NOTES WITH THE BUDDIES, THINKING OF ALL THE DETAILS.
Narrator: ALSO ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT -- A TRANSLATOR AND A DOG NAMED CAIRO, MEMBER OF THE K-9 UNIT.
Mann: IF ANTIPERSONNEL AND SNIFFING THINGS OUT -- GO SEARCH SOMETHING FOR SMELL, LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY.
Dozier: CAIRO WAS A VETERAN -- A VETERAN OF MANY RAIDS.
HE'D ACTUALLY BEEN WOUNDED IN A PREVIOUS RAID AND HAD TAKEN SIX MONTHS OUT TO RECUPERATE.
Narrator: THE SEALS ARE FLYING IN NEW STEALTH HELICOPTERS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR THIS MISSION.
SEALS HAVE THE STATE-OF-THE-ART EQUIPMENT, AND EVERY YEAR, EVERY GENERATION, THE HELICOPTERS GET A LITTLE FASTER, A LITTLE LIGHTER, A LITTLE HARDER TO DETECT.
Narrator: THE OPERATION PILOTS ARE THE NIGHT STALKERS, MEMBERS OF THE ARMY'S ELITE 160th SPECIAL AVIATION REGIMENT.
Magness: WE'RE CALLED "NIGHT STALKERS" FOR A REASON.
WE TEND TO LIKE TO FLY AT NIGH TO GIVE US THE COVER OF DARKNESS.
FLYING IN THE DARK IS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN FLYING IN THE DAY.
AND SOUND ACTS DIFFERENTLY.
LIGHT OBVIOUSLY ACTS DIFFERENTLY.
THE WHOLE MISSION IS PLANNED TO HIT THE TARGE FROM AN UNEXPECTED DIRECTION AT AN UNEXPECTED TIME.
Narrator: THE JOURNEY TO THE TARGET IN ABBOTTABAD TAKES ABOUT 90 MINUTES.
THE TWO STEALTH HELICOPTERS MANAGE TO CROSS THE BORDER TO PAKISTAN UNDETECTED.
Dozier: IN THE ORIGINAL PLAN, THEY WERE GONNA FAST-ROPE DOWN INTO THE OUTER COURTYARD.
IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN 2 MINUTES TO LAND THESE GUYS, AND MAYBE 10 MINUTES IN ALL TO STORM BOTH BUILDINGS.
Narrator: JUST AS HE'S HOVERING ABOVE THE COMPOUND PREPARING TO LAND [ CLANKING .]
ONE OF PILOTS HITS SERIOUS TROUBLE.
Dozier: THE AIR AS HOTTER THAN ANYONE HAD EXPECTED, AND THE HELICOPTER LOST CONTROL, 'CAUSE THE AIR WAS THINNER, AND THE HELICOPTER, THEREFORE, WAS HEAVIER AND STARTED FALLING A LITTLE BIT THROUGH SPACE, SLIDING GREASILY BACK AND FORTH.
Narrator: DRONES FLYING OVER THE COMPOUND STREAM THE UNFOLDING DISASTER BACK TO VICE ADMIRAL McRAVEN IN JALALABAD, THE CIA HEADQUARTERS IN LANGLEY, AND THE SITUATION ROOM IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
Schmitt: YOU'RE ALL, LIKE, JAMMED IN A VERY SMALL KIND OF ROOM, LISTENING, WATCHING THE FEED.
Dozier: ALL THEY COULD SEE IS THE HELICOPTER GOING DOWN AND THEN CRASHING AND WONDERING, HAVE WE JUST LOST THE MISSION? Narrator: WITH ONE HELICOPTER DOWN AND A LOSS OF THE SURPRISE ELEMENT, THE SEALS WILL HAVE TO QUICKLY ADAPT THEIR MISSION TO THE SITUATION.
Narrator: THE SECRET RAID ON A COMPOUND IN PAKISTAN WHERE OSAMA BIN LADEN MAY BE HIDING ENCOUNTERS A SERIOUS COMPLICATION.
ONE OF THE HELICOPTERS CARRYING A NAVY SEAL BLACK OPS UNI CRASH-LANDS.
PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HIS TEAM IN THE WHITE HOUSE FOLLOW, AS IT LOOKS LIKE THE U.
S.
MISSION TO GET BIN LADEN IS COMPROMISED.
Dozier: YOUR HEART'S IN YOUR THROAT.
YOU DON'T KNOW AT ANY MOMEN IF THE PAKISTANIS ARE GOING TO COME RUSHING IN.
YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GONNA HEAR THAT THE WHOLE MISSION HAS BEEN LOST.
Narrator: THE WHITE HOUSE ADVISERS ARE DESPERATE TO HEAR IF THE SEALS SURVIVED THE CRASH.
Dozier: AN EXTREMELY TENSE MOMEN UNTIL THEY HEARD FROM McRAVEN, "NOPE, THE GUYS ARE OUT.
"THE GUYS ARE GOOD.
"AND WE'RE PREPARED FOR THIS.
WE'RE MODIFYING THE PLAN.
" WHEN ADMIRAL McRAVEN INDICATED A KIND OF, YOU KNOW, "THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM.
THESE GUYS ARE GONNA DO THE JOB," IT GAVE ME A SENSE OF CONFIDENCE.
Narrator: IN ABBOTTABAD, THE PILOT BURIES THE NOSE OF THE HELICOPTER IN THE GROUND.
Magness: IF FAILURE'S NOT AN OPTION, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION.
Narrator: THE SEALS IMMEDIATELY ACTIVATE PLAN "B.
" WHEN THINGS GO WRONG, YOU'RE NOT GONNA OVERREACT.
YOU HAVE A CHECKLIST, AND YOU CAN GET THROUGH JUST ABOUT ANYTHING.
Narrator: THEY QUICKLY ORGANIZE THEMSELVES TO STORM THE COMPOUND FROM THE GROUND.
Mann: THE FIRST THING THE GUYS HAVE TO DO IS GET A FULL HEAD COUNT, MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S THERE.
Narrator: BUT THE CRASH HAS CAUSED NOISE.
THE TOWN'S AWAKE, AND SO THEY'RE THINKING, "ANY MINUTE NOW WE CAN BE RUN DOWN WITH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF ENEMY FORCES COMING AT US.
" Narrator: FEARING THEY'VE LOST THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE, THEY KNOW EVERY SECOND IS NOW CRITICAL.
AND ONCE YOU'RE AT THE DOOR, THE DOOR'S GOT TO BE BREACHED.
[ GUNSHOT .]
AS SOON AS THE DOOR'S BREACHED, PEOPLE ARE IN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT.
AND THEN YOU MAKE MOVEMENT.
Narrator: THE SEALS MAKE IT TO THE COURTYARD.
NOW THEY MUST GET TO THE MAIN BUILDING WHERE THEY THINK BIN LADEN MAY BE.
[ GLASS SHATTERS .]
[ WOMAN SCREAMS .]
THERE WERE THESE KNOTS OF CHILDREN WHO WERE TRYING TO AVOID GETTING CAUGHT, TRYING TO AVOID GETTING HIT, AND NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO OR WHERE TO RUN.
[ CHILD CRYING .]
Narrator: THEY STILL DON'T KNOW WHO ELSE IS IN THE COMPOUND AND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ARMED.
Mann: AND THEY'RE JUST MOVING, MOVING, GOING THROUGH DANGER AREAS, MOVING, MOVING, MOVING, CHECKING STAIRWAYS, CLEARING SO PEOPLE CAN GO UP STAIRWAYS.
[ GUNSHOTS .]
Narrator: WHEN SOMEONE OPENS FIRE, THEY ENGAGE.
UGH! WITH STILL NO SIGN OF BIN LADEN, THE SEALS MOVE TO CLEAR THE NEXT BUILDING.
THEY FIND THAT MOST ENTRANCES AND PATHWAYS ARE BARRICADED OR BLOCKED.
Mann: TAKE OUT A CLOSED DOOR.
THEY KNOW TO GET SECURITY ON IT.
PEOPLE BLAST THROUGH THE DOOR.
Narrator: FROM HIS HEADQUARTERS IN LANGLEY, CIA DIRECTOR LEON PANETTA IS NARRATING THE ACTION FOR THE PRESIDENT.
Panetta: WE HAD HEARD THAT SHOTS HAD BEEN FIRED.
WE REALLY WEREN'T QUITE SURE WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
IT WAS A GOOD 15 OR 20 MINUTES OF SILENCE IN THE SENSE OF WHAT EXACTLY WAS GOING ON.
Narrator: THEY'RE INSIDE THE MAIN BUILDING.
THE YOUNG MAN THEY JUST SHO MATCHES THE DESCRIPTION OF BIN LADEN'S SON.
THEY ADVANCE UP THE STAIRS LEADING TO THE TOP FLOOR.
OSAMA BIN LADEN POKES HIS HEAD AROUND THE DOORWAY.
ONE OF THE FIRST SEALS IN THE LINE KNOWS THAT'S BIN LADEN.
Narrator: THE OPERATIONAL SIGNAL FOR SIGHTING THEIR TARGE IS SENT TO THE COMMAND -- GERONIMO.
THE SIGNALS WERE SET OUT BY ALPHABET -- A, B, C, D.
"G" WAS SECURING OSAMA BIN LADEN.
"G" FOR GERONIMO.
[ GUNSHOTS .]
Narrator: THEY GUN DOWN BIN LADEN WITH A SIGNATURE DOUBLE TAP -- ONE SHOT TO THE CHEST, AND ONE TO THE HEAD.
IN THE SITUATION ROOM, IT WAS "WE GOT HIMWE THINK.
"WAIT.
MAYBE? WE HOPE.
" THOSE WERE VERY LONG AND TORTUROUS MOMENTS, WAITING FOR THE WORD.
[ WOMAN SHRIEKING .]
Narrator: THE SEALS MOVE IN TO CONFIRM THEY GOT THE RIGHT MAN.
A MESSAGE IS SENT BACK.
"E.
K.
I.
A.
" -- ENEMY KILLED IN ACTION.
[ SHRIEKING CONTINUES .]
ONE OF THEM PUSHES BIN LADEN'S WIDOWS OUT OF THE WAY.
HE HAS TO ASSUME THEY MAY BE WEARING SUICIDE VESTS.
ONE OF THE WOMEN IS BLEEDING FROM GUNFIRE RICOCHETS.
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS .]
THEY COLLECT DNA SAMPLES.
Dozier: THE SEALS STARTED EVIDENCE COLLECTION, TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OF BIN LADEN'S FACE AND SENDING THOSE BACK SO THAT TWO WAITING TEAMS IN THE CIA WHO WERE FACIAL RECOGNITION EXPERTS -- MEASURING THE LENGTH OF THE NOSE, THE LENGTH OF THE JAW.
Narrator: THE OPERATION IS NOT COMPLETE.
BIN LADEN WAS RUNNING AL-QAEDA FROM THE COMPOUND.
THE EVIDENCE HE LEFT BEHIND COULD BE USED TO PREVENT FUTURE ATTACKS.
IT TOOK THEM 19 MINUTES TO GET TO BIN LADEN, AND THEN IN THE REST OF THE TIME, THEY WERE GOING FROM ROOM TO ROOM, LOOKING FOR COMPUTERS, CELLPHONES, DOCUMENTS, ANYTHING THAT MIGHT TELL THEM WHAT BIN LADEN HAD BEEN DOING THERE FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS AND ANYTHING THAT MIGH LEAD THEM TO OTHER PARTS OF THE NETWORK.
Narrator: BUT EVERY MINUTE THEY SPEND GATHERING MATERIAL PUTS THE TEAMS AT GREATER RISK.
ONE OF THE HELICOPTERS POSITIONED NEARBY MAKES ITS WAY TO THE COMPOUND TO ASSIST IN EVACUATING THEM.
Magness: WE HAVE EVERYBODY.
WE HAVE THE AIRCRAFT THAT WE'RE EXITING ON THE RIGHT ROUTE.
Narrator: BEFORE TAKING OFF, ONE TEAM BLOWS UP THE CRASHED HELICOPTER, MAKING SURE ITS CLASSIFIED DESIGN FEATURES AND TECHNOLOGY WILL NOT FALL INTO THE WRONG HANDS.
IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS, THE SEAL TEAMS FINALLY MAKE IT BACK TO JALALABAD.
BEFORE BEING TAKEN AWAY, AL-QAEDA'S LEADER IS IDENTIFIED WITH ALMOST 100% CERTAINTY.
HOURS LATER, HIS BODY WILL ARRIVE AT THE USS CARL VINSON, AND BIN LADEN WILL BE GIVEN A BURIAL AT SEA.
THE WHITE HOUSE TEAM IS GETTING READY TO ANNOUNCE THE NEWS TO THE WORLD.
AMERICA'S NUMBER-ONE MOST WANTED TERRORIST IS DEAD.
Dozier: WHEN THE HELICOPTERS GOT BACK OVER THE BORDER INTO AFGHANISTAN AND IT DAWNED ON THE PEOPLE INSIDE THE SITUATION ROOM AND THE TOP CIA OFFICIALS THAT, THEY'VE DONE IT.
LOOKS LIKE WE GOT BIN LADEN.
AND ALL THE SEALS AND ALL THE TEAMS SUPPORTING THEM IS SAFELY OUT.
THAT'S WHEN PEOPLE QUIETLY STARTED POPPING THE CHAMPAGNE BOTTLES.
GOOD EVENING.
TONIGHT I CAN REPORT TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND TO THE WORLD THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS CONDUCTED AN OPERATION THAT KILLED OSAMA BIN LADEN, THE LEADER OF AL-QAEDA, AND A TERRORIST WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MURDER OF THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN.
[ CHEERING .]
[ Chanting .]
USA! USA! Narrator: WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA GOES TO CONGRATULATE THE SEALS WHO TOOK PART IN THE MISSION A FEW DAYS LATER, THE QUESTION OF THE IDENTITY OF THE SEAL WHO SHOT BIN LADEN COMES UP.
THEY COLLECTIVELY ANSWER, "WE ALL DID, SIR.
" THE TEAM THEN HANDS THE PRESIDEN AN AMERICAN FLAG WITH AN INSCRIPTION SAYING, "OPERATION NEPTUNE SPEAR, MAY 1, 2011, FOR GOD AND COUNTRY, GERONIMO.
"
AFTER ALMOST A DECADE, U.
S.
INTELLIGENCE HAS FINALLY TRACKED OSAMA BIN LADEN DOWN TO A COMPOUND IN PAKISTAN.
SEAL TEAM SIX, A U.
S.
ELITE SPECIAL FORCES UNIT, IS TASKED WITH A NOW-HISTORIC CAPTURE OR KILL MISSION.
THEY HAD BEEN WAITING FOR THIS CALL FOR YEARS.
Narrator: THIS IS THE INSIDE ACCOUN OF ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS BLACK OPS MISSIONS OF ALL TIMES.
Mann: IT GETS MORE EXCITEMENT IN THE AIR, AND EVERYBODY STARTS GETTING A LOT MORE SERIOUS.
"BOARD THE HELOS.
WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING NOW.
WE'RE GOING IN.
IT'S GOING IN AT NIGHT.
" Narrator: HOW SEAL TEAM SIX PLANNED THIS HIGH-RISK RAID AND HOW IT ALMOST FAILED.
NOW ON "BLACK OPS," TAKING DOWN BIN LADEN.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS OPERATION NEPTUNE SPEAR.
TWO BLACK HAWK HELICOPTERS CARRYING A TEAM OF U.
S.
NAVY SEALS ARE APPROACHING A COMPOUND IN ABBOTTABAD, PAKISTAN.
THEY BELIEVE OSAMA BIN LADEN IS HIDING THERE.
BUT THEN, DISASTER.
[ CLANKING .]
IT'S RARE AN OP EVER GOES LIKE IT'S PLANNED.
THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT COMES UP WITHOUT EXPECTING IT.
CAUSING IT TO HIT THE COMPOUND WALL AND CRASH-LAND.
THE TOWN'S AWAKE, AND SO THEY'RE THINKING, "ANY MINUTE NOW WE CAN BE RUN DOWN WITH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF ENEMY FORCES COMING AT US.
" Narrator: THE SEALS HAVE LOST THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE.
EVERY SECOND IS NOW CRITICAL.
THE SPECIAL FORCES TEAM MUST QUICKLY ADAP AND RESPOND TO THE CHANGED SITUATION.
WHAT YOU'RE EXPECTED TO DO IS MAKE A DETERMINATION WHETHER THE OCCUPANTS ARE A THREAT OR NOT A THREAT.
Narrator: THE SEALS BLOW THEIR WAY INTO THE COMPOUND.
AND YOU HAVE TO REACT IN AN INSTANT.
IF THEY'RE A THREAT, THEN YOU ENGAGE.
[ GUNFIRE .]
Narrator: THIS ELITE UNIT HAS TRAINED FOR EVERY SCENARIO.
THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER IN THE HUNT TO BRING BIN LADEN TO JUSTICE -- A HUNT WHICH BEGAN MORE THAN A DECADE EARLIER.
[ SIREN WAILS .]
ON 9/11, 2001, THE U.
S.
ENDURES THE WORST ATTACKS ON ITS SOIL IN MODERN HISTORY.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING .]
ALMOST 3,000 PEOPLE ARE DEAD.
PRESIDENT BUSH VOWS TO HUNT DOWN OSAMA BIN LADEN, AL-QAEDA'S LEADER AND THE MASTERMIND OF THE ATTACKS, AND BRING HIM TO JUSTICE.
THERE'S AN OLD POSTER OUT WEST, AS I RECALL, THAT SAID, "WANTED, DEAD OR ALIVE.
" Narrator: IN DECEMBER 2001, U.
S.
FORCES CHASED BIN LADEN TO THE CAVES OF TORA BORA IN AFGHANISTAN, BUT HE MANAGES TO SLIP AWAY.
Townsend: WE WERE ALWAYS ON THE HUNT.
WE WERE USING EVERY FORM OF INTELLIGENCE GATHERING, WHETHER IT WAS HUMAN INTELLIGENCE, SIGNALS INTELLIGENCE.
Narrator: FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS, BIN LADEN MANAGES TO ELUDE U.
S.
FORCES.
WE STILL HAVEN'T KILLED OR CAPTURED OSAMA BIN LADEN AND HIS TERRORIST CADRE.
DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW WHERE HE IS? HE MAY BE DEAD.
HE MAY BE SERIOUSLY WOUNDED.
HE MAY BE IN AFGHANISTAN.
HE MAY BE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
Schmitt: BIN LADEN LEARNS VERY EARLY ON THAT HE CAN'T TRUST ANYTHING ELECTRONIC.
HE ALMOST DIES IN TORA BORA IN THE MOUNTAINS OF AFGHANISTAN FROM USING CELL PHONES, AND SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS HE DOES IS BASICALLY GETS RID OF ANYTHING ELECTRONIC THAT COULD BE TRACED BACK TO HIM.
Narrator: MINIMIZING THE USE OF COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS AL-QAEDA'S LEADER AND HIS CLOSE DEPUTIES TO OPERATE UNDER THE RADAR.
Mudd: WE SAW HIS NAME CROP UP SO LITTLE BECAUSE VERY LITTLE COMMUNICATION.
I THINK VERY FEW PEOPLE IN THE ORGANIZATION KNEW WHERE HE WAS.
[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE .]
Narrator: BIN LADEN SEEMS TO HAVE DISAPPEARED OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
THE ONLY CLUES COME FROM VIDEOTAPES HE RELEASES, TAUNTING THE U.
S.
Townsend: YOU WERE LOOKING AT THINGS AS SIMPLE AS THE FOLIAGE AND THE LIGHT AND THE TERRAIN TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT WHERE IT MAY HAVE BEEN TAPED.
WE LOOKED AT HIS HEALTH.
DID HE USE PARTICULAR WORDS? WAS IT POSSIBLE THAT WHAT LOOKED LIKE JUST A SORT OF MESSAGE TO FOLLOWERS MIGHT HAVE HAD SOME EMBEDDED MESSAGE? Narrator: OVER THE DECADE, THE U.
S.
DOES ACHIEVE SOME PROGRESS.
SENIOR AL-QAEDA FIGURES ARE CAPTURED AND INTERROGATED.
Mudd: THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE BIG PLAYERS IN THE ORGANIZATION, THE ARCHETYPAL PLOTTERS IN THE AL-QAEDA ORGANIZATION, WAS PARTLY TRYING TO LEARN LOCATIONAL INFORMATION.
WHERE IS THE MAN? SO, THE FIRST QUESTION YOU MIGHT ASK THEM MIGHT BE THINGS LIKE, "WHERE'S BIN LADEN?" Narrator: DESPITE THESE SUCCESSES, PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE REMAINS AT LARGE.
BY THE TIME PRESIDENT OBAMA TAKES OFFICE IN 2009, MOST PEOPLE BELIEVE HE'LL NEVER BE CAUGHT.
BUT AT THE CIA, SOME ANALYSTS ARE STILL LOOKING FOR NEW CLUES.
Mudd: THE BITS AND PIECES ARE THINGS LIKE TALKING TO DETAINEES.
HOW DOES THE NETWORK OPERATE? WATCHING THEM MOVE.
Narrator: CASE OFFICERS SUGGES STUDYING THE STRUCTURE OF AL-QAEDA'S NETWORK.
WHO DOES BIN LADEN USE TO PASS MESSAGES, ALLOWING HIM TO REMAIN UNDETECTED? THE ANALYSTS BELIEVE THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION WILL LEAD THEM BACK TO BIN LADEN.
Mudd: SOMEBODY SAYS SOMETHING HERE.
SOMEBODY SAYS SOMETHING THERE.
OVER THE COURSE OF YEARS, YOU ACCUMULATE THOSE GRAINS, AND SLOWLY A PICTURE COMES INTO FOCUS.
Narrator: AFTER YEARS OF FRUSTRATION, THE ANALYSTS BELIEVE THEY'VE GOT SOMETHING.
THEY KNEW THERE WAS PROBABLY A COURIER OUT THERE, AND IT WAS FROM SOME OF THESE INITIAL INTERROGATIONS AT GUANTANAMO BAY AND OTHER PRISONS THAT THEY LEARNED OF ONE COURIER IN PARTICULAR.
Narrator: AL-QAEDA'S DETAINEES REVEAL THE COURIER BIN LADEN TRUSTS IS SOMEONE WHO'S KNOWN AS AL-KUWAITI -- THE MAN FROM KUWAIT.
DIGGING DEEPER, THEY FIND HIS REAL NAME -- SAEED AHMED.
IF THEY FIND HIM, THEY MAY BE ABLE TO FIND HIS BOSS.
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS .]
Dozier: THROUGH INTERCEPTS OF HIS CELLPHONES AS HE TRAVELED THROUGHOUT THE GULF AND PAKISTAN, THEY FIGURED OUT THAT HE SEEMED TO STILL BE IN TOUCH WITH THE HIGHEST RANKS OF AL-QAEDA.
AND THEY STARTED TRACKING HIM ON THE GROUND IN PAKISTAN.
Narrator: AS THEY TRACK HIM, CIA OPERATIVES NOTICE A HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS PATTERN TO AL-KUWAITI'S BEHAVIOR.
THEY FOUND THIS VERY STRANGE THING HE WOULD DO WAS TO TURN OFF HIS CELLPHONE, AND THEN DROP OFF THE MAP FOR A WHILE.
THINGS THAT MADE THE AMERICANS THINK, "THIS IS THE KIND OF EXTRAORDINARY MEASURE "THAT THE MOST HUNTED TERRORIST IN THE WORLD MIGHT TAKE.
LET'S FOLLOW THIS GUY.
" Narrator: THE BREAKTHROUGH COMES WHEN THE AGENTS MANAGE TO FOLLOW THE COURIER'S CAR.
TO THEIR AMAZEMENT, IT IS HEADED TOWARD A RESIDENTIAL COMPOUND IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF ABBOTTABAD A PAKISTANI ARMY TOWN ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF DRIVE FROM THE CAPITAL, ISLAMABAD.
Schmitt: IT'S THE HOME OF PAKISTANI'S WEST POINT, ONE OF ITS TOP MILITARY ACADEMIES.
IT'S A GARRISON TOWN.
Narrator: THE CIA STARTS WATCHING THE COMPOUND.
SURVEILLANCE REVEALS THAT AL-KUWAITI, THE COURIER, LIVES THERE WITH HIS BROTHER AND THEIR FAMILIES.
BUT THEY ARE NOT ALONE.
HIDDEN BEHIND UNUSUALLY HIGH WALLS, THERE ARE OTHER RESIDENTS, PERHAPS EVEN ANOTHER FAMILY LIVING ON THE TOP FLOOR OF ONE OF THE BUILDINGS.
THEY STILL DON'T KNOW WHO'S IN THE COMPOUND, OF COURSE, IN ABBOTTABAD, BUT THEY SUSPECT IT'S SOMEBODY QUITE SENIOR EITHER IN AL-QAEDA OR ONE OF THE OTHER TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS.
Narrator: FINDING OUT WHO THAT MYSTERIOUS SENIOR PERSON IS WILL NOT BE EASY.
Townsend: ABBOTTABAD WAS TEEMING WITH MILITARY OFFICIALS, LIKELY INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS, SECURITY OFFICIALS TO PROTECT THE PAKISTANI MILITARY.
SO IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT OPERATING ENVIRONMENT.
Narrator: IT'S SO DIFFICULT THAT AT FIRST, THE CIA IS FOCUSING THE EFFORT ON SURVEILLANCE FROM SPACE.
Schmitt: YOU HAD SATELLITES PEERING DOWN NIGHT AND DAY, TRYING TO GET AN IMAGE OF WHOEVER WAS WORKING IN THERE.
YOU HAD ELECTRONIC EAVESDROPPING EQUIPMEN THAT WAS TRYING TO PICK UP ANY SIGNALS, BE IT E-MAILS, TEXT MESSAGES, CELLPHONE CONVERSATIONS.
AND YOU HAD THIS NEW, STEALTHY AIRCRAF THAT WAS FLYING HIGH OVER PAKISTAN TRYING TO GET A GLIMPSE OF, AGAIN, WHO'S INSIDE.
Narrator: AFTER WEEKS OF SATELLITE IMAGERY, U.
S.
INTELLIGENCE TEAMS MANAGE TO IDENTIFY A FIGURE WHO OCCASIONALLY TAKES WALKS AROUND THE COURTYARD BUT APPEARS TO NEVER LEAVE THE COMPOUND.
THEY CALL HIM "THE PACER.
" THE PACER IS VERY TALL.
BIN LADEN IS ABOUT 6'4.
IT'S A TANTALIZING CLUE THAT MAY BRING THEM CLOSER TO TRACKING DOWN BIN LADEN.
BUT ANY ATTEMPT TO CONFIRM THE PACER'S IDENTITY IS FRAUGHT WITH RISK.
Narrator: ALMOST A DECADE AFTER 9/11, AFTER PORING THROUGH INTEL DATA AND TRACKING AN IMPORTANT AL-QAEDA COURIER, U.
S.
ANALYSTS THINK THEY MAY HAVE FOUND OSAMA BIN LADEN.
SURVEILLANCE SHOWS THA A MYSTERIOUS COMPOUND NOT FAR FROM PAKISTAN'S CAPITAL IS HOME TO WHAT SPECIAL OPS CALL AN H.
V.
T.
-- A HIGH-VALUE TARGET.
THE MYSTERIOUS RESIDENT IS A TALL MAN WHO PACES UP AND DOWN BUT NEVER VENTURES OUTSIDE.
TO TRY AND CONFIRM THEY HAVE THE RIGHT MAN, THE CIA ACTIVATES AGENTS ON THE GROUND.
THEY HAD A SAFE HOUSE OVERLOOKING THE COMPOUND WHERE THEY HAD PAKISTANI AGENTS, PEOPLE SPYING FOR THE CIA, TRYING TO ESTABLISH WHAT THEY CALL A PATTERN OF LIFE.
WHO GOES IN? WHO GOES OUT? HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE THERE? WHO'S INTERACTING WITH THE COMPOUND? Narrator: THE AGENTS SOON REPORT ON THE UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR PATTERNS OF THE RESIDENTS.
Dozier: THE HOUSE ITSELF HAD NO REAL CONNECTIONS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD.
THERE WAS A SATELLITE DISH, BUT THERE WERE NO PHONE LINES.
THERE WERE NO HARD WIRES BEYOND SOME ELECTRICITY WIRES GOING IN AND OUT.
IT'S AS IF THESE PEOPLE WANTED TO LIVE OFF THE GRID.
Panetta: MY FIRST REACTION WHEN THEY DESCRIBED THE COMPOUND IN ABBOTTABAD WAS THAT WE HAD SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY UNUSUAL.
[ LAUGHS .]
Narrator: NEIGHBORS SAY THE COMPOUND'S RESIDENTS KEEP TO THEMSELVES.
OCCASIONALLY, THEY HAVE VISITORS.
STRANGELY, THEY BURN THEIR TRASH.
IN WASHINGTON, ANALYSTS ARE STILL TRYING TO DETERMINE WHO IS THE HIGH-VALUE TARGET IN THE COMPOUND.
BUT IT'S DECIDED THERE'S ENOUGH TO BRIEF THE PRESIDENT.
Schmitt: PRESIDENT OBAMA'S TOP COUNTERTERRORISM AND INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS GO TO HIM AND SAY, "LOOK, WE THINK WE MAY HAVE "THE LOCATION WHERE BIN LADEN IS RIGHT NOW.
"WE CAN'T BE CERTAIN, BUT GIVEN ALL THE OTHER CLUES THAT WE HAVE" OBAMA IS CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC.
THIS IS BY FAR THE MOST SOLID LEAD THEY'VE HAD ON THE LOCATION OF BIN LADEN IN YEARS.
Panetta: ONCE THE INTELLIGENCE REACHED A POIN WHERE THERE WAS AT LEAS A HIGHER CONFIDENCE LEVEL ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY, THE NEXT QUESTION WE ASKED WAS WHAT SHOULD WE DO OPERATIONALLY? Narrator: A GROUP OF THE PRESIDENT'S CLOSEST ADVISERS IS CALLED IN TO DISCUSS THE NEW LEAD.
THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS ON HIS MIND.
Schmitt: "ARE THERE MILITARY OPTIONS? "WHAT ARE THE DIPLOMATIC OPTIONS? WHAT ARE THE POLITICAL OPTIONS HERE THAT I'M DEALING WITH?" AND, SO, HE AND HIS ADVISERS BEGAN TALKING ABOUT THOSE KIND OF OPTIONS, TASKING THE MILITARY AND THE CIA TO COME UP WITH OPTIONS OF HOW YOU DEAL WITH THIS, ASSUMING BIN LADEN'S THERE.
Narrator: OFFICIALLY, THE SITUATION-ROOM MEETINGS DON'T EXIST.
THE TOP SECRET IS SHARED ONLY WITH A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
Schmitt: WHENEVER THEY HAD THESE MEETINGS AT THE WHITE HOUSE, THEY WEREN'T EVEN PUT ON THE DAILY SCHEDULES THAT THE TOP NATIONAL SECURITY OFFICIALS GET.
IT WAS JUST A BLANK SPACE IN THEIR CALENDARS.
Narrator: THERE'S DANGER THA IF BIN LADEN IS AMONG THE COMPOUND'S RESIDENTS, HE MAY SLIP AWAY BEFORE A PLAN IS HATCHED.
THERE MAY BE ESCAPE ROUTES OR TUNNELS LEADING OUT OF THE COMPOUND.
THEY HAVE TO ACT FAST.
CIA DIRECTOR LEON PANETTA WANTS TO MOVE THINGS TO THE NEXT STAGE.
HE CALLS IN THE COMMANDER OF U.
S.
SPECIAL FORCES, VICE ADMIRAL WILLIAM McRAVEN.
Dozier: BILL McRAVEN IS A BIT OF A LEGEND IN THE COMMUNITY FOR A BOOMING VOICE, A LOT OF CHARISMA.
HIS GUYS LOVE HIM.
Zinke: HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN HARD-CHARGING, A GOOD, CLEAR THINKER, AND HAS ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD THAT MODERN WARFARE CHANGES, AND SPECIAL OPERATIONS HAS TO BE FLEXIBLE.
Narrator: McRAVEN OVERSEES JSOC, THE JOINT SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND.
HE WROTE THE BOOK ON BLACK OPS, AND HE NEEDS TO COME UP WITH A PLAN.
IN THE NEXT WEEKS, HIS TEAM WILL HAVE TO FIGURE OU IF THERE IS ENOUGH INTELLIGENCE TO GO AFTER THE TARGET.
IF SO, WHAT KIND OF AN OPERATION IS FEASIBLE, AND WHICH IS THE BEST UNIT TO CARRY IT OUT? McRAVEN IS LOOKING AT WHAT OPERATIVES ON THE GROUND FOUND THROUGH SURVEILLANCE, SATELLITE IMAGERY, AND THE ANALYSIS OF COMMUNICATION INTERCEPTS.
AFTER REVIEWING THE INTELLIGENCE, HE IS READY TO PRESENT THREE OPTIONS TO THE PRESIDENT AND HIS TEAM.
THE FIRST OPTION INVOLVES A MASSIVE BOMBING CAMPAIGN BY A B-2 BOMBER.
THE ADVANTAGE TO THIS KIND OF CAMPAIGN -- IT WOULD KILL ANYBODY IN THE COMPOUND.
THE DOWN SIDE, OF COURSE, WAS YOU'D NEVER BE SURE BIN LADEN WAS EVER THERE.
Narrator: ANOTHER OPTION IS A MORE SURGICAL DRONE STRIKE.
THEY HAD PROVED EFFECTIVE AGAINST AL-QAEDA BEFORE.
Dozier: A COUPLE OF THE SENIOR ADVISERS TO THE PRESIDEN WERE ALL FOR DROPPING A SMALL MUNITION, A MISSILE, ONTO THE COMPOUND.
BUT OTHERS WERE ARGUING THA THERE WERE A LOT OF CIVILIANS IN THE COMPOUND -- WOMEN, CHILDREN.
THAT WOULD PRODUCE MANY CASUALTIES.
Narrator: AND A DRONE STRIKE WOULD STILL NOT GUARANTEE KNOWING IF THEY HAD ACTUALLY KILLED BIN LADEN OR NOT LEAVING JUST ONE OTHER OPTION.
[ GUNFIRE .]
Schmitt: TO ENSURE THAT YOU GET THE MAN THAT YOU'RE GOING AFTER, YOU SEND IN A COMMANDO TEAM.
THIS HAS THE ADVANTAGE, OF COURSE, THAT YOU CAN HAVE EYES ON YOUR TARGET.
YOU CAN BE GUARANTEED THAT HE'S KILLED OR CAPTURED.
Narrator: THIS IS A JOB MADE FOR AN ELITE UNIT LIKE THE NAVY SEALS.
Mann: WHEN IT CAME TIME TO GET IN THE OP FOR BIN LADEN, I MEAN, THEY WERE MORE THAN READY.
THEY HAD MORE COMBAT EXPERIENCE NOW THAN ANY UNIT IN THE WORLD, AND THEY'D BEEN FIGHTING MORE THAN WE'VE EVER FOUGH AS A COUNTRY.
Dozier: THEY'VE BEEN DOING A DOZEN RAIDS A NIGH NEXT DOOR IN AFGHANISTAN, AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS.
SO, THEY HAD THE SKILLS.
THEY WERE CLOSE BY.
AND THEY'D BEEN HUNTING BIN LADEN FOR A DECADE.
Narrator: BUT PLANNING AN OPERATION BASED ON LIMITED INTELLIGENCE IS RISKY.
EVEN AFTER MONTHS OF CONCENTRATED EFFORTS, THERE'S NO CERTAINTY THAT BIN LADEN IS INDEED IN THE COMPOUND.
RUSHING TO ACTION COULD NEEDLESSLY COS THE LIVES OF DOZENS OF U.
S.
TROOPS.
Narrator: ALMOST A DECADE SINCE THE TRAIL WENT COLD, THE BIGGEST MANHUNT IN HISTORY IS COMING TO A BOIL.
CIA ANALYSTS ZERO IN ON A COMPOUND IN PAKISTAN.
THEY THINK OSAMA BIN LADEN IS THERE.
PRESIDENT OBAMA IS FACING THE MOST MOMENTOUS DECISION OF HIS CAREER.
HE NEEDS TO CHOOSE THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION -- BOMB THE COMPOUND FROM THE AIR, SEND IN A BLACK OPS UNIT, OR MAYBE WAIT UNTIL HE IS SURE BIN LADEN IS THERE.
Schmitt: THE PRIORITY WAS TO ENSURE THA YOU EITHER KILL OR CAPTURE OSAMA BIN LADEN.
AND THE ONLY WAY YOU COULD DO THA WAS TO SEND IN A COMMANDO TEAM TO DO THAT JOB.
Narrator: AS THE PRESIDENT CONSIDERS HIS OPTIONS, ONE U.
S.
SPECIAL OPS TEAM IS ORDERED TO START PREPARING.
HAND-PICKED FOR THE JOB, THEY ARE THE BEST OF THE BEST -- THE NAVY'S TOP-SECRET COUNTERTERRORISM FORCE, SEAL TEAM SIX.
Zinke: WELL, HISTORICALLY, PEOPLE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT SEAL TEAM SIX.
IS ALL A CLOSE-HELD SECRET.
[ GUNFIRE .]
Narrator: INSIDE THE NAVY, THE UNIT IS ONLY KNOWN AS DEVGRU, SHORT FOR NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE DEVELOPMENT GROUP.
YOU CAN'T REALLY TRAIN ALL THE OTHER TEAMS TO QUICKLY DEPLOY TO THE JUNGLE, QUICKLY DEPLOY TO THE DESER OR THE ARCTIC OR AN URBAN.
SO, YOU HAVE ONE TEAM MADE UP OF THE ELITE, WHO CAN DEPLOY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
AND THAT TEAM REALLY IS OUR NATION'S 911 WORLDWIDE CALL.
Narrator: ONLY SEAL OPERATORS WITH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE ARE CONSIDERED FOR A JOB WITH THE TEAM.
YOU HAVE A SCREEN TO BECOME PART OF SEAL TEAM SIX.
THERE'S ADDITIONAL YEARS OF TRAINING, OF SCREENING, OF REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED.
Narrator: McRAVEN KNOWS HE CAN RELY ON TEAM SIX.
HE WAS ONCE A COMMANDER WITH THE UNI AND HELPED SHAPE IT AS ONE OF THE BEST COUNTERTERRORISM FORCES IN THE WORLD.
Zinke: I THINK THE THING THAT SEPARATES SEAL TEAM SIX FROM ALL OTHERS IS SEALS JUST DON'T QUIT.
THEY'RE TRAINED NEVER, EVER QUIT.
Narrator: OVER THE LAST DECADE, U.
S.
SPECIAL FORCES HAVE HAD A GREAT DEAL OF OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE.
Zinke: THOUSANDS OF OPERATIONS HAD BEEN CONDUCTED.
MANY OF THEM ARE NOT ON THE FRONT PAGE, BUT ALMOST ALL HAVE HAD A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE ON THE DIRECTION OF THE WAR ON TERRORISM.
Narrator: ONE OF THE FEW PUBLICLY KNOWN MISSIONS WAS THE RESCUE OF THE CAPTAIN OF THE MAERSK ALABAMA FROM SOMALI PIRATES WHO HIJACKED HIS BOA NEAR THE HORN OF AFRICA IN 2009.
Mann: THE HOSTAGES WERE RESCUED.
THE SNIPERS, YOU KNOW, DID THEIR HIT ON THE SOMALI PIRATES.
FOR EVERY ONE THAT YOU HEAR ABOUT, THERE'S A HUNDRED SUCCESSES YOU DON'T HEAR ABOUT.
[ GUNSHOT .]
Narrator: IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, NIGHTLY RAIDS HAD BEEN PART OF THE SEALS' MISSION.
THEY ARE READY FOR ACTION.
THEY WERE GOING TO TRAIN AND TRAIN AND TRAIN AND BE READY IF THE PRESIDENT SAID, "GET ON THAT PLANE AND GET TO PAKISTAN.
" NOT ONE OF THEM BREATHED A WORD TO THEIR FAMILIES OR TO THEIR OTHER SEAL TEAMMATES AT SEAL TEAM SIX.
Narrator: THERE'S ONE REAL CONCERN ABOUT KEEPING THE MISSION SECRET -- SHOULD THE U.
S.
INVOLVE THE PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT? THERE ARE WORRIES ABOUT TRUST.
Mudd: OVER TIME, WE SAW PROBLEMS WORKING WITH PAKISTANI INTELLIGENCE -- INFORMATION GOING OUT THE BACK DOOR, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE WERE COOPERATING WITH THEM.
Schmitt: TOO OFTEN, WHEN THEY GOT A TIP, IT TURNED OUT THA AN HOUR BEFORE A RAID, FOR INSTANCE, MYSTERIOUSLY, THE TARGET OF THAT RAID WOULD DISAPPEAR.
HE WOULD HAVE BEEN TIPPED OFF.
Narrator: THE PRESIDENT DETERMINES THA BRINGING THE PAKISTANIS IN ON THE PLAN COULD MEAN LOSING THE ONE CHANCE IN ALMOST A DECADE TO GET OSAMA BIN LADEN.
BUT KEEPING THE PAKISTANIS IN THE DARK MAKES THIS RAID EVEN MORE RISKY.
Mudd: THIS IS CROSSING A BORDER, CROSSING A LARGE TERRITORY OF PAKISTAN, A SOVEREIGN COUNTRY, WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF LOCAL SECURITY SERVICES WITH THE PROSPECT THAT LOCAL POLICE MIGHT GET ONTO YOU AND START SHOOTING YOU IN ABBOTTABAD.
THE RISK FACTORS HERE WERE INCREDIBLE.
Narrator: THE CONSEQUENCES OF A POTENTIAL DISASTER WEIGH HEAVY ON THE PRESIDENT AND HIS AIDES.
IN THE BACK OF EVERYONE'S MIND IS THE FAILED DESERT ONE OPERATION TO RESCUE HOSTAGES FROM IRAN IN 1980.
EIGHT AMERICAN SERVICEMEN WERE KILLED WHEN THEIR HELICOPTERS COLLIDED ON THE WAY TO THE MISSION.
IT WAS A CRUSHING BLOW FOR THE CARTER PRESIDENCY.
AND SOME OF THOSE IN THE ROOM WITH OBAMA ARE STILL HAUNTED BY WHAT CAME TO BE KNOWN AS "BLACK HAWK DOWN," A SPECIAL FORCES OPERATION CODE-NAMED "GOTHIC SERPENT" INTO SOMALIA IN 1993.
MILITANTS SHOT DOWN TWO U.
S.
HELICOPTERS.
AT THE END OF THE BATTLE, 18 AMERICAN SOLDIERS WERE DEAD, THEIR BODIES MUTILATED AND DRAGGED THROUGH THE STREETS OF MOGADISHU.
Schmitt: THESE ARE HIS TOP ADVISERS -- POLICE LIKE VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN, SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON, DEFENSE SECRETARY BOB GATES, CIA DIRECTOR LEON PANETTA.
AND THEY'RE ALL GIVING THEIR ASSESSMENTS TO THE PRESIDENT.
SOME ARE MORE SKEPTICAL ABOUT THIS THAN OTHERS.
JOE BIDEN, FOR INSTANCE, IS A LITTLE MORE SKEPTICAL.
GATES IS SKEPTICAL ABOUT SENDING IN GROUND TROOPS.
HE'S THE ONE INDIVIDUAL FROM THIS GROUP WHO LIVED THROUGH DESERT ONE.
OTHER INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS, HOWEVER, INCLUDING PANETTA, WERE MUCH MORE BULLISH.
WHENEVER YOU'RE ADVISING THE PRESIDEN ABOUT A PARTICULAR OPERATION, IT'S HOW CERTAIN DO YOU FEEL THAT YOUR TARGET'S THERE AND THAT YOU WILL HAVE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTE THAT MISSION VERSUS WHAT ARE THE LIKELY CONSEQUENCES OR POTENTIAL POINTS OF FAILURE? Narrator: TO STACK THE ODDS IN HIS FAVOR, OBAMA ORDERS ADDITIONAL BACKUP.
Dozier: THE PRESIDENT SAID, "I WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT THESE GUYS AND GET THEM OUT.
" Narrator: THE PRESIDENT WANTS ANOTHER SEAL TEAM READY NEARBY AS A QUICK-REACTION FORCE.
Schmitt: ONE THING THAT HE PERSONALLY WANTED TO SEE WAS THE OPTION TO FIGHT THEIR WAY OUT IF THEY HAD TO.
THEY DIDN'T WANT TO BE PINNED DOWN.
AND SO, THE MILITARY WENT BACK AND DEVISED SOME BACKUP PLANS THAT HAD ADDITIONAL TRANSPORT HELICOPTERS READY ON A CHANCE THAT THERE MIGHT BE A PROBLEM.
[ GUNFIRE .]
Narrator: EVEN NOW, THE PRESIDENT STILL HASN'T DECIDED WHETHER TO GREEN LIGHT THE OPERATION.
BUT MEMBERS OF SEAL TEAM SIX ARE SENT TO PREPARE IN NORTH CAROLINA AND THE NEVADA DESERT.
AN EXACT REPLICA OF THE COMPOUND IS BUIL ESPECIALLY FOR THEM TO TRAIN FOR EVERY POTENTIAL SCENARIO.
Zinke: YOU COULD HAVE LAND MINES, OR THE WHOLE BUILDING COULD BE A TRAP, AND THE MOMENT YOU GET IN THE COMPOUND, YOU KNOW, 4,000 POUNDS OF EXPLOSIVES GETS DETONATED.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S ENOUGH TO KILL THE ENTIRE FORCE.
THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE BUNCH OF CONTINGENCIES THAT THEY HAVE TO PREPARE FOR AND THAT PLANS DON'T ALWAYS GO ACCORDING TO PLAN.
WE HAVE A SAYING -- YOU KNOW, "PLAN YOUR DIVE AND DIVE YOUR PLAN.
" [ GUNFIRE .]
Narrator: FROM THE INTELLIGENCE GATHERED, THE SEALS LEARN THAT BEHIND THE HIGH WALLS SECURING THE COMPOUND ARE AT LEAST TWO BUILDINGS.
THE MYSTERIOUS RESIDENTS AND THE COURIER'S BROTHER SEEM TO BE IN THE MAIN ONE.
THE SMALLER BUILDING HOUSES AL-KUWAITI AND HIS FAMILY.
TO GET TO THEM, THE SEALS WOULD HAVE TO SPLIT INTO TWO GROUPS.
ONE WILL LAND IN THE COURTYARD AND SECURE THE PERIMETER, AND THE OTHER WILL FAST-ROPE TO THE ROOF, TAKING THE RESIDENTS BY SURPRISE.
Zinke: INTELLIGENCE WAS CRITICAL.
OUR SATELLITE IMAGERY, OUR GROUND INTELLIGENCE -- TO THE DEGREE WE COULD, WE HAD AN UNDERSTANDING OF AT LEAST THE BATTLEFIELD EXTERIOR OF THE COMPOUND.
Narrator: AS THE SEALS PREPARE, THE PRESIDENT CALLS IN MORE EXPERTS.
HE WANTS FRESH EYES ON INTELLIGENCE -- WHAT THE PROS CALL A RED-TEAM EXERCISE.
SENIOR ANALYSTS ARE GIVEN EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN GATHERED ON THE CASE.
THEIR JOB IS TO PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE INTELLIGENCE.
AFTER REVIEWING THE MATERIAL, THE RED TEAM CONCLUDES THE CHANCES BIN LADEN IS IN THE COMPOUND ARE ONLY 50-50.
TO GET THE 50-50 IN ITSELF I THOUGHT WAS SIGNIFICANT.
THAT MIGHT SEEM LIKE LOW ODDS FOR VEGAS.
FOR ME AS AN INTELLIGENCE PROFESSIONAL, THAT'S PRETTY GOOD ODDS.
Narrator: IN THE LAST SECRET WHITE HOUSE MEETING, THE ROOM IS STILL DIVIDED ON THE BEST PLAN OF ACTION.
Schmitt: AS THEY WENT AROUND THE TABLE, EACH ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS BASICALLY IS PREFACING HIS OR HER REMARKS BY SAYING, "MR.
PRESIDENT, WE KNOW THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT DECISION YOU'RE GONNA MAKE.
" AND, OF COURSE, IT GOT TO BE A JOKE AS THEY WENT AROUND, 'CAUSE THEY EACH ECHO EACH OTHER AS IF TO KIND OF SHIELD THEM FROM THE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY OF HAVING TO MAKE THIS DECISION, KNOWING, OF COURSE, THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF WILL BE THE ONE WHO DECIDES WHETHER TO GO OR NOT.
Mudd: I THINK MOST OF US WOULD HAVE SAID, "THE RISK HERE IS HUGE.
" AND THE BEST WE COULD TO IS TO SAY, "BOSS, I'M GONNA HAVE TO ASK YOU TO TAKE A HUGE RISK.
" THAT SAID, I THINK I WOULD HAVE SAID, "I'M NOT SURE IT'S GONNA GET ANY BETTER, AND NOW IT'S ON YOUR BACK.
" Narrator: IT'S THE ULTIMATE DECISION FOR THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF.
IS HE WILLING TO RISK THE LIVES OF AMERICAN TROOPS BASED ON SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY? PRESIDENT OBAMA SAYS HE NEEDS MORE TIME TO THINK, BUT DELAY CARRIES ITS OWN RISK.
Townsend: WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU WAIT SO LONG TO HAVE IT BE PERFEC THAT YOU LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY? Narrator: THE NEXT MORNING, THE PRESIDENT CALLS HIS TOP ADVISERS.
HE HAS MADE UP HIS MIND.
OPERATION NEPTUNE SPEAR IS A GO.
Schmitt: IT WAS THE BEST INFORMATION THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE THIS WAS BIN LADEN, AND THIS WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO STRIKE, THE OPPORTUNITY THEY'D BEEN LOOKING FOR FOR YEARS.
AND THE RISKS WERE WORTH IT.
Narrator: THE RAID IS PLANNED FOR THE NEXT DAY, SATURDAY, APRIL 30th, WITH SUNDAY, MAY 1st, AS AN ALTERNATIVE IF THE WEATHER IS BAD.
AS THE SEALS PREPARE FOR THE OPERATION, THE PRESIDENT CONTINUES WITH HIS PLANNED COMMITMENTS.
THE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER IS SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY NIGHT.
THE PRESIDENT ALWAYS ATTENDS IT.
Schmitt: THIS IS AN ANNUAL EVENT HERE IN WASHINGTON WHERE THE PRESIDENT SHOWS UP IN A BLACK TIE.
HE'S USUALLY SUBJECT -- YOU KNOW, HE'S EXPECTED TO GIVE A FUNNY SPEECH.
ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY, PLEASE HAVE A SEAT.
Narrator: TO MAKE SURE THE OPERATION REMAINS A SECRET, EVERYONE HAS TO ACT AS IF IT'S BUSINESS AS USUAL.
Dozier: THE WHITE HOUSE ADVISERS REALLY DEBATED "DO WE PRETEND THAT THE PRESIDENT IS SICK?" "DO WE WANT HIM MAKING JOKES FROM THE PODIUM --" WHICH IS THE POINT OF THAT PARTICULAR DINNER -- "JUST AS THE RAIDERS ARE HITTING THE COMPOUND?" WHAT IF THE HELICOPTERS GO DOWN? WHAT IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER "BLACK HAWK DOWN" SITUATION WHERE YOU LOSE A WHOLE TEAM? Narrator: IN THE LAST MINUTE, FORECASTS FOR CLOUDY WEATHER DELAYS THE MISSION.
SEAL TEAM SIX MUST WAIT ANOTHER DAY TO CARRY OUT THE PLAN.
Narrator: 11:00 P.
M.
IN JALALABAD, AFGHANISTAN.
IT'S A MOONLESS NIGHT.
24 HOURS LATER THAN ORIGINALLY PLANNED, TWO BLACK HAWK HELICOPTERS TAKE OFF FROM A U.
S.
AIR BASE.
EACH IS CARRYING 12 MEMBERS OF NAVY SEAL TEAM SIX.
THE OPERATION TO GET OSAMA BIN LADEN, CODE-NAMED NEPTUNE SPEAR, IS FINALLY UNDER WAY.
Mann: "BOY, THIS IS A LITTLE HAIRY HERE.
"OKAY, WE ARE FLYING INTO PAKISTAN.
YEAH, THIS IS A GO.
THIS IS DEFINITELY A GO.
" AND THEN IT GETS MORE EXCITEMENT IN THE AIR, AND EVERYBODY STARTS GETTING A LOT MORE SERIOUS.
"WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING NOW.
WE'RE GOING IN.
IT'S GOING IN AT NIGHT.
" Narrator: ON THE TENSE FLIGHT TO ABBOTTABAD, THE TROOPS GO THROUGH LAST-MINUTE PREPARATIONS.
Mann: AND THERE WILL BE A VERY DETAILED PATROL LEADER'S ORDER -- TIME YOU'RE GOING IN, TIME YOU'RE COMING OUT, WHAT GEAR YOU'RE GONNA TAKE, WHO'S GONNA BE SITTING WHERE IN THE HELOS.
Narrator: THESE SEALS WERE HAND-PICKED FOR THE MISSION BECAUSE OF THEIR SPECIALTIES AND EXPERIENCE.
IT'S THE OPERATION THEY'VE LONG BEEN WAITING FOR.
Mann: THE AIR IS SO, SO THICK.
PEOPLE ARE SAYING LAST-MINUTE PRAYERS AND THINKING ABOUT THEIR FAMILIES, AND MAKING SURE THEIR WEAPONS LOADED, DOING PRESS CHECKS, MAKING SURE THERE'S A ROUND IN THE CHAMBER, MAKING SURE ALL THE GEAR'S SECURED.
GOING OVER THE LAST-MINUTE NOTES WITH THE BUDDIES, THINKING OF ALL THE DETAILS.
Narrator: ALSO ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT -- A TRANSLATOR AND A DOG NAMED CAIRO, MEMBER OF THE K-9 UNIT.
Mann: IF ANTIPERSONNEL AND SNIFFING THINGS OUT -- GO SEARCH SOMETHING FOR SMELL, LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY.
Dozier: CAIRO WAS A VETERAN -- A VETERAN OF MANY RAIDS.
HE'D ACTUALLY BEEN WOUNDED IN A PREVIOUS RAID AND HAD TAKEN SIX MONTHS OUT TO RECUPERATE.
Narrator: THE SEALS ARE FLYING IN NEW STEALTH HELICOPTERS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR THIS MISSION.
SEALS HAVE THE STATE-OF-THE-ART EQUIPMENT, AND EVERY YEAR, EVERY GENERATION, THE HELICOPTERS GET A LITTLE FASTER, A LITTLE LIGHTER, A LITTLE HARDER TO DETECT.
Narrator: THE OPERATION PILOTS ARE THE NIGHT STALKERS, MEMBERS OF THE ARMY'S ELITE 160th SPECIAL AVIATION REGIMENT.
Magness: WE'RE CALLED "NIGHT STALKERS" FOR A REASON.
WE TEND TO LIKE TO FLY AT NIGH TO GIVE US THE COVER OF DARKNESS.
FLYING IN THE DARK IS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN FLYING IN THE DAY.
AND SOUND ACTS DIFFERENTLY.
LIGHT OBVIOUSLY ACTS DIFFERENTLY.
THE WHOLE MISSION IS PLANNED TO HIT THE TARGE FROM AN UNEXPECTED DIRECTION AT AN UNEXPECTED TIME.
Narrator: THE JOURNEY TO THE TARGET IN ABBOTTABAD TAKES ABOUT 90 MINUTES.
THE TWO STEALTH HELICOPTERS MANAGE TO CROSS THE BORDER TO PAKISTAN UNDETECTED.
Dozier: IN THE ORIGINAL PLAN, THEY WERE GONNA FAST-ROPE DOWN INTO THE OUTER COURTYARD.
IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN 2 MINUTES TO LAND THESE GUYS, AND MAYBE 10 MINUTES IN ALL TO STORM BOTH BUILDINGS.
Narrator: JUST AS HE'S HOVERING ABOVE THE COMPOUND PREPARING TO LAND [ CLANKING .]
ONE OF PILOTS HITS SERIOUS TROUBLE.
Dozier: THE AIR AS HOTTER THAN ANYONE HAD EXPECTED, AND THE HELICOPTER LOST CONTROL, 'CAUSE THE AIR WAS THINNER, AND THE HELICOPTER, THEREFORE, WAS HEAVIER AND STARTED FALLING A LITTLE BIT THROUGH SPACE, SLIDING GREASILY BACK AND FORTH.
Narrator: DRONES FLYING OVER THE COMPOUND STREAM THE UNFOLDING DISASTER BACK TO VICE ADMIRAL McRAVEN IN JALALABAD, THE CIA HEADQUARTERS IN LANGLEY, AND THE SITUATION ROOM IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
Schmitt: YOU'RE ALL, LIKE, JAMMED IN A VERY SMALL KIND OF ROOM, LISTENING, WATCHING THE FEED.
Dozier: ALL THEY COULD SEE IS THE HELICOPTER GOING DOWN AND THEN CRASHING AND WONDERING, HAVE WE JUST LOST THE MISSION? Narrator: WITH ONE HELICOPTER DOWN AND A LOSS OF THE SURPRISE ELEMENT, THE SEALS WILL HAVE TO QUICKLY ADAPT THEIR MISSION TO THE SITUATION.
Narrator: THE SECRET RAID ON A COMPOUND IN PAKISTAN WHERE OSAMA BIN LADEN MAY BE HIDING ENCOUNTERS A SERIOUS COMPLICATION.
ONE OF THE HELICOPTERS CARRYING A NAVY SEAL BLACK OPS UNI CRASH-LANDS.
PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HIS TEAM IN THE WHITE HOUSE FOLLOW, AS IT LOOKS LIKE THE U.
S.
MISSION TO GET BIN LADEN IS COMPROMISED.
Dozier: YOUR HEART'S IN YOUR THROAT.
YOU DON'T KNOW AT ANY MOMEN IF THE PAKISTANIS ARE GOING TO COME RUSHING IN.
YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GONNA HEAR THAT THE WHOLE MISSION HAS BEEN LOST.
Narrator: THE WHITE HOUSE ADVISERS ARE DESPERATE TO HEAR IF THE SEALS SURVIVED THE CRASH.
Dozier: AN EXTREMELY TENSE MOMEN UNTIL THEY HEARD FROM McRAVEN, "NOPE, THE GUYS ARE OUT.
"THE GUYS ARE GOOD.
"AND WE'RE PREPARED FOR THIS.
WE'RE MODIFYING THE PLAN.
" WHEN ADMIRAL McRAVEN INDICATED A KIND OF, YOU KNOW, "THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM.
THESE GUYS ARE GONNA DO THE JOB," IT GAVE ME A SENSE OF CONFIDENCE.
Narrator: IN ABBOTTABAD, THE PILOT BURIES THE NOSE OF THE HELICOPTER IN THE GROUND.
Magness: IF FAILURE'S NOT AN OPTION, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION.
Narrator: THE SEALS IMMEDIATELY ACTIVATE PLAN "B.
" WHEN THINGS GO WRONG, YOU'RE NOT GONNA OVERREACT.
YOU HAVE A CHECKLIST, AND YOU CAN GET THROUGH JUST ABOUT ANYTHING.
Narrator: THEY QUICKLY ORGANIZE THEMSELVES TO STORM THE COMPOUND FROM THE GROUND.
Mann: THE FIRST THING THE GUYS HAVE TO DO IS GET A FULL HEAD COUNT, MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S THERE.
Narrator: BUT THE CRASH HAS CAUSED NOISE.
THE TOWN'S AWAKE, AND SO THEY'RE THINKING, "ANY MINUTE NOW WE CAN BE RUN DOWN WITH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF ENEMY FORCES COMING AT US.
" Narrator: FEARING THEY'VE LOST THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE, THEY KNOW EVERY SECOND IS NOW CRITICAL.
AND ONCE YOU'RE AT THE DOOR, THE DOOR'S GOT TO BE BREACHED.
[ GUNSHOT .]
AS SOON AS THE DOOR'S BREACHED, PEOPLE ARE IN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT.
AND THEN YOU MAKE MOVEMENT.
Narrator: THE SEALS MAKE IT TO THE COURTYARD.
NOW THEY MUST GET TO THE MAIN BUILDING WHERE THEY THINK BIN LADEN MAY BE.
[ GLASS SHATTERS .]
[ WOMAN SCREAMS .]
THERE WERE THESE KNOTS OF CHILDREN WHO WERE TRYING TO AVOID GETTING CAUGHT, TRYING TO AVOID GETTING HIT, AND NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO OR WHERE TO RUN.
[ CHILD CRYING .]
Narrator: THEY STILL DON'T KNOW WHO ELSE IS IN THE COMPOUND AND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ARMED.
Mann: AND THEY'RE JUST MOVING, MOVING, GOING THROUGH DANGER AREAS, MOVING, MOVING, MOVING, CHECKING STAIRWAYS, CLEARING SO PEOPLE CAN GO UP STAIRWAYS.
[ GUNSHOTS .]
Narrator: WHEN SOMEONE OPENS FIRE, THEY ENGAGE.
UGH! WITH STILL NO SIGN OF BIN LADEN, THE SEALS MOVE TO CLEAR THE NEXT BUILDING.
THEY FIND THAT MOST ENTRANCES AND PATHWAYS ARE BARRICADED OR BLOCKED.
Mann: TAKE OUT A CLOSED DOOR.
THEY KNOW TO GET SECURITY ON IT.
PEOPLE BLAST THROUGH THE DOOR.
Narrator: FROM HIS HEADQUARTERS IN LANGLEY, CIA DIRECTOR LEON PANETTA IS NARRATING THE ACTION FOR THE PRESIDENT.
Panetta: WE HAD HEARD THAT SHOTS HAD BEEN FIRED.
WE REALLY WEREN'T QUITE SURE WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
IT WAS A GOOD 15 OR 20 MINUTES OF SILENCE IN THE SENSE OF WHAT EXACTLY WAS GOING ON.
Narrator: THEY'RE INSIDE THE MAIN BUILDING.
THE YOUNG MAN THEY JUST SHO MATCHES THE DESCRIPTION OF BIN LADEN'S SON.
THEY ADVANCE UP THE STAIRS LEADING TO THE TOP FLOOR.
OSAMA BIN LADEN POKES HIS HEAD AROUND THE DOORWAY.
ONE OF THE FIRST SEALS IN THE LINE KNOWS THAT'S BIN LADEN.
Narrator: THE OPERATIONAL SIGNAL FOR SIGHTING THEIR TARGE IS SENT TO THE COMMAND -- GERONIMO.
THE SIGNALS WERE SET OUT BY ALPHABET -- A, B, C, D.
"G" WAS SECURING OSAMA BIN LADEN.
"G" FOR GERONIMO.
[ GUNSHOTS .]
Narrator: THEY GUN DOWN BIN LADEN WITH A SIGNATURE DOUBLE TAP -- ONE SHOT TO THE CHEST, AND ONE TO THE HEAD.
IN THE SITUATION ROOM, IT WAS "WE GOT HIMWE THINK.
"WAIT.
MAYBE? WE HOPE.
" THOSE WERE VERY LONG AND TORTUROUS MOMENTS, WAITING FOR THE WORD.
[ WOMAN SHRIEKING .]
Narrator: THE SEALS MOVE IN TO CONFIRM THEY GOT THE RIGHT MAN.
A MESSAGE IS SENT BACK.
"E.
K.
I.
A.
" -- ENEMY KILLED IN ACTION.
[ SHRIEKING CONTINUES .]
ONE OF THEM PUSHES BIN LADEN'S WIDOWS OUT OF THE WAY.
HE HAS TO ASSUME THEY MAY BE WEARING SUICIDE VESTS.
ONE OF THE WOMEN IS BLEEDING FROM GUNFIRE RICOCHETS.
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS .]
THEY COLLECT DNA SAMPLES.
Dozier: THE SEALS STARTED EVIDENCE COLLECTION, TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OF BIN LADEN'S FACE AND SENDING THOSE BACK SO THAT TWO WAITING TEAMS IN THE CIA WHO WERE FACIAL RECOGNITION EXPERTS -- MEASURING THE LENGTH OF THE NOSE, THE LENGTH OF THE JAW.
Narrator: THE OPERATION IS NOT COMPLETE.
BIN LADEN WAS RUNNING AL-QAEDA FROM THE COMPOUND.
THE EVIDENCE HE LEFT BEHIND COULD BE USED TO PREVENT FUTURE ATTACKS.
IT TOOK THEM 19 MINUTES TO GET TO BIN LADEN, AND THEN IN THE REST OF THE TIME, THEY WERE GOING FROM ROOM TO ROOM, LOOKING FOR COMPUTERS, CELLPHONES, DOCUMENTS, ANYTHING THAT MIGHT TELL THEM WHAT BIN LADEN HAD BEEN DOING THERE FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS AND ANYTHING THAT MIGH LEAD THEM TO OTHER PARTS OF THE NETWORK.
Narrator: BUT EVERY MINUTE THEY SPEND GATHERING MATERIAL PUTS THE TEAMS AT GREATER RISK.
ONE OF THE HELICOPTERS POSITIONED NEARBY MAKES ITS WAY TO THE COMPOUND TO ASSIST IN EVACUATING THEM.
Magness: WE HAVE EVERYBODY.
WE HAVE THE AIRCRAFT THAT WE'RE EXITING ON THE RIGHT ROUTE.
Narrator: BEFORE TAKING OFF, ONE TEAM BLOWS UP THE CRASHED HELICOPTER, MAKING SURE ITS CLASSIFIED DESIGN FEATURES AND TECHNOLOGY WILL NOT FALL INTO THE WRONG HANDS.
IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS, THE SEAL TEAMS FINALLY MAKE IT BACK TO JALALABAD.
BEFORE BEING TAKEN AWAY, AL-QAEDA'S LEADER IS IDENTIFIED WITH ALMOST 100% CERTAINTY.
HOURS LATER, HIS BODY WILL ARRIVE AT THE USS CARL VINSON, AND BIN LADEN WILL BE GIVEN A BURIAL AT SEA.
THE WHITE HOUSE TEAM IS GETTING READY TO ANNOUNCE THE NEWS TO THE WORLD.
AMERICA'S NUMBER-ONE MOST WANTED TERRORIST IS DEAD.
Dozier: WHEN THE HELICOPTERS GOT BACK OVER THE BORDER INTO AFGHANISTAN AND IT DAWNED ON THE PEOPLE INSIDE THE SITUATION ROOM AND THE TOP CIA OFFICIALS THAT, THEY'VE DONE IT.
LOOKS LIKE WE GOT BIN LADEN.
AND ALL THE SEALS AND ALL THE TEAMS SUPPORTING THEM IS SAFELY OUT.
THAT'S WHEN PEOPLE QUIETLY STARTED POPPING THE CHAMPAGNE BOTTLES.
GOOD EVENING.
TONIGHT I CAN REPORT TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND TO THE WORLD THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS CONDUCTED AN OPERATION THAT KILLED OSAMA BIN LADEN, THE LEADER OF AL-QAEDA, AND A TERRORIST WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MURDER OF THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN.
[ CHEERING .]
[ Chanting .]
USA! USA! Narrator: WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA GOES TO CONGRATULATE THE SEALS WHO TOOK PART IN THE MISSION A FEW DAYS LATER, THE QUESTION OF THE IDENTITY OF THE SEAL WHO SHOT BIN LADEN COMES UP.
THEY COLLECTIVELY ANSWER, "WE ALL DID, SIR.
" THE TEAM THEN HANDS THE PRESIDEN AN AMERICAN FLAG WITH AN INSCRIPTION SAYING, "OPERATION NEPTUNE SPEAR, MAY 1, 2011, FOR GOD AND COUNTRY, GERONIMO.
"