American Manhunt: Osama Bin Laden is now streaming on Netflix (Image: Netflix)
**CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses topics that may be upsetting to some readers**
The world was plunged into grief after the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, and has just dropped a gripping three-part documentary series delving into the pursuit of the man behind the atrocitiy. American Manhunt: Osama Bin Laden premiered on the streaming giant today (March 10), offering viewers an intense look at key events in the search for the terrorist leader.
In their quest to pinpoint his location, investigators pored over one of Bin Laden’s menacing videos to the US, where he mentioned a mysterious figure named ‘Mukhtar’. This clue set off a chain of efforts to identify this unknown individual.
The attacks on 9/11 shocked the world to its core (Image: Getty Images)
A significant lead emerged when Abu Zubaydah, suspected of collaborating with Bin Laden, was apprehended during a raid in Pakistan in March 2002. While Zubaydah was recuperating from his wounds in a hospital, FBI agents questioned him, presenting photos of individuals linked to terrorism.
They showed him the picture of one man, to which Zubaydah confirmed: “It’s Mukhtar”. This revelation was monumental -Mukhtar was none other than Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, also known as ‘KSM’, a notorious figure already on the FBI’s radar.
The discovery that Khalid was deeply embedded in al-Qaeda and served as Bin Laden’s chief lieutenant marked a turning point in the investigation. During further questioning about Mukhtar, Zubaydah disclosed a chilling fact: “He’s the one who did 9/11.”
In a gripping revelation featured in the documentary, FBI special agent Ali Soufan discloses how the interrogation of Mohammed shed light on his deep involvement with Osama Bin Laden. He said: “A light bulb connected all of the things in my head together.
“KSM had been Bin Laden’s accomplice all along. He was the architect, the visionary, the mastermind of 9/11.”
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Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has been described as the mastermind (Image: AFP/Getty Images)
Mohammed’s capture on March 1, 2003, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, was the result of a joint operation by the CIA and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence. Following intense interrogation by US operatives, he was subsequently detained in Guantanamo Bay from 2006, where he continues to be held.
In a successful covert mission, Osama Bin Laden was killed on May 2, 2011, when US Navy SEALs and other special forces eliminated him in his Pakistani compound. Post-mortem identification took place at an Afghan military base before his remains were interred at sea, honouring Islamic tradition.
American Manhunt: Osama Bin Laden is now streaming on