On May 2, 2011, the founder of the terrorist organisation Al Qaeda Osama Bin Laden was killed by a Special Operations unit of the United States Military in Abbottabad, Pakistan, at around 1 AM (local time). The operation was supposed to be a secret. However, a Twitter user identified as Sohaib Athar (ReallyVirtual) from Pakistan live-tweeted about a helicopter hovering above the city. The tweets that he did ‘unknowingly’ brought him instant fame. Here is what happened.
At 1:28 AM, Athar posted, “Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1 AM (is a rare event).” This was his first tweet on that day revealing the operation.
Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM (is a rare event).
— Sohaib Athar (@ReallyVirtual) May 1, 2011
Five years down the line, the CIA published a series of Tweets where they detailed how the operation took place as if they were live-tweeting the series of events. According to the CIA, at 10:25 PM PKT, the operation was approved by the US officials. The Helicopters took off at 10:51 PM PKT from Afghanistan.
1:51 pm EDT – Helicopters depart from Afghanistan for compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan#UBLRaid
— CIA (@CIA) May 1, 2016
At 12:30 PKT, the Helicopters reached Abbottabad, and around that time, the locals, including Athar, started to notice something was happening over their city.
3:30 pm EDT – 2 helicopters descend on compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. 1 crashes, but assault continues without delay or injury#UBLRaid
— CIA (@CIA) May 1, 2016
Frustrated with the sound, Athar had written, “Go away helicopter – before I take out my giant swatter.”
Go away helicopter – before I take out my giant swatter :-/
— Sohaib Athar (@ReallyVirtual) May 1, 2011
While Athar was having fun with Twitter, the Special Operation unit had already descendent at the compound where Osama was hiding. Within nine minutes, the compound was raided, and Osama was found and killed.
3:39 pm EDT – Usama Bin Ladin found on third floor and killed#UBLRaid
— CIA (@CIA) May 1, 2016
During that time, the Helicopter kept hovering over the city.
There is some timestamp difference between the tweets by Athar and CIA, but that is understandable. Athar mentioned that he had heard a ‘window-shaking bang’ and feared if it could be the start of ‘something nasty. Little did he know that CIA had killed Osama only a few KMs away from his place.
A huge window shaking bang here in Abbottabad Cantt. I hope its not the start of something nasty :-S
— Sohaib Athar (@ReallyVirtual) May 1, 2011
Later he said, “Since Taliban (probably) don’t have helicopters, and since they’re saying it was not “ours”, so must be a complicated situation #abbottabad.”
Since taliban (probably) don’t have helicpoters, and since they’re saying it was not “ours”, so must be a complicated situation #abbottabad
— Sohaib Athar (@ReallyVirtual) May 1, 2011
In a Tweet, he had mentioned that one of the Helicopters was allegedly shot down. His statement matches the CIA’s tweet where they had mentioned that one of the Helicopters had crashed, but the operation continued.
The abbottabad helicopter/UFO was shot down near the Bilal Town area, and there’s report of a flash. People saying it could be a drone.
— Sohaib Athar (@ReallyVirtual) May 1, 2011
In the morning, Athar realized what had happened at night. He said in a Tweet, “Uh oh, now I’m the guy who liveblogged the Osama raid without knowing it.”
Uh oh, now I’m the guy who liveblogged the Osama raid without knowing it.
— Sohaib Athar (@ReallyVirtual) May 2, 2011
His little adventure with Twitter on that not-so-uneventful day brought him to the limelight, and he was bombarded with emails, phone calls and interview requests. In a tweet, he said, “Bin Laden is dead. I didn’t kill him. Please let me sleep now.”
Bin Laden is dead. I didn’t kill him. Please let me sleep now.
— Sohaib Athar (@ReallyVirtual) May 2, 2011
Athar mentioned he was unaware of the events and unwittingly live-tweeted about it but had he known what was happening, he would have done it ‘wittingly’. He said, “I apologize for reporting the operation ‘unwittingly/unknowingly’ – had I known about it, I would have tweeted about it ‘wittingly’, I swear.”
I apologize for reporting the operation ‘unwittingly/unknowingly’ – had I known about it, I would have tweeted about it ‘wittingly’ I swear.
— Sohaib Athar (@ReallyVirtual) May 2, 2011
The CIA mentioned that the Helicopter that had crashed was destroyed by the armed forces. By 4 AM, then-President Barack Obama was informed about the positive identity of Osama Bin Laden’s body. His remains were thrown into the sea.
