Osama bin Laden's cover 'was blown by one his closest allies'
Osama bin Laden’s cover was blown by one of his most trusted allies, secret papers found at his lair suggest.
Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Baradar is believed to have told US investigators the location of the Al-Qaeda terror chief’s hide-out.
In return they promised to withdraw US troops from Taliban strongholds in Afghanistan once Bin Laden had been killed or captured.
He was shot dead at his compound in Abbottabad on May 2 after US President Barack Obama sent in a team of elite Navy Seals.
Details of the extraordinary “deal” emerged after a confidential American briefing was found at the hide-out.
Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Baradar is believed to have told US investigators the location of the Al-Qaeda terror chief’s hide-out.
In return they promised to withdraw US troops from Taliban strongholds in Afghanistan once Bin Laden had been killed or captured.
He was shot dead at his compound in Abbottabad on May 2 after US President Barack Obama sent in a team of elite Navy Seals.
Details of the extraordinary “deal” emerged after a confidential American briefing was found at the hide-out.
Reports in Pakistan claim Baradar – co-founder of the Taliban, which has a loose alliance with Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda – is named in the papers.
He and other “moles” within Bin Laden’s organisation are said to be feeding crucial information to US intelligence experts.
Until now it has been believed that Bin Laden was caught out when the US intercepted a phone call made by his courier Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti, who was also killed in the US raid.
But new reports in Pakistan suggest it was actually Baradar who told the US where he was hiding.
Baradar was arrested in a joint US-Pakistani operation last year as he visited Karachi.
The terror chief, a close ally of one-eyed Taliban leader Mullah Omar, was interrogated in prison before being released last October.
Author and security expert Neil Doyle said: “Baradar is in the frame as he has been in negotiations with the Afghan government and is closely linked to both Mullah Omar and Bin Laden.
“The US has announced that it is scaling back its military operations in Pakistan following the killing of Bin Laden. That will fuel speculation about whether this is the start of the pay-off for insurgents who are willing to cut a deal.
“David Cameron has also hinted that Bin Laden’s demise may lead to a quicker-than-expected exit of British troops from Afghanistan.
“Military officials in Pakistan have also said there was a rift between Bin Laden and some of his allies.”
Baradar is known as the “father of the IED” because he pioneered the use of roadside bombs, which have killed and injured hundreds of British troops in Afghanistan.
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