November 01, 2017•Update: November 02, 2017
By Safvan Allahverdi
WASHINGTON
The CIA on Wednesday released nearly 470,000 additional files that were seized during a raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan in 2011.
"CIA Director Mike Pompeo authorized the release in the interest of transparency and to enhance public understanding of al-Qaeda and its former leader," the CIA said on its official website.
According to the Intelligence Authorization Act, which requires the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to conduct a review of the documents for release, the ODNI previously released documents from the collection in 2015, 2016 and 2017 after an interagency review spearheaded by the CIA.
"Today’s release of recovered al-Qaeda letters, videos, audio files and other materials provides the opportunity for the American people to gain further insights into the plans and workings of this terrorist organization," said Pompeo.
"The CIA will continue to seek opportunities to share information with the American people consistent with our obligation to protect national security."
The material contains audio, video and software operating system files as well as personal photographs of bin Laden’s family, pornography and Hollywood movies such as ‘Batman: Gotham Knight’, ‘Cars’, ‘Antz’ and ‘Resident Evil’.
The release also includes video scenes from the wedding of Hamza bin Laden, Osama's eldest son, who was deemed a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the State Department in January.
Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York which claimed more than 3,000 lives, was killed in a firefight with U.S. Special Forces during a raid on his compound in Pakistan on May 2, 2011.
