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President Barack Obama’s order to “go in and get Bain Laden”, as recorded in a memo scribbled by then-CIA chief Leon Panetta shortly after the decision was made, was made public on Thursday. As the first anniversary of the Al Qaeda leader’s killing in Pakistan approaches, Time magazine published the succinct memo that was written by hand and signed by Panetta on April 29, 2011 at 10:35 a.m., reported The Express Tribune. “The direction is to go in and get Bin Laden, and if he not there, to get out,” Panetta wrote in the memorandum. Panetta said he had received word of the president’s decision from Tom Donilon, the U.S. National Security Adviser. “The decision is to proceed with the assault,” he wrote. “The timing, operational decision making and control are in Admiral McCraven’s hands,” he added. Admiral William McCraven, was in charge of the hunt for Bin Laden as commander of the Joint Special Operations Command. “The approval is provided on the risk profile presented to the president,” Panetta continued. “Any additional risks are to be brought to the president for his consideration.” Obama had chosen the riskiest option- a secret helicopter assault by U.S. special forces on a compound in Abbottabad, a garrison town where Bin Laden was believed to be hiding, The Express tribune said. A raid was launched in Bin Laden’s mansion on May 2, 2011, before killing him, ending a nearly decade-long search to avenge the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US.

Obama’s order to get Osama was: 'Go in and get Bin Laden'