The Abbottabad Commission’s account of Bin Laden’s near decade on the run includes a report that the world’s most wanted man was once pulled over for a traffic violation.
As part of the ongoing Pakistani investigation into how it was that Osama bin Laden was able to hide for so long, details of his life over that period have become public.
The Abbottabad Commission’s account of bin Laden’s near decade on the run is one of numerous misses and squandered opportunities to apprehend the man who was the most wanted in the world.
One of them is revealed in an account given by Maryam, the wife of one of bin Laden’s most trusted guards.
She recalls a time between late 2002 and early 2003 when a car containing bin Laden was pulled over for speeding.
Maryam testified that the group was living in Swat at the time and one day took a rare trip to a bazaar.
The vehicle’s passengers included her, her husband, and bin Laden.
Along their route they were stopped by traffic police. The woman reported that her husband was quick to settle the matter and they were soon on their way.
Bin Laden and his followers remained in Swat until the 2003 arrest of Khalid Sheikh Mohammad.
