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Bin Laden 'Hid Phone Numbers In Clothes'

Bin Laden 'Hid Phone Numbers In Clothes'

Osama bin Laden had 500 euros and two secret telephone numbers sewn into his clothes when he was killed, US sources have revealed.

The money and emergency contact numbers were discovered after the world's most wanted man died in a special forces raid in Pakistan on Monday morning.

Meanwhile, bin Laden's daughter has claimed her father was captured alive before being shot dead by US special forces.

Dubai-based Al Arabiya reported that the unnamed woman allegedly told Pakistani authorities that her father died within the first few minutes of the raid.

The report puts pressure on the White House after US President Barack Obama initially said bin Laden died in a firefight but his spokesman later revealed the terrorist was unarmed.

Spokesman Jay Carney, however, insisted the al Qaeda leader "did resist" during the raid on his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

"There was concern bin Laden would oppose the capture operation and indeed, he did resist," he said.

It comes as attorney general Eric Holder said the treasure trove of information seized from the compound was likely lead to more names being added to US terrorism watch lists.

Meanwhile, CIA Director Leon Panetta said the US Navy Seals that carried out the mission knew they might have to take bin Laden's life.

"The authorities we have on bin Laden are to kill him. And that was made clear," he said.

"But it was also, as part of their rules of engagement, if he suddenly put up his hands and offered to be captured, then they would have the opportunity, obviously, to capture him. But that opportunity never developed."

Mr Panetta also told American TV channel NBC that a photo of a dead bin Laden would "ultimately" be released.

Mr Carney said bin Laden's wife tried to rush the US troops as they stormed into the room where her husband was - dispelling speculation he used her as a human shield.

She was shot in the leg but not killed as first reported.

"Bin Laden was then shot and killed. He was not armed," he added, saying several other people in the building were armed and that there was a "volatile firefight".

Officials at the White House have previously said the al Qaeda leader would have been captured alive had there been the opportunity to do so.

After bin Laden's death, the ground commander of the raid, who was supposed to use the code word "Geronimo" for bin Laden's killing or capture, instead transmitted the more emotional "For God and country, Geronimo, Geronimo, Geronimo", MSNBC reported.

Another senior US official said that footage existed of both the operation to get the terrorist and his burial at sea.

The revelation was among a series of details unveiled by the official, who said:

:: The courier whose home the compound was has been named as Abu Ahmed Al Kuwaiti. There were no guards at the compound.

:: The US Navy Seals encountered gunfire when they entered the second home where bin Laden was, on the third floor. The firefight at the compound lasted 20 minutes.

:: Children were in the room with him. His wife and those children are now in Pakistani custody.

:: The material from bin Laden's hard drive has been arriving at the CIA headquarters in Langley and the devices themselves will be transferred there soon.

:: The body of bin Laden was taken to a hangar in Afghanistan before being taken to the USS Carl Vinson.

One of the wives of the terror chief has already identified the body and DNA tests compared with family members showed a "virtually 100%" match.

However, many residents in Abbottabad in northeastern Pakistan refuse to believe that bin Laden lived among them for up to five or six years without detection.

In a country where anti-Western and anti-American sentiment runs high, many are also sceptical about the lack of photographic evidence of the terrorist's death.

Footage showing bloodstained carpets, stripped beds and emptied drawers in the raided villa have already been beamed around the world by American broadcaster ABC News.

There are also reports a video, thought to have been recorded by bin Laden some time before his death, could surface in the near future after it was found among his possessions.

A US defence official said bin Laden was buried at sea as other nations, including Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, refused to take custody of the body.

The 54-year-old was given an Islamic funeral, which involved him being wrapped in a white sheet and washed before being sent overboard.