Pakistan deports bin Laden's family to Saudi Arabia
All 14 members of bin Laden's family deported to Saudi Arabia, a country of their choosing.
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan seems to have brought closure on one of the questions pending since the murder of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad in the early hours of May 2, 2011, that of his family. It deported all 14 of them to Saudi Arabia, Express News reported early Friday morning.
After a heavy contingent of security forces escorted the bus carrying 14 members of bin Laden's family to the Islamabad airport, they all boarded the chartered Saudi plane to be taken to Jeddah.
According to a Ministry of Interior statement, they were all being deported to Saudi Arabia, a country of their own choosing.
As the bus arrived at the airport, it was allowed to directly proceed to the aircraft that had flown specifically from Saudi Arabia for the purpose.
The former al Qaeda chief was found to be living with three of his wives and 11 children at a mansion in the garrison town of Abbottabad. US troops had transgressed into Pakistani territory on a stealth helicopter before raiding the house and killing bin Laden in the early hours of May 2, 2011.
Express News reported from the house, where the family of bin Laden had been detained, that a heavy contingent of security forces and a coaster bus had reached to take widows and children to the airport. Sources said that bin Laden’s family is due to be deported to Saudi Arabia with a special plane from the Arab kingdom carrying Saudi officials having already arrived at the Benazir Bhutto International airport for the purpose.
The Saudi Ambassador too has reached the airport where security has been increased manifold. According to sources, the first stop for the flight carrying the terror chief’s family is Jeddah.
Earlier, Saudi authorities had refused to accept the widows and children of the slain al Qaeda chief directly from Pakistan. Unveiling the mystery behind the delay in the deportation of the family, top officials said that the Saudis wanted Islamabad to re-route them through a third country.
Pakistan had announced the deportation of Bin Laden’s three widows on April 18, 2012 following a court order two weeks ago which had handed the family a 45 day detention sentence (pre dated to March 3) for illegally entering and living in Pakistan, before being sent to the countries of their origin. However, the move was delayed with much confusion regarding its cause.
Pakistani officials describe bin Laden's long presence in the hill-town of Abbottabad as a security lapse and reject suggestions that members of the military and intelligence service were complicit in hiding him there.
Pakistan seems to have brought closure on one of the questions pending since the murder of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad in the early hours of May 2, 2011, that of his family. It deported all 14 of them to Saudi Arabia, Express News reported early Friday morning.
After a heavy contingent of security forces escorted the bus carrying 14 members of bin Laden's family to the Islamabad airport, they all boarded the chartered Saudi plane to be taken to Jeddah.
According to a Ministry of Interior statement, they were all being deported to Saudi Arabia, a country of their own choosing.
As the bus arrived at the airport, it was allowed to directly proceed to the aircraft that had flown specifically from Saudi Arabia for the purpose.
The former al Qaeda chief was found to be living with three of his wives and 11 children at a mansion in the garrison town of Abbottabad. US troops had transgressed into Pakistani territory on a stealth helicopter before raiding the house and killing bin Laden in the early hours of May 2, 2011.
Express News reported from the house, where the family of bin Laden had been detained, that a heavy contingent of security forces and a coaster bus had reached to take widows and children to the airport. Sources said that bin Laden’s family is due to be deported to Saudi Arabia with a special plane from the Arab kingdom carrying Saudi officials having already arrived at the Benazir Bhutto International airport for the purpose.
The Saudi Ambassador too has reached the airport where security has been increased manifold. According to sources, the first stop for the flight carrying the terror chief’s family is Jeddah.
Earlier, Saudi authorities had refused to accept the widows and children of the slain al Qaeda chief directly from Pakistan. Unveiling the mystery behind the delay in the deportation of the family, top officials said that the Saudis wanted Islamabad to re-route them through a third country.
Pakistan had announced the deportation of Bin Laden’s three widows on April 18, 2012 following a court order two weeks ago which had handed the family a 45 day detention sentence (pre dated to March 3) for illegally entering and living in Pakistan, before being sent to the countries of their origin. However, the move was delayed with much confusion regarding its cause.
Pakistani officials describe bin Laden's long presence in the hill-town of Abbottabad as a security lapse and reject suggestions that members of the military and intelligence service were complicit in hiding him there.