Osama bin Laden file release: The most bizarre discoveries, from 'Charlie bit my finger' to 9/11 clipart

The US government seized the al-Qaeda founder's computer in 2011 during a raid on his hideout in Pakistan

Alexandra Wilts
Washington DC
Wednesday 01 November 2017 21:05 GMT
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(CIA Files)

Osama bin Laden had the Charlie Bit My Finger video on his computer when he was shot and killed during a covert operation carried out by the US government in 2011.

The majority of materials released by the CIA were related to Bin Laden's terror operations, such as clipart appearing to depict the 9/11 terror attacks. But some of the files were benign in nature and included children's programmes such as Tom and Jerry and instructions for crocheting butterflies, socks and baskets.

The government seized the al-Qaeda founder's computer in May 2011 during a raid on his hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

The package of 470,000 files the intelligence agency released this week is the fourth tranche of materials to be made public by the government since May 2015.

“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 CIA Director Mike Pompeo.

“CIA will continue to seek opportunities to share information with the American people consistent with our obligation to protect national security.”

The copyright-protected materials include more than two dozen videos such as Antz, Cars and other animated films, the role-playing game Final Fantasy VII and Where in the World is Osama bin Laden and two other documentaries about the former al-Qaeda leader, the CIA said.

The al-Qaeda founder may have had a plethora of children’s content on his computer because he was living with his family in the walled compound where he was killed by US Navy Seal Team 6.

Materials that still have not been released are being withheld because they could harm national security, are blank, corrupted or duplicate files, are pornographic or are protected by copyright, the CIA said in a statement.

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