Sources: Bin Laden Acted 'Cowardly,' Confused in Final Moments

FoxNews.com ^ | 5/5/11 | Jennifer Griffin, Justin Fishel and Catherine Herridge

[ColdOne]

Sources involved in the operation that took down Usama bin Laden told Fox News the terrorist leader acted "scared" and "completely confused" in his final moments, "shoving his wife" at the Navy SEAL who ultimately shot him.

The information helps clarify the conflicting details about what exactly happened toward the end of the 40-minute raid on bin Laden's northern Pakistan compound. Sources who were part of the mission said bin Laden acted in a "cowardly manner" when confronted. Fox News has also learned that while bin Laden was unarmed, he was standing near the door within reach of two weapons -- an AK-47 and a Makarov handgun that are now in U.S. custody. The handgun is a 9mm semi-automatic Russian pistol, standard issue in the Russian military until 1991.

A senior U.S. official also told Fox News that only one of the five people killed in the raid was carrying a weapon and firing. The detail seemed at first to diverge from White House accounts claiming the Navy SEALs encountered resistance throughout the raid and were engaged in a firefight during much of the 40-minute operation. However, the scene was described as chaotic, with U.S. forces encountering barricades and women in the compound screaming and attacking the men.

[Joe 6-pack]

"Somebody who called in on the Rush show brought up an interesting point...if he was shot "in the face," how would releasing a pic show brain matter which would (should) only be visible from the rear?"

I posited a similar theory here before Rush's show today. Like you, I would be perfectly fine with it if bin Laden had been shot point blank in the back of the head while kneeling in a puddle of his own piss, begging and pleading for his life.