2007 (approx.) - U.S. intelligence uncovers the name of one of bin Laden's most trusted couriers.
2009 (approx.) - Intelligence sources identify the area of Pakistan where the courier and his brother live.
August 2010 - U.S. intelligence sources identify the Abbottabad compound as the home of the courier and his brother. The men have no obvious means of affording a $1 million home.
September 2010 - The CIA informs President Barack Obama that bin Laden may be living in the Abbottabad compound. They base this on the size and price tag of the compound as well as the elaborate security.
February 2011 - The intelligence on the Abbottabad compound is considered strong enough to begin planning action.
March 14, 2011 - President Obama chairs the first of five National Security Council meetings to discuss an operation to raid bin Laden's compound and killing or capturing bin Laden.
March 29, 2011 - Second National Security meeting.
April 12, 2011 - Third meeting.
April 19, 2011 - Fourth meeting.
April 28, 2011 - Last of the National Security Council meetings on the bin Laden raid.
April 29, 2011 - At 8:20am EDT, President Obama gives the order to raid bin Laden's compound in Pakistan.
May 1, 2011 - Late in the evening (approximately mid-morning on May 2nd in Pakistan), President Obama addresses the nation and announces that Osama bin Laden has been killed, calling it "the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat al Qaeda."
May 2, 2011 - In the early morning hours (approximately mid-afternoon on May 1st in the United States), a group of 25 Navy Seals raid the compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
- They arrive outside the compound in two Black Hawk helicopters.
- The operation takes 40 minutes total.
- U.S. Special Forces must breach the outer walls of the compound before fighting their way through the ground floor of the three story building where bin Laden lived.
- The firefight then moves to the second and third floors where the bin Laden family lives.
- In the last 5-10 minutes of the firefight, bin Laden is killed by a gunshot wound to the head, above the left eye.
- Three men, including a son of bin Laden, are killed as well as one woman.
- Bin Laden's body is identified by one of his wives. Facial recognition is used also.
May 2, 2011 - Osama bin Laden is buried at sea off the deck of the USS Carl Vinson in the Arabian Sea.
- He is buried within 24 hours according to Islamic law.
- The hour-long ceremony aboard the USS Carl Vinson is conducted according to Islamic law.
May 2, 2011 - A DNA test is done on a sample from the body, confirming that it is bin Laden.
May 3, 2011 - Attorney General Eric Holder declares the raid "lawful, legitimate and appropriate in every way."
May 3, 2011 - White House Press Secretary Jay Carney offers new details on the raid. He clarifies that the woman killed was on the first floor, not with bin Laden, and was killed in the crossfire. Carney also says that bin Laden was not armed but did put up resistance. Carney also says that a woman in the room with bin Laden, believed to be his wife, was shot in the leg when she rushed at U.S. forces.
May 3, 2011 - A congressional source tells CNN that bin Laden had approximately $745 and two telephone numbers sewn into his clothing.
May 3, 2011 - Two sources tell CNN that, during a briefing, CIA Director Leon Panetta said that Pakistani officials either "were involved or incompetent. Neither place is a good place to be."
May 3, 2011 - Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mojahed releases a statement saying, "Obama has not got any strong evidence that can prove his claim over killing of the Sheikh Osama bin Laden... And secondly, the closest sources for Sheikh Osama bin Laden have not confirmed" the death.
May 4, 2011 - White House Press Secretary Jay Carney announces that President Obama has decided not to release photos of bin Laden's body.
May 4, 2011 - A Pakistani intelligence source tells CNN that there were five
