Ex-Navy SEAL stands by claim he alone killed Osama bin Laden and reveals special forces team had to put the terrorists face 'back together' so they could ID him after he shot him THREE times in the head

  • Former Navy SEAL Robert O'Neill details the night he took down Osama bin Laden in a new memoir, 'The Operator: Firing the Shots that Killed Bin Laden'
  • O'Neill maintains that he was solely responsible for the al-Qaeda leader's death in 2011, and put two bullets in his head for 'insurance'
  • Bin Laden used his youngest wife as a human shield before he was killed  

The former Navy SEAL Team Six soldier who claims he killed Osama bin Laden has penned his detailed account of how he took down the al-Qaeda leader in a new book.

Robert O'Neill stands by his controversial claim that he was solely responsible for death of the 9/11 mastermind in his memoir, 'The Operator: Firing the Shots that Killed Bin Laden'.

And in the book, O'Neill makes the gruesome claim that bin Laden's head was so severely destroyed by his gunfire that it had to be pressed back together for identification photos - which were never publicly released. 

The decorated veteran has faced harsh criticism for his decision to speak out about the fateful night at the compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan in May of 2011.

Robert O'Neill stands by his controversial claim that he was solely responsible for the deed in his aptly titled memoir, 'The Operator: Firing the Shots that Killed Bin Laden'.
Describing the fateful moment, O'Neill writes: 'Bin Laden's head split open, and he dropped. 'I put another bullet in his head. Insurance'

Robert O'Neill stands by his controversial claim that he was solely responsible for killing the al-Qaeda leader in his aptly titled memoir, 'The Operator: Firing the Shots that Killed Bin Laden'

In impassioned detail, he describes the mission, which began with him trailing at least five other Navy SEALs up the stairs to the second floor of the leader's compound, which they believed to contain bin Laden, three of his four wives, and 17 of his children. 

They then spotted bin Laden's son, Khalid, who was armed with an AK-47.

CIA Intelligence informed them that once they found Khalid, Osama would be at the floor above them, the NY Daily News reported.

In 'The Operator,' O'Neill goes on to describe a number of the nearly 400 missions he participated in during his time with the Navy SEALs, which earned him two Silver Stars and four Bronze Stars with Valor

In 'The Operator,' O'Neill goes on to describe a number of the nearly 400 missions he participated in during his time with the Navy SEALs, which earned him two Silver Stars and four Bronze Stars with Valor

The agents were able to lure Khalid from where he was hiding behind a banister by calling to him in Arabic, saying: 'Khalid, come here.'

He shouted in response: 'What?' and emerged from his hiding spot, and was immediately shot in the face.

O'Neill writes that once the agents reached the third floor, they all spanned out to search the various rooms.

The point man with O'Neill walked in front of him, and at one point shot a shadowed figure that poked out from behind a curtain.

He recalled the moment he realized it was time to take action.

'I'm f-----g done with waiting for it to happen,' he thought, as he gave his point man the signal to charge, and they burst through the curtain they had just shot at.

They then tackled two women to the ground who were inside, and laid eyes on the United States' most wanted enemy - Osama bin Laden - cowering behind his youngest wife Amal. 

The 18-year-old girl was later identified to have been they shadowy figure they shot at from behind the curtain, and she took the bullet to her calf while protecting her 43-year-old husband.

'In less than a second, I aimed above the woman's right shoulder and pulled the trigger twice,' he said.

'Bin Laden's head split open, and he dropped.

'I put another bullet in his head. Insurance.'

The moment was initially impossible for O'Neill to comprehend - he had to be told by another soldier that he had just killed the man who killed nearly 3,000 people in New York and Washington nine years before. 

In impassioned detail, he describes the mission, which began with him trailing at least five other Navy SEALs up the stairs to the second floor of the leader's compound, which they believed to contain bin Laden, three of his four wives, and 17 of his children

In impassioned detail, he describes the mission, which began with him trailing at least five other Navy SEALs up the stairs to the second floor of the leader's compound, which they believed to contain bin Laden, three of his four wives, and 17 of his children

When the medical examiner saw the corpse splayed open in a body bag, she remarked that she was 'out of a f*****g job'. 

O'Neill's book comes five years after a memoir written by his fellow Navy SEAL Mark Bissonnette, titled 'No Easy Day,' in which he recounts his own interpretation of the events. Bissonnette surrendered the $6.8 million in revenue from the book due to the publishing of classified information, and violation of a non-disclosure agreement. 

In 'The Operator,' O'Neill goes on to describe a number of the nearly 400 missions he participated in during his time with the Navy SEALs, which earned him two Silver Stars and four Bronze Stars with Valor.

Another notable case was the abduction of Captain Richard Phillips by Somali pirates, which was the inspiration for a motion picture featuring Tom Hanks.

The reality was far from the Hollywood remake, as O'Neill recounted the gruesome gunfight in which one assailant's head was cracked open 'like a melon dropped on a cement floor,' he writes.

 The moment was initially impossible for O'Neill to comprehend - he had to be told by another soldier that he had just killed the man behind the largest threat to his nation

 The moment was initially impossible for O'Neill to comprehend - he had to be told by another soldier that he had just killed the man behind the largest threat to his nation

The mission peaked at a mosque, when a US Ranger launched three missiles into the building.

'When we got in there ... bodies were flung everywhere, sliced and diced. It was pretty bad,' O'Neill said. 'But the thing that haunted me wasn't so much the gruesome sight — rather, it was sound, a sound like water pouring out of a spigot.'

The sound was blood gushing from a severed arm.  

O'Neill retired from the Navy SEALs in 2012, following a difficult stint within the public eye. He found himself viewed unfavorably by his fellow SEALs, and rumors circulated that he was bragging about his role in bin Laden's death.

Though he claims to be uncomfortable in the public eye, he made a career for himself as a motivational speaker after revealing his identity as bin Laden's killer to the Washington Post in 2012.

Though he claims to be uncomfortable in the public eye, he made a career for himself as a motivational speaker after revealing his identity as bin Laden's killer to the Washington Post in 2012

Though he claims to be uncomfortable in the public eye, he made a career for himself as a motivational speaker after revealing his identity as bin Laden's killer to the Washington Post in 2012

In 2015, he became a frequent contributor for Fox News on military matters.

'I'm confident this all happened for a reason,' he writes at the end of his memoir, which will reportedly be published on April 25.

He continued: 'I'm committed to making the most of it.'

No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.