Osama bin Laden (By Mazhar Ali Khan/The Associated Press)After the death of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden wasconfirmed by President Obamalate last night, celebrations quickly sprang up outside the White House and near Ground Zero in New York City.
But some people aren’t celebrating yet. Instead, conspiracy theories are being formulated about the more ambiguous aspects of bin Laden’s death. Why isn’t there a photograph of bin Laden’s body? Was he actually buried at sea? Did they really use his sister’s brain? We run down the coincidences that are starting to spur conspiracy theories already.
Buried at Sea
Bin Laden was reportedly transported from Pakistan and “buried at sea,” although it’s not clear in what body of water, according to a U.S. official. The Post reports that the U.S. government did not want there to be a gravesite that could be used as a shrine. Some conspiracy theorists doubt that bin Laden is dead because the body was disposed of so quickly. Others take issue with the lack of photographic evidence.
‘Mission Accomplished’ Anniversary
Yesterday was the eighth anniversary of President George W. Bush’s so-called “Mission Accomplished” speech. To some, this coincidence is an opportunity to use “Mission Accomplished” as a rallying cry — to show that almost 10 years after 9/11, the mastermind of the attack is dead. Others may see this as not a coincidence, but a carefully planned public relations act.
Zombie Month
Bin Laden was identified through facial recognition and DNA provided by the brain of his deceased sister. Two Obama administration officialssaid the DNA test proved that they had bin Laden’s body with 99.9 percent confidence. But is it just a coincidence that yesterday was the beginning of Zombie Awareness Month? (Undoubtedly, yes.)
Bin Laden and Pakistan
Despite being one of the most wanted men in the world, bin Laden was reportedly able to live in a luxury compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan — only 65 miles from the capital city — undetected by military forces. Some critics are questioning this. “How could [bin Laden] be in such a compound without being noticed?” Sen. Lindsey Graham said on Fox News Monday morning. Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, Hussein Haqqani, said his government “had no knowledge” that bin Laden was in the country. The Post reports that “a Senate hearing on U.S.-Pakistan relations is scheduled for this week.”
