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Osama bin Laden’s Body Identified Using His Dead Sister’s Brain

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Know how the U.S. military was able to confirm the identity of bin Laden? They matched his DNA with a sample from his sisters brain which they collected when she died “several years ago.”

According to the UK Telegraph, she was living in Boston which allowed the U.S. to intervene.

When his sister, who has not been named, died from brain cancer several years ago in Boston the FBI immediately subpoenaed her body so that it could later be used to identify the al-Qaeda leader if he was caught, it was claimed.

The brain was preserved and tissue and blood samples taken from it were used to compile a DNA profile, ABC News reported.

The tissue sample was reportedly then matched to the DNA of the man shot dead by US troops in a raid on bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan.

[The Telegraph]

Update: The NYTs also adds that initial confirmation of identity was done by commandos that used a cameraphone to upload a photo of Osama Bin Laden to back room operatives who applied facial recognition software.

To check out our full coverage on the successful raid of Osama Bin Laden’s compound—from the planning to the aftermath—head here.

https://gizmodo.com/how-osama-bin-laden-was-brought-to-justice-5797620

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