Osama Bin Laden. File photo.
The CIA has marked the fifth anniversary of the killing of Osama bin Laden by reposting the live-tweeting of the raid by US special forces on the al-Qaeda founder's compound in Pakistan.
Using the hashtag #UBLRaid, the CIA posted updates of the May 2011 strike as if it were unfolding in real time - an unusual move for the usually secretive spy agency.
"To mark the fifth anniversary of the Usama bin Ladin operation in Abbottabad we will tweet the raid as if it were happening today," @CIA said.
Tweets included the now famous picture of President Barack Obama and other high-ranking US officials watching the mission unfold from the White House's situation room.
"1:51pm EDT - Helicopters depart from Afghanistan for compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan #UBLRaid," read one tweet.
"3:30pm EDT - 2 helicopters descend on compound, Pakistan. 1 crashes but assault continues without delay or injury," read another.
That was followed by: "3:39pm EDT - Usama bin Ladin found on third floor and killed."
The CIA's move received much attention but inevitably there was some hostility.
"@CIA Are we tweeting Hiroshima on August 6th too? Or is THAT in bad taste?" tweeted one user, Kris Knight.
Another identified as Amber V tweeted: "Don't you have better things to do, like catch living and breathing bad guys, or secretly invade our privacy, or something?"
But some people reacted positively.
"Watching the @CIA relive on Twitter the #UBLRaid today reminds me how proud I am of the men and women who do what they do. Thank you," tweeted Toby Knapp.
CIA chief John Brennan said yesterday that taking out the head of the Islamic State group would have a "great impact" but it was a phenomenon not just an organisation. He warned that al-Qaeda remained a threat.
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