A firsthand account of the Navy SEAL raid that killed Osama bin Laden contradicts previous accounts by administration officials, raising questions as to whether the terror mastermind presented a clear threat when SEALs first fired upon him.

Bin Laden apparently was hit in the head when he looked out of his bedroom door into the top-floor hallway of his compound as SEALs rushed up a narrow stairwell in his direction, according to former Navy SEAL, Matt Bissonnette, writing under the pseudonym Mark Owen in "No Easy Day."

The book is to be published next week by Penguin Group (USA)'s Dutton imprint.

Bissonnette said he was directly behind a "point man" going up the stairs. "Less than five steps" from top of the stairs, he heard "suppressed" gunfire: "BOP. BOP." The point man had seen a "man peeking out of the door" on the right side of the hallway.

The author writes that bin Laden ducked back into his bedroom and the SEALs followed, only to find the terrorist crumpled on the floor in a pool of blood with a hole visible on the right side of his head and two women wailing over his body.

Bissonnette said the point man pulled the two women out of the way and shoved them into a corner and he and the other SEALs trained their guns’ laser sites on bin Laden's still-twitching body, shooting him several times until he lay motionless. The SEALs later found two weapons stored by the doorway, untouched, the author said.

In the account related by administration officials after the raid in Pakistan, the SEALs shot bin Laden only after he ducked back into the bedroom because they assumed he might be reaching for a weapon.

White House spokesman, Tommy Vietor would not comment on the apparent contradiction late Tuesday.

"No Easy Day" was due out September 11, but Dutton announced the book would be available a week early, September 4, because of a surge of orders due to advance publicity that drove the book to the top of the Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com best-seller lists.

The Associated Press purchased a copy of the book on Tuesday.

In another possibly uncomfortable revelation for US officials who said bin Laden's body was treated with dignity before being given a full Muslim burial at sea, the author reveals that in the cramped helicopter flight out of the compound, one of the SEALs called "Walt" was sitting on bin Laden's chest as the body lay at the author's feet in the middle of the cabin.

The publisher said the author used pseudonyms for all the SEALs.

Bissonnette also writes disparagingly that none of the SEALs were fans of President Barack Obama and knew that his administration would take credit for ordering the May 2011 raid.

One of the SEALs said after the mission that they had just gotten Obama re-elected by carrying out the raid.

But he said they respected him as Commander-inChief and for giving the operation the go-ahead.

Bissonnette writes less flatteringly of meeting Vice President Joe Biden along with Obama at the headquarters of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment after the raid. He said Biden told "lame jokes" no one understood, reminding him of "someone's drunken uncle at Christmas dinner."

Beyond such embarrassing observations, US officials fear the book may include classified information, as it did not undergo the formal review required by the Pentagon for works published by former or current Defense Department employees.

Officials from the Pentagon and the CIA, which commanded the mission, are examining the manuscript for possible disclosure of classified information and could take legal action against the author.

Comments (6)

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Killing of Osama
written by ColNwako, August 30, 2012

I just hope that the world will NOT wake up one morning to hear or find out that Osama Bib Laden is still alive. We don't know how many members of the JTF in Nigeria also hate our President and as such are making things difficult for Nigerians. Can we say the failure to finish BH matter is deliberate? The account of Bin Laden operation has indeed exposed certain facts of other possibilities. God will help this country. The world is full of mysteries .

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written by Omoibile, August 30, 2012

The SEALs are not as professional if they venture into political waters beyond their comprehension

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I See No Contradiction
written by Sam Don, August 30, 2012

the writer "Bissonnette said he was directly behind a "point man" going up the stairs. "Less than five steps" from top of the stairs, he heard "suppressed" gunfire: "BOP. BOP." The point man had seen a "man peeking out of the door" on the right side of the hallway". these would have been split seconds actions. where you expecting him to wait for the man to pick up his gun to fire him before he responds? why did the body bot drop on the door way if he was shot by this point man you described? did you see that fellow that peeped and was his right side in which he was shot towards the point man? it would be pure sensationalism to be describing evidence from this book as contradicting official description of what happened. more so as the whole operation was telecast live to the WH.

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Cork and bull Story
written by Gasky Truth, August 30, 2012

Does it matter if this terrorist vulture Bin Laden is armed or reaching for a weapon?. The point is the Navy Seals were successful in killing this son of a bitch as Dozie Eronini, alias Eronini Dozie Aham, alias Eronini Chinedozie alias Hurricane_Flawless a facebook predator, cultist vulture and Boko Haram Terrorist.

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FAKE PUBLICITY
written by Tony Oghenegare, August 30, 2012

The author or the Seals are only tring to make money from others who want to nose around. So far nothing interesting nor remarkable difference from the US government officials statement. Government all over the world deceive people by guiding their secret jealously and don't be surprised that this book has gone thruogh the scrutiny of US authorities- take or leave it.

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written by AFO, August 31, 2012

Book not necessary
This is a story from an ex-seal who wants to cash in on it to make lazy money @ retirement! Ist, d point man who took d shot is the only one who saw things best & used his trained judgement to neutralise the target fast before any unforseen & his was likely the one whose account Pentagon gave(& they have it's recordings & other operations around it classified). Two, this man should be arrested & his book withdrawn from circulation because he knows by training that ought not to exercise freedom speaking on a classified piece & the govt who enginiered & ordered the operation like this. He & other members of the operation team are supposed not be known in the public & he poses threat to other members of the team who lead normal life without seeking undue attention. The account is watery & unnecessary; the good news according to president Barrack Obama(to the doubters), is " Osama Bin Laden will not be seen walking on the planet earth again". Cest fini!

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