Five years after Osama bin Laden's death, the CIA live-tweeted the raid on Sunday as though it were happening.

  • Osama bin Laden was killed May 1, 2011
  • CIA live-tweeted the raid Sunday

Bin Laden, the world's most-wanted terror leader, was killed in a covert operation May 1, 2011, at a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan (north of Islamabad).

According to the CIA's timeline of the raid, President Barack Obama and other high-level security officials approved execution of the operation at 1:25 p.m. EDT.

Obama addressed the nation from the White House at 11:35 p.m.

Timeline of the Raid (provided by the CIA)

May 1 (all times in EDT)

1:25 p.m. — President Obama, DCIA Panetta, and JSOC commander Admiral McRaven approve execution of the operation.

1:51 p.m. — Helicopters depart from Afghanistan.

3:30 p.m. — Two helicopters descend on the compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan (north of Islamabad). One crashes, but the assault continues without delay or injury.

3:32 p.m. — President Obama, in the Situation Room, receives up to the minute reports on the situation on the ground in Abbottabad.

3:39 p.m. — Usama Bin Ladin is found on third floor and killed.

3:53 p.m. — President Obama receives tentative confirmation of positive identification of Bin Ladin.

3:55 p.m. — Bin Ladin's body is moved to the first floor and placed in a body bag.

3:39 p.m. – 4:10 p.m. — Assault Team retrieves a large quantity of materials from the compound for intelligence analysis.

4:05 p.m. — First helicopter leaves the area.

4:08 p.m. EDT — Assault Team destroys the crashed helicopter.

4:10 p.m. EDT — Backup helicopter picks up remaining team members and materials and leaves Abbottabad.

5:53 p.m. EDT — Helicopters return to Afghanistan where Admiral McRaven greets the team.

7:01 p.m. EDT — President Obama receives confirmations of high probability of positive identification of Bin Ladin.

11:35 p.m. EDT — President Obama speaks to the nation from the East Room.

May 2

12:59 a.m. — Bin Ladin's body is buried at sea from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in the north Arabian Sea.