HN user
"Why is this so shocking? I keep seeing people point out that he was near by a military academy. There's plenty of documented history of US and Russians spies in each other's agencies."
Its odd because OBL wasn't a low level clandestine agent. It's like if we had found Saddam Hussein next to a military base in Jordan.
Yep, somewhere in between. They bill it as their version of Sandhurst or West Point, but a large number of the instructors are current or former ISI.
The military/intelligence distinction is a lot fuzzier in Pakistan than the US or Britain. I'm thinking of a report describing ISI recruitment at PMA Kakul. I'll track it down tomorrow when I get home.
For now:
Former ISI Head, current Chief of Army Staff visit last September:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lSEcu3TWM0
The town is inside a cantonment, which is an area surrounded by checkpoints.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13257330
Pakistan Army website:
"Abbottabad, at 1220 meters (4000 feet) is named after James Abbott, a British Administrator, who served in Hazara Division, part of North West Frontier Province of present Pakistan, in the 1840’s and 50’s. It is known as the military town, full of soldiers exercising, parading, playing polo and practicing the bagpipes. "
http://www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/AWPReview/TextContent.aspx?pI...
EDIT: Here's a pretty decent rundown. http://docstalk.blogspot.com/2011/05/indian-media-reports-on...
""A senior Pakistan military official has told India Today that it was impossible for the army to have not known that Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was in Abbottabad. This has further fuelled speculation that Osama was killed in an ISI safehouse. Bin Laden was killed in the operation late on Sunday night at a mansion in Abbottabad, 80 kilometers north of Islamabad.
"The cantonment [military camp] town houses many military institutions, including Pakistan's Military Academy at Kakul, where most of its military elite - including present [Pakistan Army] chief General [Ashfaq Pervez] Kayani - have passed through."
(Indian source on Pakistan issue, so take it with a grain of salt)
Sure, let me grab the citation.
You raise a valid point. If this were any minor base it wouldn't be such a big deal. PMA is where Pakistan trains its special ops and intelligence guys. Its their elite academy.
The base is commonly called Kakul, and the main road leading to it is Kakul Rd. The purpose of this map is to show its literally a quick right off the main drive.
The military intelligence Pakistani ISI has a major presence there. PMA isn't just any military base. Its the military base.
Its just not reasonable to think they didn't know what that giant compound down the road was.
Corrected to use actual location of Osama's compound, as determined by zeteo from satellite photos here: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2506963, instead of the fake one making the rounds.