ABBOTTABAD: The bullet-riddled Pakistani villa that hid Osama bin Laden from the world was put under police control Tuesday, as media sought to glimpse the debris left by the US raid that killed him.
Bin Laden's hideout had been kept under tight army control after the dramatic raid by US special forces late Sunday in the affluent suburbs of Abbottabad.
"The army handed over the site to police at around 14:00 (0900 GMT) today and we have deployed about 100 extra policemen around the compound and in the surrounding streets," said police official Qamar Hayat.
Journalists were allowed up to the heavily fortified compound's perimeter but were held back from going beyond its high walls, made of large concrete blocks, divided by three imposing gates and topped with reels of barbed wire.
Lights had been installed at the back of the building to keep the area illuminated at night.
Hayat described some of the house interior, saying it was a six-bedroom residence, "and there was blood in two of the bedrooms".
"We have cleared the whole house from inside. I don't know when the house will be open to media," he told AFP as a few local residents approached the compound to see the spot that had given their neighbourhood notoriety.
"We want to post it on Facebook, to show our friends that we live near bin Laden's compound," 14-year-old Hiba told AFP.
"I can't believe bin Laden lived in front of my house," said Hamida, who uses only one name.
One wall of the house, which was fronted by a large lawn, had collapsed, while local officials were seen sizing up the height of the remaining walls with a tape measure.
Pink stickers had been stuck on two gates with scrawled signatures on them.
A large courtyard was abutted by a small gate leading off to private living quarters, with a smashed front door. The villa's parking area was demolished and signs of gunfire were visible with burn marks on the walls.
Military footprints and track marks could still been seen in the adjoining maize and vegetable fields, where children could be seen looting scattered fragments of metal and plastic.
"I am going to sell it," said 13-year-old Imran, claiming to be carrying part of the US helicopter that crashed and was abandoned during the operation.
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