(JTA) — Osama bin Laden had books by conspiracy theorists and one by a Holocaust denier in his Pakistan compound raided by Navy SEALs four years ago.
They were among the details on hundreds of letters, books, magazine articles, reports and other materials found in the al-Qaeda founder’s secret compound that were declassified and released Wednesday by the Obama administration.
Bin Laden, who was shot dead in the compound in May 2011, also had two books by the Jewish philosopher-political commentator Noam Chomsky. Among his collection were books by Holocaust denier Eustace Mullins and conspiracy theorists Fritz Springmeier, David Ray Griffin and John Coleman.
In the documents released was an application for joining al-Qaeda, as well as personal correspondence among bin Laden family members. “The 9/11 Commission Report” about the terror attacks in 2001 by al-Qaeda members also was part of the collection, according to reports.
Also released was a list of the 266 English-language books, think tank reports and U.S. government documents found in his digital collection.
Other the books found were “Obama’s Wars” by Bob Woodward, as well as others by extremists.
The exchange of letters between bin Laden and his many children show him to be a loved and admired father. In a letter to one of his wives, he wrote that if he were killed she could remarry, but that on Judgment Day she would have to choose one of the husbands with whom to spend eternity.
“I really want for you to be my wife in paradise,” he wrote.
The letter, written in August 2008, also charged her to “raise my children properly and to watch them, and be careful of bad company for them.”
A three-page questionnaire for prospective al-Qaeda members included questions such as “Do you wish to execute a suicide operation?” “What objectives would you like to accomplish on your jihad path?” and “Who should we contact in case you become a martyr?” Lines were provided for the contact’s name and phone number.
