Bin Laden's compound demolished

The demolition, which began late on Saturday, continued overnight and bulldozers were busy as dawn broke in Abbottabad's suburban Bilal Town neighborhood.

Witnesses said troops blocked access to the compound, brought in heavy machinery and barred journalists from taking pictures or coming close to the site.

An AFP reporter however saw empty rooms, cupboards and a chair inside the house.

The reporter said over half the compound's buildings had been demolished and four bulldozers were smashing the brick and concrete structures.

Around 500 police were deployed, some of them manning an outer cordon while soldiers were positioned at the inner perimeter around the compound.

"The demolition work by security forces, including troops, continued overnight," said a police official on the spot, and officials said the work would continue during Sunday.

"The structure is very strong as it is made of concrete and steel and that is why it is taking long to demolish it," a security official said.

The compound has been under the security forces' control since bin Laden was killed by US Navy SEALs in a covert helicopter operation without Islamabad's knowledge.

The al-Qaida leader lived in the compound for several years with his three wives, nine children and grandchildren.

The US troops buried him at sea, determined there be no grave that could act as a memorial to the mastermind of the Sept 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington.

However, soon after bin Laden's death the compound attracted hundreds of visitors each day and at the time officials feared his final hiding place could become a shrine or a tourist spot unless the military destroyed it.

Source: Agence France-Presse