Part 1

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All sources are from the mainstream media, many of which have since been "scrubbed" from the internet. 2000 to September 2001: Reports Emerge of bin Laden Dying From Kidney Disease

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In light of highly regraded independent journalist Sy Hersh's claim that the raid on Osama bin Laden in 2011 is "one big lie", [a HOAX] here's an overview of evidence in support of an alternative narrative: bin Laden died in December 2001 in Tora Bora from a lung complication as a result of kidney failure starting at least since mid-2000.

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In March 2000 the Chicago Tribune reports that an Afghan witness and "Western intelligence official" say bin Laden is suffering from severe kidney and liver failure. Link:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2000-03-25/news/0003250085_1_laden-bin-religious-militia

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This story was also picked up by CBS News in 2000, who outright lead with the title that "Bin Laden Reported to be Dying" from "kidney disease." Link:

http://web.archive.org/web/20010212010328/http://www.cbsnews.com/now/story/0,1597,172666-412,00.shtml

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In July 2001, the South Asia Analysis Group reports:

"Bin Laden, who suffers from renal deficiency, has been periodically undergoing dialysis in a Peshawar military hospital with the knowledge and approval of the Inter-Services Intelligence, (ISI) if not of Gen.Pervez Musharraf himself." Link:

http://web.archive.org/web/20011007021426/http://www.saag.org/papers3/paper266.html

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September to November 2001: bin Laden is Trapped in Afghanistan, Unable to Receive Kidney Treatments.

In September 2001, PBS' Frontline interviews the former general counsel for the CIA, mentioning reports from 1998 that the DEA found out Osama bin Laden was undergoing kidney dialysis with a doctor in Peshwar. They mention further that the DEA wanted to poison bin Laden through his dialysis machine... Link:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/terrorism/interviews/smith.html

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In November 2001, The Guardian is reporting that French intelligence officials say Bin Laden was flown to Dubai for kidney treatment in July of 2001, where he also met with several CIA agents and the head of Saudi intelligence. This story is also picked up by several French newspapers. Link:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/nov/01/afghanistan.terrorism

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In his first interview since 9/11, in November 2001 bin Laden talks to a Pakistani newspaper and claims that his "kidneys are all right" and denies visiting a hospital in Dubai the previous year (note that he may have visited one in Pakistan). In the same interview he also asserts, clearly lying, that he has "nuclear weapons." Link:

http://dawn.com/news/5647/osama-claims-he-has-nukes-if-us-uses-n-arms-it-will-get-same-response/2

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December 2001: bin Laden is Dead, Buried in Afghanistan In December of 2001, the New York Times reports on "high-level murmurings that bin Laden is dead." Link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/26/international/asia/26LADE.html

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That same day, citing a Taliban source, Fox News reports that bin Laden has died due to an "untreated lung complication" from kidney disease. About 30 "close associates" reportedly attended bin Laden's funeral in the Tora Bora region of Afghanistan. A source concludes that the U.S. government and other forces are in a "mad search operation" but will never be able to locate the now-dead bin Laden, buried in an unmarked location. Link:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/2001/12/26/report-bin-laden-already-dead/

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Late December 2001 to March 2002: bin Laden's "Death Video" is Released In late December of 2001, after reports of bin Laden's funeral, a new video appears of a gaunt, sickly Osama bin Laden. The London Telegraph reports, verbatim:

"The recording was dismissed by the Bush administration yesterday as sick propaganda possibly designed to mask the fact the al-Qa'eda leader was already dead."

One aid further concludes that the video was created earlier in the event bin Laden is dead, who by December of 2001 was so heavily surrounded he would have been unable to escape to obtain kidney dialysis. Link:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/1366508/US-casts-doubt-on-bin-Ladens-latest-message.html

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