Barack Obama's order to 'go in and get Osama bin Laden' made public Published by Time magazine as the first anniversary of the al-Qaeda leader's killing in Pakistan approaches, the succinct memo dated April 29, 2011, 10:35am was written by hand and signed by Mr Panetta. "The direction is to go in and get Bin Laden and if he is not there, to get out," wrote Mr Panetta, who is now defence secretary, in the memorandum. "The timing, operational decision making and control are in Admiral McRaven's hands," he added. That was a reference to Admiral William McCraven, who was in charge of the hunt for Bin Laden as commander of the Joint Special Operations Command. "The approval is provided on the risk profile presented to the president," Panetta continued. Any additional risks are to be brought to the president for his consideration. Mr Obama had chosen the riskiest option: a secret helicopter assault by US special forces on a compound in a Pakistani garrison town where Bin Laden was believed to be hiding. Mr McRaven was notified of the president's directive at 10:45am and three days later on May 2, 2011, the raid was launched and bin Laden killed, ending a nearly decade-long search to avenge the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.