A firsthand account of the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden contradicts previous accounts by administration officials, raising questions as to whether the terror mastermind presented a clear threat when the navy Seals first fired upon him.

US President Barack Obama is set to meet the Navy Seals who joined the daring raid of Osama bin Laden's Pakistan compound.

US President Barack Obama will meet some of those who were involved in the military operation against Osama bin Laden when he visits Fort Campbell, Kentucky, tomorrow, a White House official said.

Taliban forces in Afghanistan may be hiding in residential areas to shield themselves from air strikes, a senior US military officer said, as the Pentagon acknowledged that an errant 1,000lb bomb damaged an Afghan OAP centre.

Elite forces from Britain and the US are likely to play a crucial role in the attacks on Afghanistan - but co-ordinating them could prove difficult, military analysts said yesterday.