Peter Bergen's 'Manhunt' Reveals Details Of Osama Bin Laden's Last Days

Osama bin Laden is seen in this image broadcast Wednesday April 17, 2002, by the London-based Middle East Broacasting Corp. (AP Photo/MBC via APTN)

Not only was family life a source of solace for Osama bin Laden, the former al Qaeda leader strongly believed polygamy was a religious obligation. These are two of the revelations in Peter Bergen's upcoming book, Manhunt: The Ten-Year Search for Bin Laden -- from 9/11 to Abbottabad, according to the Washington Examiner.

Bergen, who is considered a top authority on bin Laden, writes that bin Laden had to go out of his way to keep up with his wives. In an excerpt published by the Examiner, the book reveals that the former Al Qaeda leader reportedly dyed his hair and "used Avena syrup -- a natural Viagra made from wild oats –- which was found in large supply in the compound."

Avena syrup is a botanical product that is used as a natural sweetener or to increase sexual desire. After the discovery of Avena in bin Laden's compound last year, NBC News medical editor Nancy Snyderman explained that while there is a lot of folklore around the potential of the plant as a natural Viagra, not much research has been done into the subject. "Of course, it could have provided Osama with a psychosomatic boost," she noted.

Manhunt is scheduled to go on sale May 1 to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the death of the former al Qaeda leader. The book details the years-long search for bin Laden and his capture in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad.

Peter Bergen is a security analyst for CNN and has authored several books. Bergen interviewed bin Laden together with CNN colleague Peter Arnett in 1997. The Crown Publishing Group claims Bergen was one of only two journalists who received access to "a treasure trove" of materials seized in bin Laden's compound and was "the only outsider" to have toured the compound.

On Friday, bin Laden's family left Pakistan for Saudi Arabia, after the al Qaeda leader's widows served 45-days sentences for entering Pakistan illegally.

Comments

[pozboys]

10:26 AM on 05/01/2012

This guy OBL, couldn't have been that smart, what with having, more than one wife! Its kind of funny though, how radical Islam, and radical Mormonism,hold to that tenet! Its hard to figure,how to keep one wife relatively happy, much less, multiple, ones!! Just saying!

[sooten7422]

09:51 AM on 05/01/2012

Don't by this Book...Its all a lie...just like we can't do anything about the Gas prices and Man made Globel warming is not a scam.

[pozboys]

10:17 AM on 05/01/2012

You need to do some serious research, before you go in public, with your unfounded (and obviously, uneducated) rants, dude!! (its buy,by the way!)

[sooten7422]

10:53 AM on 05/01/2012

You have obviousy smoked yourself retarded...DUDE...lol.......as for the by or the bye or the buy...You understood it didn't you?

[fddragon]

09:32 AM on 05/01/2012

oh dear god and do you think people will read the book...of course they will...surprised they didn't want to do a reality show!

[Roxxi Raxx]

08:57 AM on 05/01/2012

Avena syrup: The choice of horny terrorists everywhere. Get some Y'al!

[candycorn]

08:52 AM on 05/01/2012

I am jujst glad the President did what the people asked him to do before he was elected. Great job President Obama and great job to the Navy Seals.

[Jessen Joseph]

08:20 PM on 04/28/2012

• “We might ask ourselves how we would be reacting if Iraqi commandos landed at George W. Bush's compound, assassinated him, and dumped his body in the Atlantic.

Uncontroversially, his crimes vastly exceed bin Laden's, and he is not a "suspect" but uncontroversially the "decider" who gave the orders to commit the "supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole" (quoting the Nuremberg Tribunal) for which Nazi criminals were hanged: the hundreds of thousands of deaths, millions of refugees, destruction of much of the country, the bitter sectarian conflict that has now spread to the rest of the region.”

- Noam Chomsky

[Liban CZ]

06:32 PM on 04/28/2012

Osama, looks like a nun with beard.

[RTGerdes]

05:16 PM on 04/28/2012

The United States is nearing $16 trillion in debt -- and every day brings us one step closer to fiscal calamity as we continue down this path of reckless spending. While millions of Americans are struggling here at home, the U.S. continues to provide over $50 billion annually in foreign aid to countries around the world. It's time for America to reassess foreign aid, especially to hostile countries. And we should start with Pakistan.

There is legislation being introduced to freeze $2.4 billion in aid to Pakistan. Pakistan was harboring Osama bin Laden when he was killed by American special forces. Bin Laden's compound was less than a mile from the Pakistan Military Academy. President Obama must freeze all aid to Pakistan, which has received $13 billion from the U.S. over the last decade.

We need to put America first and stop trying to buy loyalty and friendship from hostile countries. Instead, we should be focusing on policies that grow our own economy, create jobs, and reduce our massive federal deficit.

[Tom4]

04:40 PM on 04/28/2012

Whatever happened to Steve Emerson's terrific books on Al Queda, especially the one where he noted the locations of Al Queda in many locations throughout the USA.

[thrmshield]

03:22 PM on 04/28/2012

I wish we had some proof that Osama Bin Laden is dead.

[cainhu]

06:21 AM on 04/29/2012

Yea, and Elvis, too.

[yargbar]

10:41 AM on 05/01/2012

i saw elvis in the casket ,national enquirer , I would like to see pics of Bin Laden , proofs in the pudding and ive seen no proof

[Old Glenridge]

10:46 AM on 04/29/2012

His wives and family say it is true. The Pakistanis say it is true. Bin Laden conspirators say it is true.

Are they all lying to help the US?

[batmanindy]

02:54 PM on 04/28/2012

You the man President Obama! You the man!

[JJudyphill]

02:50 PM on 04/28/2012

Oh, my. Osama tried to keep up with 3 wives?

Not surprising he could not be found...too busy reserving his strength.

[jwalton333]

02:34 PM on 04/28/2012

General Motors and Chrysler and the Banking System are alive and OBL is dead! Would you seriously fail to re-elect Obama when you re-elected Bush!!?? Would that mean America can't tell good from bad? JW

[blodisnut]

02:21 PM on 04/28/2012

Id love to be the guy that got to pull the trigger on him... That would be the best story to tell at the bar.

"I have a law degree" the guy says to the hot chick at the bar.

"yeah? well I killed Osama."

Then Id be going home with my new future ex.

[5tiger]

02:48 PM on 04/28/2012

I thought obama killed him?

[ivanivonovich]

03:43 PM on 04/28/2012

Obama gave the order, Spec.Ops. did the work. Do you really think they would have the President fly in and do the real work ? Politicians aren't that stupid. I mean, like he could have been killed too.

[Tom4]

04:46 PM on 04/28/2012

Under Bush, investigations led to the discovery of Osama's wherabouts and other information.

[CEdmund]

02:07 PM on 04/28/2012

Thank you Mr. President for making the world a safer place, and I thank God that you were the one that answered that 3AM phone call, you are a Great Man and we need you there for 4 more years.

[5tiger]

02:50 PM on 04/28/2012

lol, bush gets credi doesnt he? He gets credit f r evrything else that happens under osama, i mean obamas leadership

[FollowJesus]

03:27 PM on 04/28/2012

You need to use spell check. You mean oBUMa.