A former Navy Seal who claims to have killed Osama bin Laden has been arrested in Texas.
Robert J. O’Neill, 47, was reportedly booked Wednesday in Frisco, Texas with misdemeanour charges of assault causing bodily injury and public intoxication.
He was released on the same day after paying a $3,500 bond, the Dallas Morning News reported. O'Neill, who wrote a memoir about his military service and has received several military honours, was in Frisco to record a podcast.
The US government never confirmed nor denied his claim about killing bin Laden. In the past, he faced controversy for not wearing a face mask on a flight during the Covid-19 pandemic.
O'Neill was previously charged with DUI in 2016, which was later dropped due to his use of prescription medication related to military service.
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Robert J. O’Neill, 47, was reportedly booked Wednesday in Frisco, Texas with misdemeanour charges
He was previously charged with DUI in 2016 (Twittter/@mchooyah)O'Neill reportedly joined the military after a breakup and became a sniper. He enlisted in 1996 and went on to become part of SEAL Team Six.
Throughout his service, he participated in various missions and earned multiple awards, including Silver Stars, Bronze Star Medals, and commendation medals.
In 2011, O'Neill claimed to have killed Osama bin Laden during Operation Neptune Spear. However, his account has been contested by other SEALs, including Matt Bissonnette, who wrote in his book that the actual point man fired the killing shots.
Osama Bin Laden is thought to be the mastermind behind the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington D.C (Getty Images)O'Neill's claim has not been officially confirmed or denied by the US government. He faced criticism for breaking the code of silence among special forces personnel.
In February 2013, an anonymous interview with Rob O'Neill revealed that he claimed to have killed Osama bin Laden during the 2011 Operation Neptune Spear.
In 2014, O'Neill's identity was leaked by fellow special forces personnel who were upset about him breaking the code of silence that prohibits public acknowledgement of their actions.
In 2011, O'Neill claimed to have killed Osama bin Laden during Operation Neptune Spear (Butte-Silver Bow Sheriffs Dept)O'Neill stated that he and another SEAL cornered bin Laden, and he killed him after the other SEAL missed. However, Matt Bissonnette, another SEAL, asserted in his book that the unnamed point man fired the lethal shots.
According to a former member of SEAL Team 6 interviewed by The Intercept, when O'Neill reached bin Laden, the terrorist leader was already injured and possibly dying from shots fired by the lead assault.
Another SEAL mentioned that O'Neill simply walked up to the incapacitated bin Laden and shot him in the head. Both O'Neill's and Bissonnette's accounts were criticised for containing misleading information.
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Robert O'Neill speaking at the "Best of Blount" Chamber of Commerce awards ceremony (Bloomberg via Getty Images)As of August 2020, the US government had not confirmed or denied O'Neill's claims. Rear Admiral Brian L. Losey and Force Master Chief Michael Magaraci emphasised the SEAL ethos, which values secrecy and humility.
O'Neill explained his decision to come forward, stating that it was a challenging secret to keep and that he believed everyone involved was proud of their accomplishment. In 2015, O'Neill and his family were reportedly threatened by ISIS.
In October 2020, President Donald Trump shared an unverified conspiracy theory suggesting that bin Laden was alive and a body double was killed.
O'Neill, a Trump supporter, responded on Twitter, affirming that it was not a body double. Retired Admiral William H. McRaven, who oversaw Neptune Spear, also confirmed O'Neill's role in the operation in a CNN interview published that same month.
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