9/11 museum unveils new exhibit on hunt for bin Laden

NEW YORK - The National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York on Sunday introduced to the public a new exhibit portraying the years-long hunt for, the ultimate discovery and killing of Osama bin Laden.

The exhibit has three primary components, including a uniform shirt worn by one of members of the US Navy SEAL Team 6 who took part in the 2011 raid of bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

The exhibit also comprises a so-called "challenge coin" which was donated by "Maya," the alias for the CIA operative who pursued bin Laden, as well as a brick recovered from the compound where the al-Qaida leader was killed.

The "challenge coin" was created to commemorate the successful operation that eliminated bin Laden. One side of the coin is marked "May 1, 2011", the US date when the operation occurred. The other side shows a red "X" mark.

After 9/11, former US President George W. Bush kept a list in his desk of key al-Qaida operatives still at large. Whenever one was exposed, arrested or killed, he would make a red X through the assailant's name.

The brick, recovered from bin Laden's hideout, has been on display in the museum since it opened in May 2014. Several photographs complete the new installation. The identities of the retired Navy SEAL and the CIA operative are not included in the exhibit to preserve their anonymity.

Located at the original site of the World Trade Center in New York City, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum honors the victims of the September 11 attacks.

The 9/11 memorial has received more than 15 million visitors since it was opened in September 2001. The museum has had over 900,000 visitors.