Obama was willing to risk military op with Pak

President Barack Obama was willing to risk a military confrontation with Pakistan in the covert operation to capture or kill Osama bin Laden and had insisted that the special US assault force be large enough to fight its way out if engaged.

Revealing additional details about planning for the dramatic Abbottabad mission on May 1, senior Obama Administration officials were quoted by New York Times as saying the President did not want to take anything to chance.

The President had authorised Navy SEAL commandos to engage any hostile Pakistani police or forces if confronted while carrying out the operation, the US daily said.

The daily also reported that two teams of specialists were on standby: One to bury bin Laden if he was killed, and a second composed of lawyers, interrogators and translators in case he was captured alive.