The hot news around the social media campfire this evening is that the name of the Navy SEAL who will be revealed on Fox News next week as the man who put three bullets in Osama bin Laden’s head has already been revealed. Last Friday, Rear Adm. Brian Losey and Force Master Chief Michael Magaraci reportedly issued a letter to Naval Special Warfare sailors that once again stressed that they were not to be sharing stories and details of missions in order to achieve personal fame, according to USA Today. On Monday, though, the news and analysis website SOFREP, which is run by military and Spec Ops veterans, published a copy of that letter along with the name of the SEAL who is at the center of an “unspoken implication” as being the man who will appear on Fox News on November 11 and 12.
That man, SOFREP reports, is Robert O’Neill, a retired Red Squadron SEAL and current motivational speaker, who, as Gawker points out, was the subject of last year’s controversial Esquire feature, “The Man Who Killed Osama Bin Laden… Is Screwed.” The Daily Mail has doubled down on this implication today, citing O’Neill’s own father, Tom, as the source of the revelation that he is, in fact, the man who will appear on Fox News and take credit for killing Bin Laden.
Tom O’Neill reportedly told the Daily Mail that when it comes to feedback from the U.S. government, his son’s fellow SEAL team members or even ISIS, he isn’t worried.
O’Neill’s father says he cannot understand the fuss. ‘He is not allowed to talk, yet they are using this big bullhorn to shut him up,’ he said.
‘I support him in everything he is doing,’ said the twice-divorced older man.
‘What are you supposed to do when you come out of the military after such service — become a greeter at Walmart?’
He added: ‘People are asking if we are worried that ISIS will come and get us because Rob is going public. I say I’ll paint a big target on my front door and say come and get us.
‘My ex-wife gave birth to a man. We shouldn’t be cowering in fear.’ (Via the Daily Mail)
Obviously, we will continue to update the story with new information in case someone comes forward and proves that it is or is not O’Neill. Hell, maybe something called Breakr will take credit for it between now and next Tuesday, when the first part of the two-part Fox News report is scheduled to air.
What is interesting, for the sake of the mystery that is the Internet, is that after Gawker called for tips last Wednesday regarding the identity of the Fox News guest, an anonymous commenter wrote that it was, in fact, Robert O’Neill. Sure, anonymous Internet commenters aren’t considered good sources, but crazier things have happened.