DNA samples from relatives helped confirm identity yesterday

Boston Globe ^ | May 3, 2011 | Bryan Bender and Carolyn Y. Johnson

[neverdem]

Osama bin Laden’s identity was confirmed through a variety of techniques, including visual identification by Navy SEALs and by his youngest wife at the compound where he was killed in Pakistan, as well as photo analysis and genetic testing, according to a senior defense official who briefed reporters at the Pentagon yesterday.

The photo analysis, which relied on a computer technology that matched specific facial features, provided 95 percent certainty of a match. Yesterday morning, a test that compared the dead man’s DNA with samples collected from relatives, confirmed that the Al Qaeda leader had been killed, the official said on condition that he not be identified.

Genetic material taken from siblings and other close relatives can be used to confirm a person’s identity because people who are related share genetic material. Siblings, for example, share on average half of their genes.

Michael Rogers, a Michigan Republican who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, confirmed that DNA testing had taken place but refused to give details during a briefing at the US Capitol.

“I won’t give all the details of it . . . it wasn’t single-sourced, he’s got lots of places that his DNA could have been captured, through relatives or other means,’’ Rogers said. “One of the things that was important was to make sure that it was absolutely him. I think through the DNA testing and other things, it is clear beyond a...’’

--snip--

To do the testing, researchers extract DNA from a sample, then use a process called polymerase chain reaction to make many copies of specific sections of interest. Dyes are then added to allow comparisons of DNA fragments. Such work can be carried out rapidly — “in a hurry, overnight, in less than 24 hours,’’ Bieber said, in laboratories that exist in most developed countries...

[Revolting cat!]

How long does it take to run a match on DNA samples?

"Ten minute!"

[gleeaikin]

I seem to recall that Muslim religious rules require that a body must be buried in 24 hours. This may also be Jewish law. Like a number of religious laws that make sense in a hot desert environment, it no longer is necessary with refrigeration. I hope they took dental impressions and X-rays too.

[Daffynition]

[monocle]

Your reply is the most reasoned to this point.

[Cementjungle]

Slight correction, being as Obama really had nothing to do with this: "The best thing Barack Obama ever had dropped in his lap in his life".

In military lingo, all he did was "concur".

He did what he does best... he voted "present".

[AuH2ORepublican]

Yeah, I heard about Muslim law requiring burial within 24 hours, but if there’s an exception in cases in which an autopsy is required to determine cause of death (as I believe is the case), then we should be able to wait a couple of days to determine the identity of the dead person—after all, if he’s not really Osama, perhaps he isn’t a Muslim and thus should not get a Muslim funeral.

Funny how the Christian rule is the complete opposite—you *shouldn’t* bury too quickly after the person is declared dead in order to reduce the possibility of burying someone alive (hence the Irish wake).

[etcetera]

They should have put OBL's head, salted, in a wooden cask. That would be the 7th century method to prove identity.

DNA testing is only good enough if they have an actual OBL DNA sample to match to the dead guy.

Just matching it to sibling DNA will confirm only that - the dead guy was a sibling.

Now how many siblings did OBL have?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks neverdem.

Osama bin Laden's identity was confirmed through a variety of techniques, including visual identification by Navy SEALs and by his youngest wife at the compound where he was killed in Pakistan, as well as photo analysis and genetic testing

His wife should know, she's known him most of her 13 years.