a little mini jihadist king dochl it was his country retreat. >> six years later, a journalist interviewed bin laden here, in a cave, turned in to a command center. >> he told me that he feels safe in this cave. he knows that area very well and he knows it is very difficult for anybody to come and follow him there. >> reporter: but now bin bib la is being followed. >> we paid a number of afghans. >> the journalists gather thoend mountainside there. >> reporter: tim lister was part of the cnn team covering the war. >> we outnumbered the u.s. personnel on the ground. >> reporter: the americans call for air strikes and they come with thundering force.