Pakistani authorities have demolished al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's hideout. Bin Laden was killed by Navy SEALs operatives nearly nine months ago on May 2, 2011 at the Abottabad compound.

Cranes and construction vehicles moved into the hideout area late Saturday and began to tear apart the three-story fortified building in the middle of the night, local residents told ABC News. The interior of the building was destroyed and only the outer walls remained Monday. Police and military personnel secured the area, preventing bystanders from entering the site.

Bin Laden allegedly live in the Abbottabad compound since 2005. His location was discovered by CIA intelligence and a team of Navy SEALs operatives acted on this information in May 2011, killing bin Laden and four others. According to reports, the high walls of the compound and the lack of phone or internet connections aroused the suspicions of U.S. military intelligence.

Yahoo News reports that the Pakistani government has not offered an official reason for razing the compound. The government may have hoped to destroy a potential shrine for the leader. It is also possible the government wanted to destroy the memory of the Pakistan's intelligence's ineptitude. Following the revelation of bin Laden's location, many criticized the Pakistani government for missing this crucial intelligence as the leader had lived for six years without detection in a compound one mile away from the Pakistani Military Academy.

The highly sought after Bin Laden was placed on the FBI's list of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives and Most Wanted Terrorists following the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Tanzania and Kenya. He became the number one most wanted terrorist during the War on Terror after the Sept. 11, 2001 World Trade Center attacks.

Bin Laden Hideout
Policemen and residents stand near while demolition work is carried out on the building where al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. special forces last May, in Abbottabad on Feb. 26, 2012. Pakistani forces began demolishing the house where al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. special forces last May, in an unexplained move carried out in the dark of night. REUTERS
Bin Laden Hideout
A policeman looks on as the building where al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed is demolished in Abbottabad on Feb. 26, 2012. Pakistani forces began demolishing the house where al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. special forces last May, in an unexplained move carried out in the dark of night. REUTERS
Bin Laden Hideout
Demolition work is carried out, of the building where al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. special forces last May, in Abbottabad, in this still image taken from a Reuters TV video on Feb. 25, 2012. Pakistani forces began demolishing the house in an unexplained move carried out in the dark of night. REUTERS
Bin Laden Hideout
Demolition work is carried out of the building where al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. special forces last May, in Abbottabad, in this still image taken from a Reuters TV video on Feb. 25, 2012. Pakistani forces began demolishing the house in an unexplained move carried out in the dark of night. REUTERS
Bin Laden
New York police stand near a wanted poster printed by on a full page of a New York newspaper for Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden in the financial district of New York on Sept. 18, 2001 after the tragic Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Bin Laden remained in hiding during the Bush's presidency, but was shot and killed by Navy SEALs and CIA operative on May 2, 2011 under President Barack Obama. REUTERS/Russell Boyce
Bin Laden Hideout
Policemen stand guard near the partially demolished compound where al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. special forces last May in Abbottabad on Feb. 26, 2012. REUTERS
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