A senior Indian diplomat and a former member of the National Security Advisory Board told rediff.com in an off-the-record conversation that "the international media is overlooking the fact that Osama bin Laden was living in Abbottabad because that house had basements. We should know, was there a tunnel going to Pakistan's military establishment nearby?"

He says that would nail Pakistan's claims of innocence.

He said, "It is very important to analyse why Osama selected Abbottabad. What were the reasons behind it? That would lead the world to the truth about the Inter Services Intelligence or the Pakistan army's involvement in harbouring him."

He said, "We Indians know throughout our history how our kings had secured themselves. All our kings and queens had elaborate escape plans in a crisis. We have in India and even in Pakistan forts with basements and tunnels to hide and escape."

"I think, Osama's hideout was a well-thought-out plan by the ISI and they were successful for a full five years. It is no mean achievement, considering the entire might of the United States was after them."

The local contractor has already told Pakistan's Geo Television that he had constructed basements in the house where Osama lived. However, he did not speak of building any tunnel.

Incidentally, the Americans had taken Osama to Afghanistan during the Russian invasion in the 1980s since as an engineer he had expertise in building tunnels and bridges.