Pakistan is to return to the United States on Tuesday the remains of a stealth helicopter used in a special forces raid to kill al Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, Pakistani television said, quoting army sources.
Pakistan agreed to return the tail of the helicopter following a late night meeting on Monday between U.S. Senator John Kerry and Pakistani officials in Islamabad.
“Tomorrow the tail of the helicopter will be returned to America,” Kerry told journalists.
The UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter crashed in bin Laden’s compound in the town of Abbottabad during the raid on May 1.
U.S. Special Forces blew up the wreckage, but left behind a tail rotor boom, which is believed to have been heavily modified to have a reduced radar signature.
The tail boom was taken to a Pakistani military base.
Media sources had speculated that Pakistan might hand the wreckage over to China, its closest regional ally, so that it could benefit from U.S. stealth technology.
