ABBOTTABAD - The security forces have rounded up 11 persons from Thanda Choh, Bilal Town owing to their suspected links with Osama bin Laden, while the residents of the area insisted that majority of those arrested are innocent. The post 'Get Osama operation hype kept its heat in Abbottabad on Tuesday too, with this subject remaining to be the talk of the town. Official sources say that till Sunday evening they were clueless about military operation at Thanda Choh, but on Sunday night selective units of Pakistan Army, that were not given weekly holiday, were asked to stand alert for an operation against a militant. The soldiers were not aware of the identity of the militant until Osamas dead body was taken out by the US soldiers. Following Mondays killing of al-Qaeda chief in the deadly operation, the security forces conducted search operations on Tuesday in the area and nabbed eleven people from the surrounding area of Osamas sealed hideout. The arrested lot included Osamas immediate neighbours, Aurangzeb, Shamsher, and Nasir, and eight other people, including two lady health workers. Reportedly, the two ladies, unknowingly, had administered polio vaccination to Osamas kids some months back. An elderly milkman called Zaina Kaka, who provides milk to many residents of Thanda Choh and Bilal Town, was also held and interrogated for hours before he was set free. Zaina Kaka also supplied milk at Osamas residence, without knowing about the real identity of the residents. The firsthand information this scribe is privy to, suggest that most of the suspects were rounded up by the security agencies when they rushed to extend their help for relief work after the operation was finished. This information was also shared by Nazir, son of Aurangzeb, who told The Nation that his father was nabbed only because he rushed to the operation area in order to join the relief activities. During early hours of Monday, there was no security check and everyone from neighbouring areas could reach the spot. Majority of people who volunteered relief support were arrested like my father but they are innocent, he said. Abbottabad District Police Officer (DPO) Karim Khan confirmed to this correspondent that some people were arrested on suspicion of having links with Osama. Official sources told this newspaper that all but five suspects were with Abbottabad police while the rest of were in the custody of intelligence agencies. The DPO refused to give any details, saying I cant confirm the names and exact number of arrested people but those found innocent would be set free. The residents said that they would launch a strong protest if the innocent were not set free. Meanwhile, the security forces on Tuesday afternoon handed over the security control of the Osamas hideout to the local police. The national and international media was given access to the outer premises of the sealed house but the journalists were not allowed entry into the residence. Television footages mostly released by the foreign media depicted a chaotic scene inside Osamas house as result of the Mondays hasty search operation that was launched by the US Navy marines after taking control of the hideout. Reportedly, a central processing unit (CPU) of Osamas personal computer that contained some highly sensitive data regarding his future plans was seized. Some DVDs and USB flash drives were also taken into possession. Interestingly, the 11-kanal, enormously gigantic, fortress-like house with seven feet tall walls covered with electrified barbed wires did not have any landline or wireless phone, or internet connection, which made it suspicious for the US and Pakistan intelligence agencies. The security agencies reportedly started its surveillance in March last year. The only source of Osamas communication with the outside world was one messenger, Rustam Khan, who is presently detained by intelligence agencies. As reported in The Nation on Tuesday, the Suzuki carry van (Bolan) used by Osamas men for their restricted movement was also found along with another unidentified vehicle. The reports that Osamas son and wives were being treated in Abbottabad could not be verified.