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Kabul: An illiterate Afghan fruit seller has offered a rare insight into the world of Osama Bin Laden.
Today, Akhtar enjoys a quiet retirement tending his orchard near Kabul. But he claims that for five years he was the personal valet and cook for Bin Laden.
Akhtar was not a formally trained cook, but the job required little skill beyond the ability to prepare Bin Laden's favourite dish of mutton korma, for both lunch and supper. Breakfast would typically involve scrambled eggs.
"If he was here today, then of course I would prepare him a mutton korma," said Akhtar, sitting under one of the apple trees in his orchard. "It was his absolute favourite, with a pilau full of almonds, orange peel and raisins."
Akhtar claimed his Saudi employer, who often grumbled about his health and was a picky eater, rarely let anyone else prepare his food, mainly due to worries about being poisoned.
Life in Bin Laden's cave close to the Pakistan border was predictably austere, dominated by prayer and talk of jihad. Bin Laden slept little, rising at midnight to fit in an extra set of prayers on top of Islam's standard five cycles.
Akhtar claimed he shared a room with Bin Laden and Abu Maz, his Palestinian assistant. There was only one bed and Bin Laden gave this to Akhtar because he was the oldest.
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