DENVER — An American on a solo mission to hunt down Osama bin Laden is headed back to the United States, 10 days after authorities found him in the woods of northern Pakistan with a pistol, a sword and night-vision equipment.

Gary Faulkner, who has been detained since June 13, left Pakistan early Wednesday and was to arrive in Denver later in the day, his brother Scott Faulkner said.

Scott Faulkner said he spoke to his brother briefly Tuesday, and he reported being treated well by Pakistan. the excitement in his brother’s voice, Scott Faulkner said he thinks his brother came close to finding bin Laden.

The 50-year-old Gary Faulkner of Greeley told officials he was out to kill the al-Qaida leader. He was then moved to Islamabad, and his brother told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he was being released by the Pakistani government without charges.

“He said he couldn’t wait to return to the good ol’ U.S. of A,” Scott Faulkner said.

Gary Faulkner is an out-of-work construction worker who sold his tools to finance six trips on what relatives have called a Rambo-type mission to kill or capture bin Laden. He grew his hair and beard long to fit in.

Scott Faulkner told reporters last week that his brother wasn’t crazy, just determined to find the man the U.S. military has failed to capture nearly a decade after the Sept. 11 attacks.

 

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