CIA shows photos of Bin Laden's body May 12, 2011 - 1:16PM
Sydney Morning Herald The Central Intelligence Agency has begun showing politicians photographs of Osama bin Laden's body that US President Barack Obama said were too gruesome to be released to the public. Obama announced last week that no ordinary citizens would be able to see the photographs. But allowing politicians to see them could open the floodgates to requests from relations of the al-Qaeda leader’s victims and increase the chances that the images will be leaked. Senator James Inhofe, a Republican from Oklahoma, said he was shown 15 photographs taken of bin Laden after he was killed in a US commando raid on May 2. In an interview with CNN, Senator Inhofe agreed that the photos taken in the compound in Pakistan immediately after bin Laden was killed were "pretty gruesome". "One of the shots went through an ear and out through the eye socket. Or it went in through the eye socket and out - then exploded," he said. "That caused the brains to hang out of the eye socket, so that was pretty gruesome." Three photos were taken after bin Laden's body was removed from the compound and flown to a US aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, Senator Inhofe said. They show the body being washed and prepared for burial according to Muslim rites, and then lowered into the sea, he said. "They had taken enough blood and material off his face so it was easier to identify who it was," Senator Inhofe said. "Then of course the burial at sea, had the transition - first of all, identifying who it was. Then of course the fact that they buried him at sea," he said. Senator Inhofe said he had no doubt the man was bin Laden. "Absolutely, no question about it. I've seen them. That was him. He's gone. He's history," he said. Senator Inhofe was among the first in what is expected to be a caravan of politicians making the trek to CIA headquarters in northern Virginia to view the bin Laden photos. Republican Congressman Devin Nunes, from California, saw some photos and came away convinced they must remain under lock and key. "I was asked, personally, to keep them secret by folks in the intelligence field, who don't want those photos released," Mr Nunes said. A member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Mr Nunes cited his secrecy oath in strictly limiting his own description of the bin Laden photos whose disclosure he fears would endanger US forces. "I'll just say this," Mr Nunes said. "He's dead." In deciding not to release the pictures to the public, the White House expressed fear that they would inflame sentiment in the Middle East and be used as a propaganda tool against the United States. But Senator Inhofe said he still believed that those taken aboard the USS Carl Vinson should be released. Besides Senator Inhofe, the senior Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, the pictures were to be shown to other ranking members of key committees. House and Senate intelligence panel members, congressional leaders and members of the House and Senate armed services committee have been invited to a secure room at CIA headquarters. At least some of the photos show bin Laden's face, or what remained of it after he was shot twice by a Navy SEAL commando. One of the bullets hit the 54-year-old bin Laden above the left eye and the other entered his chest, Obama administration officials say. The type of weapon, calibre of bullet, distance at which bin Laden was shot and full extent of structural damage done have not been formally divulged by the administration. Mr Nunes said congressional intelligence committee members were shown "photos and videos" at a briefing, and he noted that the House panel had asked for additional photos and videos to be provided in secret as well. "We have not seen all of them yet," Mr Nunes said. "The committee has asked them to bring all of their photos and videos." Still others opted out. "I don't want to see it," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told reporters, calling the photos "morbid". John McCain, the Republican senator, told a journalist he did not plan to see the images, noting: "I've seen enough dead people in my life." The public at large would get a chance to see the photos if the Associated Press and other US news organisations succeed in Freedom of Information Act requests filed to gain access. The CIA, though, is likely to cite national security or other concerns in rejecting the FOIA requests. "I think there are a number of FOIA exceptions it will fall under," noted Nate Jones, FOIA co-ordinator for the National Security Archive. Although rejected FOIA requests can prompt lawsuits, Mr Jones added that federal judges often grant considerable deference to military and security organisations when considering freedom of information cases. AFP/Telegraph Read more: <http://www.smh.com.au/world/cia-shows-photos-of-bin-ladens-body-20110512-1ejyk.html#ixzz1M8am1GbT> http://www.smh.com.au/world/cia-shows-photos-of-bin-ladens-body-20110512-1ejyk.html#ixzz1M8am1GbT [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [email protected]. -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [email protected] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [email protected] Unsubscribe: [email protected] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. 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