Osama bin Laden's death photos will be viewed by select members of Congress

Osama bin Laden's final photographs that President Obama originally refused to release will soon be viewable by certain members of Congress.

A government official told CNN on Tuesday that members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Senate Intelligence Committee, and the equivalent committees in the House, will be granted the opportunity to view the photos taken of Bin Laden soon after he was shot and killed by the SEALs.

In an interview that aired Sunday, Obama explained on CBS why he didn't want to release the gory photos of the fallen terrorist leader.

"We don't trot out this stuff as trophies," the president told CBS' Steve Kroft on "60 Minutes." "The fact of the matter is, this was somebody who was deserving of the justice that he received. And I think Americans and people around the world are glad that he is gone. But we don't need to spike the football," Obama said.

Still, there has been a clamor by some to see the photographs: Some do want the football spiked, and others simply want closure. Bin Laden's son, Omar, was one of those who wanted proof that his father was dead, and Monday he requested to see either photos or video of his dead father. In the meantime, he said he and his family will go on believing that his father wasn't shot, killed and buried at sea.

"We are not convinced on the available evidence in the absence of dead body, photographs and video evidence that our natural father is dead," a statement signed by Omar bin Laden said.

The White House's slight reversal seems to take the advice of Times reader Bernard Rapkin, who recently wrote to the newspaper with his idea of what should be done about the controversial images.

"No matter what President Obama does about the pictures of Osama bin Laden's body, there will always be some skeptics who will insist it never happened. I'm sure there are plenty of Obama haters who will take the other side of whatever he does," Rapkin wrote.

"So why not take a middle-of-the-road approach? Invite several of the more level-headed leaders of both political parties (not the crazies like Michele Bachmann, Sarah Palin and Donald Trump) to view the pictures and verify to the public that they are authentic," he continued.

"This, of course, won't solve the problem completely, but it should satisfy most of the doubters," Rapkin concluded.  

Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who would be eligible to view the photos, would pass at the chance, calling it "morbid."

"I don’t want to see it," Reid said during a news conference last week.

The date of the viewing, which will be held at the CIA headquarters, has yet to be determined, CNN reported.

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-- Tony Pierce
twitter.com/busblog

Photo: Reacting to the death of Osama bin Laden, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, right, accompanied by Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), talks to reporters on Capitol Hill about the operation that took down the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Credit: J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press

Comments

[Bob]

It is "selected" not select.

[Klatu]

There are enough conspiracy theories abound to completely demolish the idea of these photos being viewed as "trophy photos". How about PROOF photos! Thats what the American public wants. We showed pictures of Saddam and his sons, so why not? Also, we are a trillion dollars and 4,000 soldier deaths after the war on terror began, not to mention the thousands of still suffering survivors of the trade towers; and we are not granted some form of absolute closure in the release of said photos? What are we dying for over there? Obamas word? Gimme a break. Release the photos.

[1234]

Don't waste time, since they don't have any pics of death bin laden, he is not dead yet. Do you think US goverment let him die easily that way, just a fake body in the sea. Bin Laden must be some where very secret.

[abram yharbrough]

Amen

[jeremy]

i agree the people of america want proof that bin ladins dead. not to hear from a select handfull of congressmen telling us there real pictures. show the world justice thats what we are waiting for..

[anonymous]

You're all idiots part of a minority group that thinks they're enlightened and know more than the majority. He's dead and any president with the least of sense wouldn't release the photos to public if they knew the least about national security threats.

[shannon cunningham]

They said several times the President and staff were watching LIVE Streaming Video of the assault, To me that sounds like not only Photo's But Seal Helmet Cams that were recording the entire operation step by step as the President watched. Why not show the Video, Rite up to when Osama's head got Popped like a Galager Prop if the pics are to grusom?

[Luis Ruiz]

Can believe very little of what our government says. The proof is in the pudding.
Show us the photos already. Remember the WMD in Iraq. Yea they don't lie, HA!!!

[Matthew Benton]

The president is not making the right choice. This sob killed about 3,000 Americans and still doesn't show the pictures out to the public! I believe the Americans should vote! The president shouldn't have the right keep that away from the public! We want to piss off every one that looked up to Osama Bin Laden! I believe we should have tortured him and catch it on video then show it to the world!

[jon]

what Is honourable about killing unarmed men - why couldn't you arrest someone with an army garrison just next door....

[Limo Hire]

Why is MR Obama refusing to release photograph and mostly people also want to know that why kill Osama, US trops are not able to arrest him.

[Bill Bieker]

I am not a conspiracy theory kind of guy, but this............. SMELLS LIKE A SEA OF ROTTING FISH!!!!!

We are a nation of braggers. Watch any news-worthy political event that has been recorded in the last 50 or more years and it is sure to contain the smiling face of a Washington aristocrat gloating about their latest heroic endeavor.

OSAMA BIN LADEN IS NOT DEAD - END OF STORY!

[Sunnah]

I WOULD BELIEVE THAT WAS WRONG

[BI Tool Guy]

Al-queda has already publicly acknowledged that Bin Laden is dead. Why would they do that unless it was certain? And lets face it, even if the photos were released to the public, you'd have conspiracy theorists claiming the photos are fake or that the person in the photo is not Bin Laden. If you had the body, you'd have people claiming the body is an imposter. If you took DNA evidence, you'd have people claiming the evidence was falsified. That's just what happens when you have a generation of people who grow up watching twisted TV and cinema plots - incredulous masses.

[egwumah a .f]

the fightagainst terrorism is a serious one pls U.S keep it up!

[Jimmy James]

i feel that we would feel more comfortable with his death if we could at least see a picture of his face shot off his body

[sierra tucker]

i think they shouldnt show the pictures of osama bin ladin after he was killed because most people dont wanna see that

[Charlie Meis]

It is my belief that ALL the people in the USA that would like to view the pictures of osama bin ladin dead they should have that right. Like me since I am unable to live my dream and fight for my country I would like to see the picture of the person that hurt our home land.

[benson lord]

every one is happy at the death of bin ladin but there is a problem with credibility to the fact that the man is completely dead. however as an ordinary man i believe the body of the dead man should be shown to everybody to see then we can believe and trust that the man is dead.
this is my personal opinion.
the Obama presidency should do all they can to let the world know the truth in this.

[Bill]

Al-Queda does not conform to our rules of logic. It is too easy to provide post-hoc explanations to justify why Osama is dead, or is not dead. That is why the government of the U.S.A would absolutely offer the most undeniable proof of his death that could possibly be offered. Please, America, quit investing in "ocean-front property in Arizona."