The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama said today he’s decided not to release death photos of terrorist Osama bin Laden because their graphic nature could incite violence and create national security risks for the United States.
Obama, in an interview with CBS News, said bin Laden’s death had been well established and people who didn’t believe it wouldn’t be convinced by gruesome photos, either.
“It would be of no benefit to gloat, he added. “There’s no need to spike the football.
“There are going to be some folks who deny it. The fact of the matter is you won’t see bin Laden walking on this earth again,” said Obama.
EARLIER REPORT:
KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban cast suspicion Tuesday on the announcement of Osama bin Laden’s death, saying they would not believe the al-Qaida leader was dead until they had seen proof or received confirmation from sources close to him.
Though U.S. officials have said they confirmed bin Laden’s identity both with face-mapping software and DNA tests, the lack of photos of the body and its burial at sea have raised doubts in Afghanistan and Pakistan that the man who evaded American detection for so long has actually been killed.
“This news is only coming from one side, from Obama’s office, and American has not shown any evidence or proof to support this claim,” Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement emailed to journalists. “On the other side, our sources close to Osama bin Laden have not confirmed or denied the news.”
“Until there is news from sources close to Osama bin Laden it will be too early to provide any reaction,” the statement said.
The Obama administration was still debating whether to release gruesome images of bin Laden’s corpse, balancing efforts to demonstrate to the world that he was dead against the risk that the images could provoke further anti-U.S. sentiment.
But CIA Director Leon Panetta said a photograph would be released.
“I don’t think there was any question that ultimately a photograph would be presented to the public,” Panetta said in an interview with “NBC Nightly News.”
Asked again later by The Associated Press, he said: “I think it will.”
