WASHINGTON — A Navy admiral ordered the destruction of all photographs of the deceased Osama bin Laden before the public could see the images, according to Pentagon e-mails obtained by watchdog group Judicial Watch.
In the e-mail sent 11 days after the raid that killed bin Laden, US Special Operations Cmdr. Adm. William McRaven ordered subordinates to “destroy . . . immediately” the photos.
He sent it May 13, 2011, just hours after Judicial Watch filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit for access to the photos.
Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said Monday that the timing showed that the administration destroyed the photos, at least in part, because of the lawsuit.
The Obama administration had refused to release photos of bin Laden’s body.
The e-mail instructs: “One particular item that I want to emphasize is photos; particularly UBLs remains. At this point — all photos should have been turned over to the CIA; if you still have them destroy them immediately.”