John Brennan, assistant to the President for homeland
security, would not say Monday whether the government would release photos or
video of Osama bin Laden's body to the media.
There have been suggestions, repeated by the reporter asking
the question Monday, that such a release might head off conspiracy theories in
the Arab world.
Brennan said the administration was "wiling to
do anything we can" to make sure no one has any basis to
question the fact that the U.S. "got him," but that it was still only
24 hours after the operation, and they were still determining whether and what
information to provide, the upsides and downsides to releasing specific
information, and what might compromise the intelligence community's ability to
use the same tactics and sources and be as successful the next time around.
He did not preclude releasing the images or the DNA
evidence the government says also proves it was bin Laden.
Brennan said bin Laden has already been buried at
sea--Muslim law requires burial within 24 hours. Brennan said that the best way
to insure his body was given an appropriate Islamic burial required it be at
sea.
ABC has already posted footage of the apparent aftermath of
the attack on the compound, including a bloody floor in a bedroom area.
Brennan was asked whether there was a video recording of the
burial, but another question preempted the answer.
