Images of Osama bin Laden killing not to be released, judge orders – Reuters

A US federal court has backed the Obama administration in refusing to release pictures or video from military operation

A federal judge has refused to order Barack Obama's administration to release pictures and video of the US military operation that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan almost a year ago.

The government watchdog group, Judicial Watch, had requested that the defence department and Central Intelligence Agency release any pictures or video footage of the operation on 1 May 2011 that killed Bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

The defence department said it had no pictures or videos sought by the group and the CIA said it had 52 such records, but refused to release them. It cited exemptions to the US freedom of information act for classified materials and other reasons.

Judicial Watch sued in federal court and the US district judge James Boasberg sided with the Obama administration.

"A picture may be worth a thousand words," wrote Boasberg. "Yet, in this case, verbal descriptions of the death and burial of Osama bin Laden will have to suffice, for this court will not order the release of anything more."