Washington:
Even as the US mulls over releasing the "gruesome" pictures of Osama bin Laden's body, CIA Director Leon Panetta feels it is "important" for the world to see photos of Al-Qaeda chief's corpse.
"I just think it's important, they know we have it, to release it," Panetta was quoted as saying by
CNN. The report, however, did not mention where the CIA boss spoke.
Panetta said he thought the photos of bin Laden's body will be released at some point, but that it is up to the White House to make the final call.
Meanwhile, a senior American administration official said the US is looking at various options on whether to make public the "gruesome" photos of Osama bin Laden's corpse as these pictures might inflame enemies' passions if released to prove the Al-Qaeda chief's death.
"It's fair to say that it's a gruesome photograph," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said when asked why the Obama administration was reluctant to release the pictures.
"Well, to be candid, there are sensitivities here, in terms of the appropriateness of releasing photographs of Osama bin Laden in the aftermath of this firefight, and we're making an evaluation about the need to do that because of the sensitivities involved," Carney said.
Quoting an unidentified senior US official,
CNN said the White House has received three sets of photographs. The first batch, which clearly show bin Laden's body, was taken at a hangar in Afghanistan, the official said.
The official described one of the images as a clear but gruesome picture of his face. Bin Laden is reportedly shown with a massive open-head wound across both eyes.
The other photos include the raid on the compound and bin Laden's burial at sea, according to the official.