The federal appeals court panel is considering whether photos of Osama Bin Laden's body should be released
Judicial watch,a conservative legal group,argued on thursday before a three judge panel that the freedom of Information Act requires the government to release the pictures or better still explain why the release of specific images would damage national security
Although the judges,with the US court of appeals in Washington did not say how soon they may rule
Judicial Watch attorney Michael Bekesha said government records indicate there are 52 images of bin Laden taken just after his death or when his body was aboard the USS Carl Vinson and then buried at sea. During the court hearing, Bekesha argued the shots of the burial at sea could be released without fear of harming national security, but he did not make that claim about the more gruesome images taken just after bin Laden was shot at his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
The government has said that there are sensitivities concerning the death of bin Laden and that releasing the pictures could lead to violence against Americans."This was the mastermind of 9/11," Bekesha said. "This was the most wanted terrorist in the world."The government has said bin Laden's body was cleaned in accordance with Islamic practices, then wrapped respectfully and buried at sea, he said. Bekesha said the government has not said how releasing those images would be harmful.The judges took issue with that and said government officials had provided information about previous incidents that led to violence in the Arab world or provided terrorists with fuel for propaganda. Among the examples were the treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and reports that Americans had desecrated Qurans.
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