WASHINGTON: The US does not plan to release images related to the covert raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan fearing that this might incite emotions, a top counter terrorism official has said ahead of the first death anniversary of the al Qaeda chief.
"There's no need to release the photos and video because there's no doubt whatsoever that bin Laden is dead," Deputy National Security Adviser to US President Barack Obama, John Brennan told the Fox News in an interview.
"What we don't want to do is put out anything that is going to unnecessarily incite emotions on this issue. We believe that it's unnecessary to put something like that out," Brennan said, ruling out any possibility to release these pictures.
There is no doubt whatsoever that bin Laden is dead. I think by all accounts, it was a very successful raid on that compound in Abbottabad" he said.
"These photos were confirmation for the government that it was bin Laden. And so, therefore, we believe that it's unnecessary to put something like that out," he added.
Responding to a question, Brennan said the US has degraded the organisation significantly over the past decade and over the past several years in particular as they have taken off the battlefield the founding leader.
He said the US will continue to apply "pressure" not just in Afghanistan and Pakistan, but Yemen as well - where al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula poses a "serious threat" to US security.