Pentagon: Ex-SEAL's bin Laden book has secrets

A retired Navy SEAL, who uses the pseudonym Mark Owen, was present at the killing of Osama bin Laden and has written a book about the raid. / CBS

Updated at 4:12 p.m. ET

(CBS/AP) WASHINGTON - A former Navy SEAL's insider account of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden contains classified information, the Pentagon said Tuesday, and the admiral who heads the Naval Special Warfare Command said details in the book may provide enemies with dangerous insight into secretive U.S. operations.

Rear Adm. Sean Pybus told his force Tuesday that "hawking details about a mission" and selling other information about SEAL training and operations puts the force and their families at risk.

"For an elite force that should be humble and disciplined for life, we are certainly not appearing to be so," Pybus wrote in a letter to the roughly 8,000 troops under his command. "We owe our chain of command much better than this."

The letter was obtained by The Associated Press.

At the Pentagon, press secretary George Little said that an official review of the book, "No Easy Day," determined that it reveals what he called "sensitive and classified" information. He was not more specific but said the author was required to submit the book to the Pentagon before publication for a formal review of potential disclosures of such information.

"When you have special operations units that perform these missions, there are tactics, techniques, and procedures, not to mention human life, that are in play," Little said. "And it is the height of irresponsibility not to have this kind of material checked for the possible disclosure of classified information."

(Below, watch part of the interview the former SEAL, who CBS News will not identify, gave to CBS' "60 Minutes." The full interview is scheduled to be broadcast Sunday.)

SEAL tells 60 Minutes book is for honor, not politics

He told reporters during a briefing that the Pentagon is still reviewing what legal options should be taken against the author.

Pybus, in his letter, was more direct, saying that, "We must immediately reconsider how we properly influence our people in and out of uniform NOT to seek inappropriate monetary, political, or celebrity profit from their service" with the SEALS.

"We all have much to gain or lose," he said. "In the weeks ahead, we will be taking actions to meet this challenge, and I appreciate your leadership and support of our community in this effort."

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Last week, Adm. William McRaven, head of U.S. Special Operations Command, warned his troops that he would take legal action against anyone found to have exposed sensitive information that could cause fellow forces harm.

A lawyer for Mark Owen, the author's pseudonym, has disputed that he was legally obliged to have the book screened before publication.

Little would not say what damage may result from the book's revelations and he declined to point to any specific portions of the book that contain material that would be considered a violation and a release of classified information.

He said the Pentagon did not try to stop the public release of the book this week in part because there wasn't much time.

"Pre-release copies of the book were already being circulated around," Little said. "So the practical effect of requesting that the publisher withhold release of the book just wasn't an available option."

He added that the Pentagon also has not taken steps to stop the book from being sold on military installations. It's not the Pentagon's practice, Little said, "to get into the business of deciding what and what does not go on bookshelves in military exchanges. But that doesn't mean in any way, shape or form that we don't have serious concerns about the fact that this process of pre-publication review was not followed."

The book, which was published by Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), was No. 1 on Amazon's best seller list Tuesday, which was its official release day. The initial print run was 575,000 copies and publication of the book was moved up from Sept. 11 to Sept. 4 amid a flurry of reports about the book last week.

Jeh Johnson, the Pentagon's top lawyer, notified Owen last Thursday that the Pentagon believes he is in "material breach and violation" of two nondisclosure agreements and of a related document he signed upon leaving active duty in April 2012.

In response, Robert D. Luskin of the law firm Patton Boggs wrote to Johnson on Friday that his firm is representing Owen and asserting that he is not in breach of his nondisclosure agreements.

The Justice Department could go after the profits of the book in a civil proceeding.

[Molly-Pchr]

Why should anyone believe Mark Owen?

[CaptainSmollett]

Strikes me as hypocritical - the WH leaks classified stuff and nothing happens.

[Concerned2009]

After reading much of this book, and being involved with the military during the 1974 - 1987 time period, I find very little in the way of OPSEC problems. I'm beginning to think the Defense Department has problems with what THEY put out as GOSPEL, and NOT the truth. I purchased this book not for political reasons, merely to support this gentleman and his quest for honor. Proceeds from the book will go to families of fallen SEALS and for that I can only commend him.
The government is not an honest government, they say and do what is expedient - the public is left to guess. With our current political climate, our "trusted" politicians (putting them all in the middle of the ocean in a sinking boat would be too good for them - they are ALL corrupt) and of course, the legions of crooked attorneys - perhaps this is the only way to get the truth out. Democrat or Republican, it doesn't matter - they are ALL corrupt. My best to the author, hope he makes millions of dollars from sales and donates much of those proceeds to the families of our special warriors. The only easy day was yesterday. Kudos.

[waynenipper]

Oh please ... secrets ... like if he was wearing underwear or not ???

[spiris333]

It's much ado about nothing, but a narcissistic president who wants all the credit for an action by some brave Seals, who simply told the story as they lived it. Obama is afraid of being embarrassed at election time, by details of the raid, and they may make life hell for the author, because obama really doesn't like the military.

[Rejco100]

Osama bin Laden died Dec of 2001 from acute kidney failure....

[Closeted_Moderate]

Suuuuuurrrrre he did pal, sure he did. At least, I believe that you believe that.

Some actual proof would be nice, though, huh?

[Robert_In_Texas]

Amazing, simply amazing. If the Pentagon via the WH, had anything on this guy, they'd have him arrested and an injunction preventing release. The Pentagon sure did take its time reading copies of the book since they can have War & Peace read & analyzed within hours - they do have enough intel people to read one chapter each and submit findings. Fact, embarrass the president before a re-election and the hounds of hell are released. Funny, you didn't hear anything about Bradley Manning and his release of classified materials, even emails are labeled as for intended parties only or Robert Bales or even Nadal Hasan. The author is telling the truth and in first person but he's now in the fast lane to "justice".

[Closeted_Moderate]

What proof do you have that the author is telling the truth. He's already lied, by violating his contract, by not allowing the Govt to verify the info in the book isnt classified first. So if he lied then, why should we believe a single word of his story now? So he can make a buck?

[mturner1938]

Fact, this guy took an oath and he signed a non-disclosure agreement. If you work for a company that requires you to sign a non-disclosure agreement then you could be fired and taken to court for breaking that agreement. Same thing here.

[jerryballew]

So now I read that there is "classified information" revealed in the book, this sailor gets rich on dishing out the info, while Bradley Manning gets a year of torture and a possible life sentence for "embarrassing" Hillary and other diplomats. American justice? Well, it's now on display for all the world to see.

In the meantime our enemies now know our black-ops modus operandi for God Almighty American dollars revelations by a disgruntled grunt? This info will be used against our soldiers. But HEY, what he did for love of money.

Plus it was Cheney's office that flamed and outed Plame and put her life on the line. And where is this "deep throat" now? Living the good life.

[Res_Ipsa_Loquitur]

The Navy is so secretive it thinks its bowel movements are classified. I seriously doubt anything in this latest installment in the ongoing cult worship of commandos in the United States contains anything that compromises national security.

[mturner1938]

You very obviously have no idea of what an oath or an agreement to keep silent means do you?

[nohater]

if he has revealed secrets, he should be arrested for treason in a time of war. the book should be confiscated and the publisher brought up on conspiracy charges. besides all of that, bin laden was successfully assassinated so end of story. who cares what, who, how he was assassinated, bottom line he was successfully terminated.