Martin: Bin Laden pictures not for the squeamish

Topics: Al Qaeda

(Credit: CBS)

(CBS/AP) As the White House ponders when to release photographic evidence of Osama bin Laden's death, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin shared what he's been told about the pictures, describing them as "very gruesome" and saying they won't be for the "squeamish."

"I've had it described to me and it does sound very gruesome. Remember, bin Laden was shot twice at close range, once in the chest and once in the head, right above his left eye, and that bullet opened his skull, exposing the brain, and it also blew out his eye. So these are not going to be pictures for the squeamish."

CIA Director Leon Panetta said at least one photo is likely to be released, but the final decision will rest with President Barack Obama.

Special Section: The Killing of Osama bin Laden

Doing so could dispel doubts that bin Laden is indeed dead. The worry, though, is that it would feed anti-U.S. sentiment.

"This is history, and I think everybody agrees that eventually the photo is going to have to be released," Martin observed on "The Early Show" Wednesday.

However, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, hoped the pictures would not see the light of day.

Rogers said Wednesday he was concerned that the photo could be seen as a "trophy" that inflames U.S. critics and makes it harder for members of the American military deployed overseas to do their job.

"Conspiracy theorists are going to see the pictures and find 10 reasons why they think it's someone else," Rogers said on ABC television. "I don't know what we gain by showing this picture."

Republican U.S. Rep. Peter King, who was among the lawmakers who had the images described to them, played down that concern. "They're not going to scare people off," he said. "Nothing more than you'd expect with a person with a bullet in his head."

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by usadvisor101 May 5, 2011 11:11 AM EDT: I think if anyone wanted to prove he was not killed,it would be the pakistani military right? ofcourse, anyone with half a brain knows hes dead. perhaps, his wife and others(THAT ARE IN the CUSTODY of the PAKISTANI ISI !!)will be glad to tell the doubting thomas'. ha,ha,ha,ha!

as most of us are aware.......we have nutcases and lunatic all over the internet. morons taht claim the holocaust never happened,the moon landing never happened, 911 was a govt plot, elvis is still alive, and now OBL was never killed...........DUH !!!; Reply to this comment


by cal196 May 5, 2011 8:16 AM EDT: JetXVII, I don't understand why it's needed that the US show photos of OBL. What will that prove for you? The reasoning behind not showing them far outweighs the need to see them and it's certainly a smart decision to keep them classified.

You also mention being tech savvy and drinking the Kool-Aid in regards to a "fake birth certificate", but that statement is seriously flawed. If you were seriously tech savvy, or just savvy in general, you would realize that when you open any document in photoshop or illustrator, it creates it's own masking layers (the power of OCR). And Duplicated? Pretty sure a date stamp is going to be duplicated, isn't that the point?

I tried it on my own birth certificate, and by your logic, my birth certificate is also a fake!; Reply to this comment


by Henri_Rochard May 4, 2011 10:40 PM EDT: "CIA Director Leon Panetta said at least one photo is likely to be released..."

Sorry, Leon, but your boss says 'no'.; Reply to this comment


by bilrobi1 May 4, 2011 3:15 PM EDT: JetVII. First I noticed in an earlier posting that you compared someone to Hitler then called them a Communist. Just for the record,The Nazi's were fascist not communist. In fact Communist and other types of Socialist were some of the groups Hitler had sent off to concentration camps. That being said, I'm not sure if you were responding to my post or not. Given the order of the postings, it appeared that you were. If not, I apologize. If you were,let me explain. I don't see myself as a prophet. I said I know from my service in Vietnam, what weapons of war can do. I was a Corpsman and I saw many types of wounds. I stand by my statement that for some conspiracy theorist no amount of proof will be enough. It actually goes beyond theory and becomes a delusion. I have the credentials and experience to say that. I was actually advocating releasing the photo but with a warning that what those same kinds of wounds effect our sons and daughters who serve in combat. I'm sure that you will agree that we should hold their safety and well being as something sacred. Don't you? Now please stop using words and references if you don't understand them.; Reply to this comment


by Cru09 May 4, 2011 1:43 PM EDT: I don't like this assumption that only conspiracy theorists need to see the proof. Regular people like to confirm things with their eyes as well.

Besides, it would be the first time in a long time we've had any media of him that wasn't already grainy, garbled and subject to verification.; Reply to this comment

by erasmus111 May 4, 2011 1:28 PM EDT

Can't wait! Let's get a move on.

The racist Obama haters will still find something to b*tch about, but that's okay. If it isn't that it will be something else.

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by JetXVII May 4, 2011 1:41 PM EDT: I think it is you who are the racist, in fact I know it because you defend Obama because of his race..... it's quite obvious.


by Curly1844 May 4, 2011 1:21 PM EDT: Release a single picture. One picture would be sufficient to show that he is dead.
Now if you are afraid of retaliation go hide under your bed, you are not safe now anyway.
As far as the gruesomeness of the pictures we all have seen worse in almost every move that is on the screen or in the home today.; Reply to this comment

by phuyay May 4, 2011 1:15 PM EDT

I don't necessarily need to see the photos. I am convinced we got bin Laden. Now on to his buddy the Egyptian or who ever takes over the network. As for all the second guessing and the hand wringing, I say enough. We did what we felt was necessary to do, and what was in our best national interest. That is what powerful countries do. If we have power and don't use it, why are we spending billions on a robust military?

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by JetXVII May 4, 2011 1:45 PM EDT: Oh I see what you are saying: "but we have all these bombs and nothing to do, what should we do with them? I am bored."

"well lets start a war"

your statement has Hitler written all over it, and that is exactly what Hitler tried to do in WW2 (take out anyone who disagreed with him....

Thanks for exposing your communist ways on this comment section.


by johntheadams May 4, 2011 1:14 PM EDT: This phony story i9s aimed at Gadhafi and Chavez. It's a warning.; Reply to this comment

by DJC88 May 4, 2011 1:13 PM EDT

If the release of these photos should provoke a violent reaction and the death of even one innocent, it isn't worth it just to satisfy people's morbid curiosity. One would hope the birth certificate fiasco gives people enough confidence that Obama's telling the truth about Bin Laden's death. Maybe they can release in 2020 and 2030, when it's less likely to inflame passions.

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by JetXVII May 4, 2011 1:47 PM EDT: yes you know, because KILLING him wasn't incentive enough to retaliate? sometimes I wonder where you people come from to decide how you think KILLING someone is more detrimental than showing a simple photo of something.... WOW!


by JetXVII May 4, 2011 1:49 PM EDT: yes you know, because KILLING him wasn't incentive enough to retaliate? sometimes I wonder where you people come from to decide how you think KILLING someone is more detrimental than showing a simple photo of something.... WOW! Also check Obama's Birth certificate, it has 5 layers and the text was Duplicated, so the birth certificate again is a fraud... but I wouldn't expect someone who isn't technically savvy to understand that so you just keep going ahead and drink the governmental Kool-Aid