Obama decides not to publish photographs of Bin Laden's corpse

US President Barack Obama has decided not to release a photograph showing the body of Osama Bin Laden after he was killed by US commandos, US television networks said tonight.

In an interview with CBS, Obama said "he won't release post-mortem images of Osama Bin Laden taken to prove his death," the network said in a statement.

The CBS interview for its "60 Minutes" program is due to air on Sunday and comes after commandos over the weekend stormed bin Laden's hideout in a Pakistani compound and shot him dead.

US officials who have seen the pictures of bin Laden's body have described them as gruesome.

There are fears that if the photos are released they could provoke anger and trigger a backlash against US personnel in the Muslim world.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were both advising Obama about concerns at the Pentagon and State Department over releasing the photograph, ABC television said.

On Capitol Hill, a number of senators and congressmen said they had been shown the picture.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers said he had seen the photo and was reluctant for it to be released, saying he was concerned for the security of American troops abroad.

"The risks of release outweigh the benefits," Rogers said, saying conspiracy theorists would just claim it was doctored anyway.

"Imagine how the American people would react if Al-Qaeda killed one of our troops or military leaders, and put photos of the body on the Internet.

"Osama bin Laden is not a trophy -- he is dead," the lawmaker said.

"Let's now focus on continuing the fight until Al-Qaeda has been eliminated."

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Welcome to the new Greatest Hollywood movie ever made. "Obama's Osama death warrant" Background situation: Situation for US Armed Forces in Afghanistan and Iraq very dire. New war started on Libya. USA Financial situation very precarious. Projected 1.5 Trillion deficit in 2011. Simply printing US$ as fast as they can. American citizens losing faith in US Armed Forces. US citizens very unhappy about deaths in US Armed Forces. US citizens very unhappy about financial and employment situation. Americans unhappy that Osama had not been captured despite promises. Obama and CIA know that Osama is already dead. Obama facing an election in the not too distant future. Obama is getting very unpopular with American citizens. Solution and plan? Need Hollywood style scenario to increase Obama popularity. Plan attack on a compound in Pakistan. Plan on saying that Osama was hiding in compound in Pakistan. Carry out attack using illegal munitions (dumdum bullets). Kill person and claim that it was Osama. Dumdum bullets cause horrible damage to dead person. Claim that Osama was armed, resisted and has been killed. Claim that Osama's wife also killed. Get rid of body so no evidence. American citizens start celebrating. Obama's popularity shoots up to heaven. Doubts that not everything was as stated by Obama et al. Obama's Osama Hollywood movie botched up. Top secret helicopter had to be abandoned and blown up. Withdraw claim that Osama was armed. Withdraw claim that wife was killed. Withold photos as Photoshop not good enough to hide truth. Withold photos as would provide evidence of use of illegal munitions. Withold photos as would prove that killed person was not Osama.