Denied

No Fast Review of bin Laden Photos

Defense Department will not comply with AP request.

The Defense Department has refused to do a quick review of a Freedom of Information Act request for photos of Osama bin Laden’s dead body. The Associated Press requested the photos and other materials related to the death soon after the May 2 raid on bin Laden’s compound. But in a letter to the organization, the Defense Department said that the AP had not demonstrated a compelling need for the photos or shown that the information has any particular value to the organization. It was not clear from the letter if or when the photos would be released to them. The department's decision not to expedite the AP's request isn't a rejection but puts the request on a much slower track. In 2010, the Defense Department granted expedited processing of Freedom of Information Act requests nearly 40 percent of the time.