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Rep. Ryan calls photos of bin Laden ‘gruesome’
YOUNGSTOWN
“Pretty gruesome” is how U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan describes about 10 to 12 graphic photos of a dead Osama bin Laden.
President Barack Obama allowed members of the House and Senate armed services and intelligence committees to look at pictures of the dead leader of the al-Qaida terrorist group who masterminded the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in New York, Washington, D.C., and near Pittsburgh.
Ryan, a House armed services member, saw the photos Friday at CIA headquarters.
A team of U.S. Navy SEALs killed bin Laden on May 1 in Pakistan.
“There will always be rumor and speculation” that bin Laden wasn’t killed, said Ryan, of Niles, D-17th. That was part of the reason Ryan said he looked at the pictures. “It definitely was bin Laden.”
Also, as a former member of the House Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee that oversees funds for “these operations” and as a current member of armed services that has jurisdiction over defense policies, Ryan said he felt compelled to view the photos.
The pictures, he said, show bin Laden’s body from different angles shortly after he was killed, as his body was being cleaned, wrapped and prepared for burial at sea. The CIA also provided previous photos of bin Laden for comparison.
“I have no doubt that [bin Laden] was killed by our nation’s special operations forces,” Ryan said. “They are to be commended for their courage and hard work.”
Ryan agrees with Obama that the photos shouldn’t be made public as it could incite people and cause violence.
“There’s no reason to throw gasoline on the fire,” Ryan said.
On Friday, Ryan repeated statements he made after bin Laden was killed that the United States should move toward winding down its military operations in the Middle East and bring troops home.
He added the federal government should also focus its attention on domestic issues such as the economy and job creation.