Obama Seeking to Block Release of Detainee Abuse Photographs

The White House says U.S. President Barack Obama opposes the release of photographs showing detainees being abused in Iraq and Afghanistan, fearing such a release would threaten national security.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the president met with his legal team last week because he did not feel comfortable with the release of the photographs.

The spokesman said the president believes the photographs would pose a threat to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He said Mr. Obama does not believe the strongest case was presented to the court regarding the release of the photographs and its national security implications.

The spokesman said nothing is added to the investigation by the release, and said that the photographs would just be a sensationalistic aspect to the probe.

The American Civil Liberties Union sued in 2004 to have the photographs released. It said last month that the Defense Department had agreed to release the pictures by May 28.

The Bush administration had refused to release the photographs, saying they could generate anti-American outrage and may violate the country's obligations to the detainees under the Geneva Conventions.

In 2004, photographs were published of U.S. soldiers abusing and humiliating detainees at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison, sparking outrage around the world. The scandal led to 11 U.S. soldiers being sentenced to prison terms of up to 10 years.

(VOA)