Pentagon may sue author of Bin Laden book No Easy Day

The Pentagon says it may sue a former US special forces member who has written a first-hand account of the May 2011 raid that killed Osama Bin Laden.

The Department of Defense's top lawyer has informed the former Navy Seal that he has violated agreements not to divulge military secrets.

He signed two non-disclosure forms with the Navy in 2007, the Pentagon said.

The book, No Easy Day, which was written under the pseudonym Mark Owen, is due to be released next week.

It was not reviewed ahead of publication by the Pentagon, CIA or the White House - and officials had warned that criminal charges could result from the improper disclosure of secret information.

'Material breach'

The Pentagon's general counsel, Jeh Johnson, wrote to the author on Thursday that his non-disclosure forms had obliged him to "never divulge" classified information.

The letter said: "In the judgment of the Department of Defense, you are in material breach and violation of the non-disclosure agreements you signed."

The Pentagon is considering "all remedies legally available to us", the letter added.

It was reported this week that No Easy Day contradicts the official story of the raid.

The book says Bin Laden was shot dead as soon as he looked out of his bedroom as Seals rushed up the stairs, according to the Associated Press news agency, which has seen an advance copy.

But US officials have stated he was shot only after he had ducked back into the bedroom, prompting fears he might be grabbing a weapon.

The book also reveals that the commandos were not big fans of US President Barack Obama, even though they applauded his decision to launch the operation.

(Published by BBC - August 31, 2012)