The White House spokesman, Jay Carney, admitted it but would not explain why it captured rather than killed. He says he has not decided whether to give away the photograph of the body and the image is "appalling."

The leader of the terrorist network Al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, "was not armed" at the time that the command sent to capture him killed, according to today recognized the U.S. government.

The White House spokesman, Jay Carney, said that Bin Laden and his family were located on the second and third floors of the residence of Abbottabad, near Islamabad, and the leader of Al Qaeda was resistant to capture by As he opened fire. One of his wives ran and was shot in one of the twins.

Bin Laden received several bullet wounds in the head and chest. Although it had no weapons, said Carney. Asked then why he was killed, said: "It is not necessary to be armed to resist."

After being shot, the terrorist's body was taken to the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson in the Arabian Sea, where he was prepared according to Islamic customs, he washed and wrapped him in a white shroud.

Bin Laden's body was placed in a heavy bag and was thrown into the sea after he recited a prayer that a translator repeated in Arabic, said the presidential spokesman.

U.S. media reported today that the White House weighs the possibility to publish photographs of the body of the leader of Al Qaeda. Carney, who asked the media to be "patients", said they were "reviewing the situation" and take "appropriate decision."

The official said that the picture they have is "appalling." "I'll be frank, the publication of pictures of Osama bin Laden after this shooting is sensitive, and we are evaluating the need for it," he said.

The question is, according to Carney, if such dissemination "is or does not serve our interests, not only here but around the world." Asked about the nature of that picture, Carney said, "you can say it's a horrible picture" and refused to say whether he had seen.

The intelligence services do not want to make themselves known graphic documents could jeopardize the success of future operations. But the White House is aware of the overseas demand for these images to show the death of his enemy number one.

Relatives of victims of the attacks of September 11, 2001 also have claimed, arguing that they help to turn the page. In his press conference, Carney said that the secret services are now studying the belongings of Bin Laden, among whom were several documents and computers, looking for clues about Al Qaeda.