Fergie's Tech Blog

U.S. Military Investigates Leaked Photo

An AP newswire article by Paul Garwood, via SFGate.com, reports that:

The U.S. military said Wednesday it is looking into the unauthorized release of a photo purportedly taken by an American drone aircraft showing scores of Taliban militants at a funeral in Afghanistan.

NBC-TV claimed U.S. Army officers wanted to attack the ceremony with missiles carried by the Predator drone, but were prevented under rules of battlefield engagement that bar attacks on cemeteries.

Lt. Tamara Lawrence, a spokeswoman with the U.S. military in Kabul, said the photograph was released to the network by someone who did not have the clearance to hand it out.

"It is an operational security issue and the photo was released at an inappropriate level," Lawrence told The Associated Press. "Inquiries are being made into how it was released."

Lawrence declined to provide further details. It was not clear when the photo was taken nor where the gathering took place.

posted by Fergie @ 9/13/2006 11:45:00 AM