Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has joined the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the Department of Defense (DOD). In the lawsuit Judicial Watch is seeking access “to all photographs and/or video recordings of Osama (Usama) bin Laden taken during and/or after the U.S. military operation in Pakistan on or about May 1, 2011 (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Defense and Central Intelligence Agency (No.11-00890)).

Judicial Watch filed a FOIA request with the CIA on May 4.The CIA has 20 business days legally to respond to a FOIA request. While acknowledging receipt of the FOIA request on May 23, the CIA has since failed to produce any documents or demonstrate that responsive records are exempt from production. The agency has not indicated whether, or when, any responsive records will be produced. Judicial Watch filed an identical FOIA request with the DOD on May 2, and is now engaged in an active lawsuit against the DOD, and now the CIA as well, for failure to produce the photos and videos.“The American people by law have a right to know basic information about the killing of Osama bin Laden. President Obama’s personal reluctance to release the documents is not a lawful basis for withholding them. The Obama administration will now need to justify its lack of compliance in federal court. This historic lawsuit should remind the administration that it is not above the law,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.