Bin Laden's body

Corpse is buried at sea

By MATT NEGRIN |

Early Monday morning, officials confirmed bin Laden was buried at sea. AP Photo Close

The United States is treating Osama bin Laden's body in "accordance with Islamic practice," a White House official says.

President Obama announced Sunday night that American forces killed bin Laden in Pakistan and that they took his body afterward. He said no Americans were harmed in the fight.

Asked how bin Laden's body will be treated, a senior administration official told reporters on a conference call that "we are ensuring that is handled in accordance with Islamic practice and tradition."

The official, who refused to be identified, said the matter is "something that we take very seriously, and so, therefore, this is being handled in an appropriate manner."

Early Monday morning, a U.S. official confirmed reports that the body had been buried at sea.

Peter Bergen, a national security analyst, predicted on CNN that bin Laden's face will be shown because of visual evidence that must be displayed. He also noted that Islamic law calls for bodies to be buried within 24 hours of death.

"In Islam, the body has to be buried in 24 hours," Bergen said. "That will happen."

Announcing the killing of bin Laden, Obama said in a TV statement that American forces fired at him after he authorized the attack.

"After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body," Obama said. No Americans were harmed in the attack, Obama said, also noting that "they took care to avoid civilian casualties."

He also took time in his statement to state that "our war is not against Islam."

"Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader. He was a mass murderer of Muslims," Obama said. "Indeed, Al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity."