The White House warned Tuesday that a photo taken of Osama Bin Laden's corpse was "gruesome" and expressed concern it could be inflammatory if released to prove the al-Qaeda mastermind's death.

But CIA Director Leon Panetta appeared to suggest in an interview that the photo would in fact be released, though later said any such decision was down to the White House.

TWo days after the daring special forces raid deep into Pakistan which killed the Saudi-born terror leader in his secret lair, top administration officials debated whether to make public the evidence that he was gone.

"It is fair to say it is a gruesome photograph ... it could be inflammatory," White House spokesman Jay