Osama bin Laden Movie Probed By CIA, Pentagon: Did White House Give Too Much Info?

Investigators are looking into whether or not the White House gave too much information to Hollywood director Katheryn Bigelow and her team working on a movie about the Osama bin Laden raid.

Recently released letters from the Pentagon and the CIA to Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) show that they are taking a closer look at how the Obama administration cooperated with Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. and Oscar award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow on their film about Osama bin Laden, to be released in 2013.

The Obama administration dismissed Rep. King, who heads the House Homeland Security Committee, when he first brought up the issue in August. A spokesman for the National Security Council told The Washington Post King's claim ridiculous, explaining that federal agencies often work with authors and filmmakers to ensure they have accurate information.

This Thursday King released a December letter from the Pentagon that said the inspector general's office will address actions taken by Department of Defense personnel related to the release of information to the filmmakers, according to The Associated Press.

Peter King also released another letter sent by the CIA in November that said its office of public affairs was developing a single point of reference that will govern future interactions with the entertainment industry.

When King first reached out to the CIA and Department of Defense, he said that leaks of classified info about the Osama bin Laden raid already led Pakistani authorities to arrest Pakistanis they believe assisted the CIA, and that making a film about the raid is bound to increase such leaks, and undermine these organizations' hard-won reputations as quiet professionals.

He also cited a New York Times column by Maureen Dowd that said moviemakers are getting top-level access to the most classified mission in history.

Katheryn Bigelow is teaming up with screen-writer Mark Boal, who she worked with on the award-winning military thriller, The Hurt Locker. The movie's released date was moved from October 2012 to 2013 because of concerns it could boost President Obama's prospects if released just before the election, according to The Washington Post.

In Augusts, Bigelow and Boal put out a statement that said the Osama bin Laden film has been in the works for many of three administrations, including those of Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama, as well as the cooperative strategies and implementation by the Department of Defense and the CIA.