Panetta hints punishment for bin Laden book author

WASHINGTON (AP) - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is suggesting that a retired Navy Seal be punished for writing a book giving an insider's account of the United States (US). raid that killed terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.

Asked in a network interview if he thinks the writer should be prosecuted, Mr Panetta replied, "I think we have to take steps to make clear to him and to the American people that we're not going to accept this kind of behaviour."

Mr Panetta was referring to the newly published account of the US Seal raid that led to bin Laden's killing in May 2011 in Pakistan. The book was written by a retired Seal under the pseudonym of Mark 0wen. He was subsequently identified in media accounts as Mr Matt Bissonnette.

In the interview, broadcast Tuesday on "CBS This Morning," Mr Panetta told co-host Ms Norah O'Donnell that if the Defense Department failed to take any action in response to the book, "then everybody else who pledges to ensure that that doesn't happen is gonna get the long signal, that somehow they can do it without any penalty to be paid."