Seal broke no US secrecy rules with book: Lawyer

WASHINGTON (AFP) - A lawyer for the ex-Navy Seal who wrote a book about the raid that took out Osama bin Laden has not violated any non-disclosure agreements with the Pentagon and has "earned the right to tell his story," his lawyer said on Friday.

The author of No Easy Day sought legal advice before going ahead with the book and was not required to submit the manuscript in advance to defence officials as the Pentagon claims, according to his attorney, Robert Luskin.

The former commando "is proud of his service and respectful of his obligations," Mr Luskin wrote in reply to a letter from the Pentagon's top lawyer, Mr Jeh Johnson.

"But he has earned the right to tell his story; his abiding interest is to ensure that he is permitted to tell it while recognising the letter and spirit of the law and his contractual undertakings," he wrote.