Pentagon threatens legal action against Navy SEAL author of bin Laden book

The Pentagon threatened legal action Thursday against the Navy SEAL who penned a book about the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

Defense Department General Counsel Jeh Johnson wrote a
letter to the author of the book No Easy Day, warning that he had violated
non-disclosure agreements he signed as a SEAL to “never divulge” classified
information.

Johnson wrote that the Pentagon is considering pursuing all
legal remedies available, which could include criminal charges.

“In the judgment of the Department of the Defense, you are
in material breach and violation of the non-disclosure agreements you signed.
Further public dissemination of your book will aggravate your
breach and violation of your agreements,” Johnson wrote in the letter to “Mark
Owen,” the pseudonym the SEAL is writing under.

{mosads}“I write to formally advise you of your material breach and
violation of your agreements, and to inform you that the Department of Defense
is considering pursuing against you, and all those acting in concert with you,
all remedies legally available to us in light of this situation,” Johnson
wrote.

Owen, the former Navy SEAL whose identity has since been
revealed, took part in the bin Laden raid, writing an account that
contradicted the Obama administration’s story that bin Laden was armed when he
was killed by SEALs last year.

His book has skyrocketed to the top of the
Amazon and Barnes & Noble best-seller lists, and it is set to be released
next week.

But the author and his publisher, Dutton, did not provide a
copy of the book for review to the Pentagon or CIA. When news of the book broke
last week, the Pentagon warned that Owen could face criminal charges, which
would be pursued by the Justice Department, if he divulged classified
information.

Johnson wrote that the Pentagon had completed its review after obtaining the book this week.

Owen conducted an interview, where his identity was
concealed, on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” which will air this Sunday. In excerpts
released by CBS, Owen said that the book has nothing to do with politics.

“My worry from the beginning is, you know, it’s a political
season,” he said. “This book is not political whatsoever. It doesn’t bad mouth
either party, and we specifically chose Sept. 11 to keep it out of the
politics.”

In a statement on Tuesday, the author said the book was “written
with respect for my fellow service members while adhering to my strict desire
not to disclose confidential or sensitive information that would compromise
national security in any way.”