The Defense Department last week refused the Associated Press’ request for a speedy review of its FOIA filing for Osama bin Laden documents and instead placed it in the “complex” queue. The Pentagon said the AP failed to demonstrate an urgent or compelling need to review the records or show that the information has a particular value that would be lost if not provided in an expedited manner, reports Richard Lardner.
In a written appeal filed with the Defense Department, the AP said that unnecessary bureaucratic delays harm the public interest and allow anonymous U.S. officials to selectively leak details of the May 2 mission that resulted in bin Laden’s death.
