US: Islamic procedure followed in bin Laden burial

In this Oct. 7, 2011 file photo, Osama bin Laden is seen at an undisclosed location in this television image. A person familiar with developments said Sunday, May 1, 2011 that bin Laden is dead and the U.S. has the body. (AP Photo/Al Jazeera, File)

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon says Osama bin Laden's body was placed into the waters of the North Arabian Sea after adhering to traditional Islamic procedures - including washing the corpse - aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson.

At a briefing for reporters at the Pentagon, a senior intelligence official said that before the burial the U.S. used multiple means to positively identify bin Laden. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the Pentagon, said a woman believed to be bin Laden's wife identified him by name during the U.S. raid that killed him in Pakistan.

The intelligence official also said that DNA analysis on Monday provided certainty that the body was that of bin Laden.

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