The Pentagon has ordered an information crackdown after a website published dozens of photographs of American war dead arriving back from Iraq to the nation's largest military mortuary.
The photographs were released last week to First Amendment activist Mr Russ Kick, who had filed a Freedom of Information Act request to receive the images. Air Force officials initially denied the request but decided to release the photos after Mr Kick appealed against their decision.
After Mr Kick posted more than 350 photographs on his website, the Defence Department barred the further release of the photographs to media outlets.
"They're not happy with the release of the photos," a Dover Air Force base spokesman said.
The photos were taken at the Dover, Delaware base - home to the mortuary - and most of the images are of flag-draped coffins.
Defence Department rules prohibit media coverage of human remains arriving at Dover, and a Pentagon spokesman said release of the mortuary photos appeared to be in conflict with department policy.
Defence officials say the purpose of the policy is to protect the privacy of the soldiers' families - not to break the Freedom of Information Act or any other law.
"Quite frankly, we don't want the remains of our servicemembers who have made the ultimate sacrifice to be the subject of any kind of attention that is unwarranted or undignified," said Mr John Molino, a deputy under-secretary of defence.
At a rally in Dover last month, however, war protesters criticised President George Bush for continuing the practice of previous administrations of not allowing the public or media to witness the arrival of remains at the base.
PA