A member of the Navy SEAL team that killed Osama Bin Laden is being investigated by the U.S. Justice Department over information he wrote and spoke about regarding the historic mission.
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According to the New York Times, Matt Bissonnette, who says he was a member of Seal Team 6 that found and killed bin Laden, wrote the bestselling book “No Easy Day” under a pseudonym two years ago. He also gave paid paid speeches at corporate events. He’s now under criminal investigation looking at whether he disclosed classified material while writing and speaking.
Bissonnette has apologized for not running his book through the Pentagon for clearance before publishing. His lawyer thought the two sides had reached an agreement last year that Bissonnette would pay millions in royalties, but instead of making a deal, the Justice Department opened a criminal investigation.
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The former Navy Seal didn’t make the same mistake twice. For his second book, “No Hero: The Evolution of a Navy SEAL,” which is set to come out November 10th, he submitted his manuscript as well as parts of upcoming corporate speeches to the Pentagon.
Bissonnette claims he has no issue with the fact that the Justice Department has taken issue with him, but feels singled out, as White House and military officials leaked information that led to a much bigger piece: the Hollywood film “Zero Dark Thirty.”
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Bissonnette claims he was motivated to write his first book after former CIA Director Leon Panetta advised Seal Team 6 members to talk to the producers behind “Zero Dark Thirty.”
Other members of Seal Team 6 are at odds with Bissonnette, angry over his disclosures on a mission they say they swore to keep details of secret.