The Hill News

The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee said that his fellow committee members will see pictures of a dead Osama bin Laden on Thursday, an opportunity that should be extended to all lawmakers.

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), the head of the House intelligence panel, said he asked that the controversial photos of the dead al Qaeda leader be shared with the committee's 19 other members.

"I have seen the photos. I have requested that the rest of my committee -- and I understand today they'll honor that will see these photos," Rogers said Wednesday evening on MSNBC. "I just think that's the appropriate way to do it, and so that we can get on with it and realize that we have a whole bit of network of al Qaeda still to get after here."

Rogers's request comes after several lawmakers admitted to being fooled by fake photos they had been told were of bin Laden's death. Sens. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), in particular, admitted confusion over the authenticity of the photos they had been shown.

The Michigan Republican has opposed releasing the photos of a dead bin Laden to the public, and said he supported President Obama's decision on Wednesday to keep those pictures private. But he said it also made sense to extend an invitation to view the photos to all members of the House who wanted to see them.

"Well, I personally would," he said when asked if he'd extend an invitation to view the photos to all House members. "I would let members who wanted to come in and see the photo to do that."