WASHINGTON - The CIA has informed two Senate committees that their members can view post-mortem photos of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden if they wish, a congressional aide said on Tuesday.

The CIA invited members from the Senate Intelligence Committee and Senate Armed Services committee to make an appointment with the intelligence agency to see the photographs, the aide said.

President Barack Obama last week ruled out making the photos available for public viewing because it could incite violence and be used by al Qaeda as a propaganda tool.

Bin Laden was killed by a US strike team that surprised him at his Pakistan compound a week ago. He was buried at sea.