The raid in Yemen that left a Navy SEAL dead may not have produce significant intelligence
The report, based on interviews with senior US officials, seems to contradict White House statements that the January raid was a success. Earlier this month, White House press secretary Sean Spicer called the raid "a successful operation by all standards," and said "anyone who undermines the success of that raid owes an apology" to William Owens, the Navy SEAL chief who was killed in action.
"We gathered an unbelievable amount of intelligence that will prevent the potential deaths or attacks on American soil,"Spicer has said. Pentagon officials have also made similar assertions.
The officials interviewed by NBC News are not aware of any such intelligence, however. According to the report, the only example of intelligence provided by the military was "an old bomb-making video that was of no current value."
The report further obscures the murky picture surrounding the raid, which Spicer said will be investigated by the Department of Defense. Owens' father, Bill, publicly questioned the motivation for the raid in an interview with The Miami Herald published on Sunday, and warned the government not to "hide behind my son's death to prevent an investigation."