Iranian Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi said Tehran has evidence that al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had died of disease long before the United States` alleged raid on the terrorist, FARS Iranian news agency said.

Bin Laden was killed on May 2 in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad, north of the capital Islamabad, during a raid by U.S. Navy Seals.

"We have accurate information that bin Laden died of illness some time ago," Moslehi said.

Bin Laden`s body was buried at sea less than 24 hours after the operation.

"If the US military and intelligence apparatus have really arrested or killed bin Laden, why don`t they show him (his dead body) why have they thrown his corpse into the sea?" Moslehi continued.

A DNA test proved that the corpse of the dead man belonged to bin Laden, who has topped the FBI`s most wanted list for the past decade.

White House spokesman, Jay Carney said on Wednesday that Washington would not release bin Laden`s postmortem photos to avoid instigating propaganda and possible violence.

Source: ANTARA