Washington, May 4 (IANS/EFE): Osama bin Laden "was not armed" at the time when the US commandos gunned him down inside a mansion in Pakistan, the Obama administration said Tuesday.

The Al Qaeda leader and his family were found on the second and third floors of the compound in Abbottabad near Islamabad, White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters.

"The assault force was concerned he would resist and he indeed resisted. His wife rushed the assaulter and was wounded. Bin Laden was then shot and killed. He was not armed," Carney said at his daily press briefing.

"I think resistance does not require a firearm," the spokesman said in response to a question following the disclosure that Osama did not have a gun.

After being shot down, the terrorist's body was taken to the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in the Arabian Sea, where it was prepared for burial according to Islamic custom.

Osama's body was washed and wrapped in a white shroud, then placed in a heavily weighted bag and dropped into the sea after some prayers were recited that a translator repeated in Arabic, the spokesman said.

US media said Tuesday that the White House is weighing the possibility of making public the photos of the Al Qaeda leader.

Carney, who asked the media to be patient, said they are reviewing the situation and will take "the appropriate decision".

Intelligence services were not in favour of graphic documents being shown that could endanger the success of future operations.

But the White House is aware of the demand by people that the images be seen in order to prove Osama's death.

Family members of the victims of the Sep 11, 2001 attack have also called for them to be displayed, arguing that it will give them closure.

At his press conference, the spokesman said that secret services are currently studying Osama's belongings, among which were found documents and several computers, in search of clues about Al Qaeda.

The Sep 11 terror attacks on New York and Washington killed some 3,000 people.