I think that the US government has done something similar, except they have been anticipating for opposite reasons. They have been prepared to knock-up a fake image of a dead OBL, to drag out when they see fit. They have planned the fake unveiling of his death as much as they have planned the actual killing of him.
"They" had nothing to do with the fake image. It has been floating around the internet for two years.
It appears the fake picture was initially published by the Middle East online newspaper themedialine.org on 29 April 2009, with a warning from the editor that it was "unable to ascertain whether the photo is genuine or not".
"They" had nothing to do with the fake image. It has been floating around the internet for two years.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/02/osama-bin-laden-photo-fake
If you're looking for evidence of a conspiracy, look elsewhere. This is just typical lazy journalism.