Military officials are urging the news media not to report names of Special Operations forces involved in this month’s raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates addresses Marines at Camp Lejeune, N.C., Thursday. (AP Photo/The Daily News, John Althouse)

“It would certainly be unhelpful and potentially put lives at risk to divulge the identities of these individuals,” Marine Col. David Lapan, the chief Pentagon spokesman, said Friday.

Col. Lapan said concern was heightened because more operational details of the raid on bin Laden have been released than is typical with most counter-terrorism missions. Although national news media have so far not identified members of the team, military officials have privately expressed worry about feature stories that have described SEAL hangouts or tried to track down members of the team.

At a visit to Camp Lejeune, N.C., on Thursday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates was asked by a Marine if the military was taking steps to protect the lives of the SEAL team members involved in the raid.

Mr. Gates said that “the threat of retaliation is increased” in the aftermath of bin Laden’s death. He expressed disappointment that so many details of the operation had become public, but said the identities of the assault team must remain confidential…