Barack Obama has come under fierce attack over his decision to release photographs showing abuse of prisoners held in Iraq and Afghanistan at the hands of U.S. soldiers.

Former vice-president Dick Cheney's daughter Liz condemned the U.S. President, accusing him of 'siding with terrorists'.

The former high-ranking state department official said the President seemed interested only in releasing information that showed the U.S. in a bad light.
Barack Obama
Liz Cheney

Barack Obama has been accused of 'siding with terrorists' and showing the U.S. in a bad light by former vice-president Dick Cheney's daughter Liz

'I have heard from families of service members, from families of 9/11 victims: "When did it become so fashionable for us to side with the terrorists?"' Ms Cheney said.

'For us to put information out that hurts American soldiers?'

Cheney, 42, made her comments in response to the decision by Mr Obama, as ordered by a judge, to release photos showing detainee abuse by U.S. soldiers.

More than 40 photos are said to exist that are similar to those of the Abu Ghraib scandal from 2004.

The pictures of prisoners being abused by guards at the prison near Baghdad led to a worldwide outcry that tarnished America's reputation. Two soldiers were jailed.

Cheney made her attack on a Fox TV news show.

Her father Dick has been one of the most vocal critics of the new Obama policies on terrorism, including closing Guantanamo Bay detention camp and outlawing harsh interrogation techniques such as waterboarding.

Mr Cheney accused Mr Obama of weakening U.S. defences with his policies.

While former president George Bush has remained silent since leaving office, Ms Cheney has gone on the offensive.

Mr Obama has not responded to the attacks but at the press correspondents' ball in Washington at the weekend he joked about the former vice-president: 'He is very busy working on his memoirs, tentatively titled, How to Shoot Friends and Interrogate People.'

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