WASHINGTON - A woman killed during the US raid of Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan was not his wife and was not used as a human shield by the al-Qaida leader before his death, a US official said on Monday, correcting an earlier description.

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John Brennan, US President Barack Obama's top counter- terrorism adviser, told reporters earlier that the slain woman had been one of bin Laden's wives and had been used -- perhaps voluntarily -- as a shield during the firefight.

However, a different White House official said that account had turned out not to be the case. Bin Laden's wife was injured but not killed in the assault.

US officials have said a small US strike team, dropped by helicopter to bin Laden's hide-out near the Pakistani capital of Islamabad under cover of night, shot the al-Qaidaleader dead with bullets to the chest and head. He did not return fire.