France prohibited the entry of Omar bin Laden, one of many sons of slain al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden over alleged remarks he posted on social media, the nation’s inside ministry mentioned Tuesday.
Born in Saudi Arabia, bin Laden has additionally lived in Sudan and Afghanistan. The 43-year-old settled within the northern French area of Normandy together with his British spouse a number of years in the past, taking on portray.
France’s new inside minister, Bruno Retailleau, mentioned Omar bin Laden “posted comments on his social networks in 2023 that advocated terrorism.”
“As a result, the prefect of Orne issued an order to leave French territory,” Retailleau.
“The courts have confirmed the legality of this decision taken in the interests of national security,” he added on X. The minister additionally mentioned he had signed off on a ban stopping Omar bin Laden from returning to France “for any reason whatsoever.”
“History is written solely with the blood of those folks — to inform the story of those martyrs who made historical past, constructed nations and introduced glory. Their blood is the lifeline of our religion till judgment day. Rest in peace,” the social media publish allegedly posted by bin Laden mentioned, to have fun his father’s birthday.
Later Tuesday, the Orne prefecture in northern France mentioned Omar bin Laden, a nationwide of Qatar, had lived within the city of Domfront-en-Poiraie since 2018.
On the anniversary of Osama bin Laden’s loss of life in May 2023, feedback that French officers say glorified “terrorism and al-Qaida” have been revealed on social media within the identify of Omar bin Laden, on an account that has now been suspended. A probe was launched in France.
While Omar bin Laden denied being the writer of the “reprehensible comments” he didn’t delete or condemn them, the prefecture mentioned. He was ordered to depart France on Oct. 27, 2023, and did so “voluntarily.” He appealed the choice however a French court docket upheld the ruling final week.
He left his father on the age of 19.
Speaking to AFP in 2022, Omar bin Laden had mentioned he felt good in France. “I feel free from the responsibility of my father’s actions,” he mentioned on the time. “Nobody judges me, they respect me and they leave me in peace.”
U.S. particular forces killed the al-Qaida chief in Pakistan in 2011.
Pascal Martin, who described himself as Omar’s inventive agent, mentioned bin Laden now lived in Qatar and suffered from psychological issues. Martin and Omar bin Laden’s spouse determined to not inform him of the announcement.
“He’s too fragile, if he finds out it’s going to hurt him a lot,” Martin instructed AFP. “This decision is completely crazy, inconceivable,” he added. “He’s had a difficult life,” Martin mentioned, describing him as “the victim of terrorism.” “Being a son of Osama bin Laden has been an ordeal for him.”
Martin additionally mentioned his good friend was not able to advocating terrorism or the Sept. 11, 2001 assaults that killed practically 3,000 folks within the deadliest terrorist assault on U.S. soil.
“He says that his life stopped on that day,” Martin mentioned. “In none of his statements did I hear him advocate terrorism.”
According to Martin, his good friend was positioned into police custody however then launched, “without any charge against him that I know of.” “He just has the misfortune of being a bin Laden,” Martin added.
Another good friend, Harry Atterton, mentioned the choice was “scandalous.” Atterton, an 87-year-old Briton who additionally lives in Domfront-en-Poiraie, mentioned Omar bin Laden had “managed to separate himself from his father’s ideology.”
He described the person as “slightly shy” and beneficiant, saying he didn’t discuss a lot. “There are thousands of potential terrorists who should leave France, but they chose Omar,” added Atterton.
Omar bin Laden’s marriage to British girl Jane Felix-Browne, a grandmother and over twenty years his senior, had triggered appreciable media curiosity when it was confirmed in 2007. After marriage, she took on the Muslim identify of Zaina Mohammed.
Omar bin Laden sought to dwell within the U.Okay., however his bid was rejected by the British authorities. Osama bin Laden, himself the son of a rich Saudi building magnate, is believed to have had some two dozen kids.
Retailleau has vowed to deliver “order” to immigration and crime, insisting that “the rule of law is neither intangible nor sacred.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com