Hamza bin Laden, Al-Qaeda leader the son of the terror group’s slain leader Osama bin Laden, had been designated as a “global terrorist” by the US. The US move has come nearly year and half after Hamza had officially announced by al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri as an official member of the group.
Hamza, is in his mid-twenties, and has become active as an Al-Qaeda propagandist since his father’s death in 2011. The designation by the State Department has imposed sanctions on foreign persons determined to have committed, or pose a serious risk of committing, any act of terrorism that threaten the security of US nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States.
As a result of this designation, all property subject to US jurisdiction in which Hamza has any interest has been blocked and US persons are strictly prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him.
The State Department said that al-Qaeda issued another audio message from Hamza bin Laden threatening revenge against the United States and warned the Americans they would be targeted in the United States and abroad.
China may aid Pakistan with ICBM: Chinese Media
According to the state department, it read, “In 2015, (Hamza) bin Laden called for lone offender attacks against US, French and Israeli interests in Washington, D.C.; Paris, France; and Tel Aviv, Israel. Additionally, in 2016, (Hamza) bin Laden called on Saudi Arabian-based tribes to unite with al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen to wage war against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
Simultaneously, the State Department has also designated Ibrahim al-Banna, a senior member of Al-Qaeda in Arabian Peninsula, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. Al-Banna had already served as AQAP security chief and provided military and security guidance to AQAP leadership.
A 2010 edition of AQAP’s English online magazine, “Inspire” has contained an article by al-Banna describing the 9/11 attack as virtuous and it threatened to target Americans both domestically and elsewhere, in response to US actions overseas.
Before joining AQAP, al-Banna had been a leader of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad in Yemen from 1996 to 1998 and subsequently he was in-charge of the training and intelligence sectors for the group. According to the State Department, “Al-Banna is also subject to a US government reward of up to USD 5 million.”
By Pakriti Neogi
