Saad bin Laden
Encyclopedia
Sa'ad bin Osama bin Muhammad bin 'Awad bin Laden , better known as Saad bin Laden, is one of the sons of Osama bin Laden
. He continued in his father's footsteps by occupying a position within Al-Qaeda
. He is reported to have died in an airstrike in 2009.
from 1991–96, and followed him to Afghanistan
after that. When Hamid Mir
interviewed Osama, he noted that the 16-year old Saad was carrying a gun and asked him whether he was following in the footsteps of his father, to which Saad replied "No, I am following in the footsteps of my prophet".
He was believed to be married to a woman from Yemen
. Iran
has stated that a number of al-Qaeda leaders and members are in their custody, possibly including the son of Osama bin Laden
, Saad bin Laden.
Saad was believed to have been involved in the bombing of a Tunisian synagogue
on April 11, 2002, which killed 19. The following year, there were disputed claims of his capture by Pakistan
in March, though these proved false, and he was implicated in the May 12th suicide bombing in Riyadh
, and the Morocco bombing four days later.
Saad was released from Iranian house arrest in March 2010 in exchange for the release of Heshmatollah Attarzadeh, an Iranian diplomat kidnapped in November 2008.
On July 24, 2009, The Hindu
reported that senior Taliban spokesmen in Islamabad
claimed Saad bin Laden was not killed, or even hurt, during the missile attack.
According to the Taliban commander, Saad Bin Laden is still very much alive.
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
. He continued in his father's footsteps by occupying a position within Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
. He is reported to have died in an airstrike in 2009.
Life
Saad accompanied his father and his brothers on his exile to SudanSudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
from 1991–96, and followed him to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
after that. When Hamid Mir
Hamid Mir
Hamid Mir is a Pakistani journalist and editor. He is also a news anchor, terrorism expert, and security analyst who regularly participates in international conferences. He is also known for his columns in Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, and English newspapers and hosts a popular political talk show on Geo...
interviewed Osama, he noted that the 16-year old Saad was carrying a gun and asked him whether he was following in the footsteps of his father, to which Saad replied "No, I am following in the footsteps of my prophet".
He was believed to be married to a woman from Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
. Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
has stated that a number of al-Qaeda leaders and members are in their custody, possibly including the son of Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
, Saad bin Laden.
Saad was believed to have been involved in the bombing of a Tunisian synagogue
Ghriba synagogue bombing
The Ghriba synagogue bombing was a deadly bombing carried out by Niser bin Muhammad Nasar Nawar in Tunisia on the El Ghriba synagogue.On April 11, 2002, a natural gas truck fitted with explosives drove past security barriers at the ancient Ghriba Synagogue on the Tunisian island of Djerba...
on April 11, 2002, which killed 19. The following year, there were disputed claims of his capture by Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
in March, though these proved false, and he was implicated in the May 12th suicide bombing in Riyadh
Riyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
, and the Morocco bombing four days later.
Saad was released from Iranian house arrest in March 2010 in exchange for the release of Heshmatollah Attarzadeh, an Iranian diplomat kidnapped in November 2008.
Reported death
On July 22, 2009, National Public Radio reported that U.S. officials believe Saad bin Laden was killed by a CIA-administered unmanned aerial vehicle strike in Pakistan. A senior U.S. counterterrorism official said U.S. intelligence agencies are "80 to 85 percent" certain that Saad bin Laden is dead. According to National Public Radio American security officials are 80 to 85 percent certain Saad bin Laden was killed in a missile strike "sometime this year".On July 24, 2009, The Hindu
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
reported that senior Taliban spokesmen in Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
claimed Saad bin Laden was not killed, or even hurt, during the missile attack.
According to the Taliban commander, Saad Bin Laden is still very much alive.
See also
- Special Activities Division