Who Is Hamza Bin Laden? Osama's Son Is A Terrorist For Al-Qaeda Propaganda, State Department Says

Hamza bin Laden, the son of the notorious terrorist and jihadist leader Osama bin Laden, was formally designated as a terrorist by the U.S. Department of State on Thursday. The young bin Laden has become an active al-Qaeda propagandist since his father was killed in 2011 by U.S. Special Forces in Pakistan.

Bin Laden’s participation in al-Qaeda programs was highlighted in letters found during the Navy SEAL raid on his father’s compound. He had written to his dad, then the leader of al-Qaeda, asking to be trained. The elder bin Laden was killed before he was able to send for his son to teach and groom him to be the future leader of the jihadi group, according to Agence France-Presse.

Since the 2011 raid, al-Qaeda has been run by Ayman al-Zawahiri, who previously served as the late bin Laden’s deputy. Hamza bin Laden has been active with the jihadi group by sending out audio messages to supporters. He was named as a senior leader to al-Qaeda in 2015, according to the State Department. His messages called for terror attacks against Western countries and allies, including in Paris, Tel Aviv and Washington, D.C. He has also called on Saudi Arabian tribes to unite with al-Qaeda forces in Yemen to fight the Saudi Arabian government.

Landing on the State Department blacklist comes with a string of sanctions intended to cripple targets economically and lead to their arrest or death. The terrorists are denied access to U.S. financial systems including banks and affiliated financial services. The designation also increases the profile of the individuals and can assist law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and its allies to apprehend the terrorists.

Osama bin Laden was killed in 2011 after orchestrating or ordering numerous mass casualty terrorist attacks around the globe, including the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. Following the 9/11 attacks, bin Laden became the most wanted face of terrorism.