France’s Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, announced the deportation of Omar bin Laden, son of the notorious al-Qaeda founder, from his residence in a Normandy village. The decision comes after bin Laden was accused of glorifying terrorism on social media.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) early Tuesday morning, Retailleau revealed that bin Laden had posted comments in 2023 that amounted to an “apology for terrorism.” Describing the deportation as a “national security decision,” Retailleau did not specify when the deportation took place or where bin Laden had been sent. He added that the administrative order bans bin Laden from returning to France indefinitely.
The deportation decision reinforces a prior ruling from the Prefect of Orne, the region where bin Laden had resided since 2016 with his wife, a UK national. French newspaper Le Parisien reports that bin Laden is now living in Qatar and that his appeal against the deportation was denied by French courts last Friday.
The controversy started from a tweet Osama posted on 2 May 2023, the birthday of his father. The tweet allegedly praised martyrs, stating that,
“History is written only with the blood of these people — to tell the story of these martyrs who made history, built nations, and brought glory. Their blood is the lifeline of our faith until judgment day. Rest in peace.”
This tweet sparked accusations of glorifying terrorism, leading to his deportation from France. Bin Laden later claimed that his account had been hacked and that he did not author the post. The account from which the tweet was posted has since been deleted, and bin Laden has denied any involvement. He claimed that his account had been hacked and that he had reported the issue to Twitter. “I condemn terrorism and violence with all my heart,” bin Laden insisted in an interview.
Omar bin Laden, once involved in al-Qaeda training camps, left the terrorist group in 2000. In a 2008 interview, he condemned his father’s actions, including the September 11 attacks, describing them as wrong. Since distancing himself from his father’s legacy, bin Laden has turned to painting and has sold artwork ranging from €800 to €2,000 during the COVID-19 lockdown.
His deportation comes as France faces ongoing debates about immigration, particularly the “obligation to leave French territory” (OQTF) measure, following a high-profile murder case involving a Moroccan national under an OQTF order.
Omar bin Laden continues to assert that the accusations against him are based on “false information.” Despite the ongoing legal battles, his expulsion from France marks a significant development in the country’s stringent approach to tackling terrorism-related matters.
