Hamza bin Laden, the son of terrorist Osama bin Laden, who was presumed dead in 2019, is alive and has taken over the leadership of al-Qaeda, recent intelligence reports claim. According to Western and Indian media, the reports suggest that the organization is reorganizing under Hamza’s leadership and planning possible attacks on Western countries, including the US.
Al-Qaeda has established 10 major training camps in Afghanistan and has formed global alliances with other anti-Western groups, as reported by The Mirror. According to the Daily Mail, citing defense experts, Hamza is guiding al-Qaeda through its most significant resurgence since the Iraq War. His brother, Abdullah, is also reportedly linked to the group. Former UK forces Chief Colonel Richard Kemp has cautioned that Hamza is based in Afghanistan, where he seemingly has a free hand and is likely focused on conquest and revenge for his father.
Approximately 21 terror networks are currently thought to be operating within the Taliban-controlled state, raising concerns about the possibility of another attack similar to 9/11, the report adds. It is also believed that Hamza, who is thought to be in his 30s, has received backing from Afghan warlord Sirajuddin Haqqani.
These reports come after a 2022 United Nations warning that al-Qaeda was finding a safe haven in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power the previous year.
It is believed that Hamza and his four wives have been sheltering in Iran since 2019, following an attempted assassination. Hamza bin Laden’s most recent public statement, issued by al-Qaeda’s media branch in 2018, urged his followers in Saudi Arabia to rise up against the monarchy.
According to the report, The National Mobilisation Front (NMF), an anti-Taliban military alliance, also released a report detailing the operations of Hamza and his associates. The outlet said that the man dubbed the “crown prince of terror” is hiding in northern Afghanistan under the constant protection of 450 snipers. The NMF has warned that since the 2021 fall of Kabul, Afghanistan has become a “training center for various terror groups.”
“Hamza bin Laden has been moved to Dara Abdullah Khel district (in Panjshir), where 450 Arabs and Pakistanis are protecting him,” it said, warning that “under his command, Al Qaeda is regrouping and preparing for future attacks on Western targets, particularly the US.”
The NMF report contradicted claims that Hamza was killed in a 2019 US airstrike. Hamza is believed to have worked closely with Ayman al-Zawahiri, who took over the affairs of Al Qaeda after Osama’s killing. The news about Hamza’s killing was released after his audio and video messages surfaced, calling for attacks on the US and other countries. However, the place and date of his death were unclear, according to an old BBC report. The Pentagon did not comment on the issue.
Hamza bin Laden was officially designated by the US as a global terrorist and was believed to have been under house arrest in Iran. He is thought to have been born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, before spending years with his mother in Iran.
