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White House Says Osama bin Laden's Son Has Been Killed in US Operation

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The White House confirmed Saturday that Osama bin Laden’s son, a “high-ranking” member of the al-Qaida terror group, has been killed following a United States military operation.

Rumors of Hamza bin Laden’s death had been circulating for more than a month, with sources reporting the administration may have known as early as July but declined to comment in any official capacity.

President Donald Trump confirmed those reports Saturday in a brief news release, saying the prominent heir to al-Qaida had been killed in a “counterterrorism operation in the Afghanistan/Pakistan region.”

No other details on the operation were disclosed.

But the president did say the result was an important “symbolic” and “operational” victory for U.S. interests both at home and in the region.

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“The loss of Hamza bin Ladin not only deprives al-Qa’ida of important leadership skills and the symbolic connection to his father,” Trump said, “but undermines important operational activities of the group.”

“Hamza bin Ladin was responsible for planning and dealing with various terrorist groups,” he added.

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Hamza bin Laden had not been present on May 2, 2011, when U.S. Navy SEALS stormed an al-Qaida compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, killing his father and brother nearly a decade after the Sep. 11, 2001 terror attacks, according to The Associated Press.

Since his father’s death, Hamza bin Laden had risen in the ranks of the terror organization.

The Guardian reported he first appeared in al-Qaida propaganda videos as a teenager.

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“During the family’s time in Iran after 9/11, Hamza was mentored by Abu al-Khayr al-Masri, who was deputy to al-Qaida’s current leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri,” according to The Guardian.

The U.S. State Department had in February offered a reward of $1 million for information on bin Laden’s whereabouts.

Reports indicate, however, that bin Laden’s death may have occurred at some point over the last two years.

But intelligence sources reportedly invested considerable time in confirming his identity before releasing any information to the public.

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Andrew J. Sciascia was the supervising editor of features at The Western Journal. Having joined up as a regular contributor of opinion in 2018, he went on to cover the Barrett confirmation and 2020 presidential election for the outlet, regularly co-hosting its video podcast, "WJ Live," as well.
Andrew J. Sciascia was the supervising editor of features at The Western Journal and regularly co-hosted the outlet's video podcast, "WJ Live."

Sciascia first joined up with The Western Journal as a regular contributor of opinion in 2018, before graduating with a degree in criminal justice and political science from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where he served as editor-in-chief of the student newspaper and worked briefly as a political operative with the Massachusetts Republican Party.

He covered the Barrett confirmation and 2020 presidential election for The Western Journal. His work has also appeared in The Daily Caller.




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