Washington: In a major blow to one of the world’s most feared terror groups, unconfirmed reports have been coming in that the Al-Qaeda next potential leader, Hamza bin Laden may be dead.
While NBC News quoted three US officials as having confirmed the death, details as to where and when the “crown prince of Jihad” died are not yet known. The New York Times also cited two US officials who claimed that Hamza was killed some time in the last two years in an operation involving the United States of America.
US President Donald Trump has, however, neither confirmed nor denied the reports.
Hamza Bin Laden, the 15th of Osama bin Laden’s 20 children, was the next potential chief of the terror organization.
A future leader, according to documents seized during the raid on the Abbottabad residence of Osama Bin Laden, he had put out audio and video recordings calling on people to avenge his father’s killing by attacks on the United States and other countries.
Reports had placed him sometimes in Pakistan, Syria, Afghanistan, once it was even reported that he was under house arrest in Iran. By his father’s side since before the World Trade Center attacks, he had been preaching against the United States, Jews and “Crusaders”.
Once he had been identified as a potential source of big trouble, he was placed on the US’ terror blacklist at a time when Osama bin Laden’s former deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri led the terror outfit.
