Osama bin Laden’s son Omar banned from returning to France

Omar bin Laden, a son of slain al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, has been banned from returning to France where he made his home for several years before he was ordered to leave in 2023, France’s Interior Minister announced Tuesday.

Born in Saudi Arabia, bin Laden has also lived in Sudan and Afghanistan. The 43-year-old settled in the northern French region of Normandy with his British wife several years ago, taking up painting.

France’s new interior minister, Bruno Retailleau, said Omar bin Laden “posted comments on his social networks in 2023 that advocated terrorism”.

“As a result, the prefect of Orne issued an order to leave French territory,” Retailleau.

“The courts have confirmed the legality of this decision taken in the interests of national security,” he added on X, formerly Twitter.

The minister also said he had signed off on a ban preventing Omar bin Laden from returning to France “for any reason whatsoever”.