Osama's son denied European visa for book tour

Paris, Apr 16: Omar Bin Laden, son of al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden, was denied visa to promote his book in France and in other European countries, his French publisher said on Thursday, Apr 15.

Omar was planning to travel to Paris on Apr 17, to release his "Osama bin laden: A Family Portrait", which was co-written with his Syrian mother Najwa, Osama's first wife, and American journalist Jean Sasson, said a spokesman for the publishers Denoel.

"The countries of the (25-country) Schengen zone decided to reject his request for a visa. As of Tuesday night, France had not decided whether to grant him a visa that would be valid on its territory. Since then, there has been no word. This is taking much longer than usual and the book is due out in bookshops tomorrow," said the spokesman for Denoel.

In his book, Omar criticised his father's murderous ways and speaks of his experience as family member of the world's most wanted man.

Najwa got married to Bin Laden in Saudi Arabia in 1974 and later moved to Sudan and then to Afghanistan, which became al-Qaeda's headquater until the Sep 11, 2001 attacks.

According to a newpaper report, Omar is at present in Qatar. He was turned back from Spain and deported from Egypt, all of which took place in the same week.

OneIndia News