Osama bin Laden’s son was deported from France and banned from returning

PARIS: The son of al-Qaida founder Osama bin Laden has been banned from returning to France, where he lived for years painting landscapes in a village in Normandy, after he allegedly posted comments on social media believed to glorify terrorism.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said he signed a decree banning Omar bin Laden from France after the judiciary confirmed the legality of an earlier deportation order issued on national security grounds.

Retailleau did not provide details on the timetable for the deportation or where bin Laden had been sent.

“Mr Bin Laden, who lived in the Orne region for several years as the spouse of a British citizen, posted comments on his social networks in 2023 glorifying terrorism,” Retailleau told X.

“The administrative ban ensures that Mr. Bin Laden cannot return to France for any reason.”

Omar could not be reached for comment.

Pascal Martin, who helped bin Laden sell his paintings, described him as a man who opposed extremist ideology, earned a living from his artwork and paid his taxes. He was currently in Qatar, Martin said.

“We became friends and I can tell you that none of what is being said is reminiscent of the Omar I know,” Martin said Reuters.

According to the local weekly newspaper Le Publicateur Librebin Laden caught the attention of French authorities with a social media post on the anniversary of his father’s birthday. Osama Bin Laden was killed by US forces in 2011.

Reuters could not immediately locate the social media post. Martin said Omar had told friends his social media account had been hacked.

The newspaper reported in July 2023 that police had searched for bin Laden in the village of Domfort in Normandy.