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US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump confirmed that Hamza bin Laden, the son and designated heir of Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, was killed in a counter-terrorism operation along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
US media reported in late July and early August, citing intelligence officials, that the younger Bin Laden had been killed sometime in the last two years in an operation that involved the United States.
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper confirmed the death last month, saying it was “his understanding” that Bin Laden was dead, but Trump and other senior officials had not publicly confirmed the news.
“Hamza bin Laden, the high-ranking al-Qaeda member and son of Osama bin Laden, was killed in a United States counterterrorism operation in the Afghanistan/Pakistan region,” Trump said in a brief statement issued by the White House.
“The loss of Hamza bin Laden not only deprives Al-Qaeda of important leadership skills and the symbolic connection to his father, but undermines important operational activities of the group.”
The statement did not specify the timing of the operation.
The 15th of Osama bin Laden’s 20 children and a son of his third wife, Hamza, thought to be about 30 years old, was “emerging as a leader in the Al-Qaeda franchise,” the State Department said in announcing a $1 million bounty on his head in February 2019 – perhaps after his actual demise.
Sometimes dubbed the “crown prince of jihad,” he had put out audio and video messages calling for attacks on the United States and other countries, especially to avenge his father’s killing by US forces in Pakistan in May 2011, the department said.
That work made him important in attracting a new generation of followers to the extremist group that carried out the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, which left nearly 3,000 dead.
Heir apparent
Osama bin Laden’s death and the rise of the more virulent Islamic State group saw Al-Qaeda lose currency with younger jihadists.
But the proliferation of branches and associated jihadist groups in Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria and elsewhere have underscored its continuing potency.
Documents seized in the raid on his father’s house in Abbottabad, Pakistan suggested Hamza was being groomed as heir to the Al-Qaeda leadership.
US forces also found a video of Hamza’s wedding to the daughter of another senior Al-Qaeda official that is believed to have taken place in Iran.
In 2017, Hamza was placed on the US terror blacklist, seen as a potent future figurehead for the group then led by Ayman al-Zawahiri.
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One would hope that this would see the excision of any reference to “blasphemy” from our Statutes, no matter how much Mr. Ahearne was in love with it. It is a provision just awaiting some extremist to avail of.
That’ll unfortunately require a referendum as Dev put that stupid crime in the constitution and then never defined what it was.
The blasphemy law was put in place by Noel Ahearne during the last administration
Hopefully overhauling the equalities act to remove the religious public bodies right to fire someone for their religion (or lack thereof) and sexuality. If ever there was a backward law its one that technically allows a religious run hospital or school to fire someone for being gay or an atheist. Absurd.
Dermot not Noël I think. And the dope has since admitted it was a mistake.
Niall…. That’s BLASPHEMOUS!
Was it? Jesus Christ!
Its hard to beat the brand new law in Sweden that makes it legal to w**k in public.
Lol, you said, “hard to beat”.
It’s the Defamation Act, not a ‘blasphemy law’. Blasphemy is a small part of it and the language is so watered down nobody will ever be convicted under it (I hope).
Where did anyone call it a “blasphemy law”? Try reading the posts. Further the wording as it stands does admit of prosecution, whether or not your learned self thinks it would be successful or not.
Dermot Lane, above, called it ‘the blasphemy law’.
Any chance they could knock that law preventing TD’s being stopped and breathalysed because they are on their way to the Dail?
In the constitution as well. Broadly, TDs and senators can’t be impeded by police if they’re on the way to the Oireachtas.
Kerry, NONE WHATSOEVER,
How about getting rid of the law banning the sale of alcohol on good Friday and Christmas Day?
Because it would lead to violent outrages and general humiliation. #coppers
The penalty for suicide up until 1964 was death by hanging.i wonder could you appeal for leniency
So they rehang a poor suicide victim … That’s overdoing it a bit don’t you think
Is it still legal to take a dump but not a piss on a public street?
I think you’re allowed to do your wees as long as it’s against the wheel of your carriage.
It is illegal to take a piss on a public street. My “friend” got done for it.
@Denise. I’m trying desperately to imagine the anatomical position that would render that possible
@john. My “friend” got away with the former
I think it’s still legal for pregnant women but I stand open to correction on that.
Beat me too it…
It’s legal to pee in the street if you are a pregnant woman. Can anyone confirm that it is legal to ask for a police mans hat if you are caught short to crap in. I can’t remember where I heard it but it would be interesting to try
Does this mean that ye can marry yer horse without being hung drawn and quartered?
Well I married mine.
(hi honey)
Has the ‘Kings Birthday’ been removed as a day off for public servants?
Fair play to the angry mob.
“A general fast and humiliation”: Troika anyone?
Fast and humiliation…? The chap really was off his rocker.
Say theres a few Clare lads getting fierce excited the ‘obscure’ references to copulating with siblings will be removed from the books.
Clare folk have to have a hobby.
Once I can continue to play games of chance in the town market square I dont mind what they do
Isn’t fast & humiliation just another way of saying AUSTERITY!
Not much has changed!
There must be something they are tring to take on the sly. Between that and potential loss of sheanad and Supreme Court under their control we might not know it yet but we are doomed slaves and fools for letting the pigs run the farm!!
I think you can relax: I don’t think the Supreme Court is being abolished any time soon.
How about laws for victimless ‘crimes’
Nice one!! The White Boys get away with it! It was worth the wait…
I wonder what theGuinness Estate Act1883 , is?
Now I am as well.
We did this in Colorado about 30 years ago and there was an uproar from the clergy about removing adultery from our criminal laws. The Chief Justice said at the hearing, “I know a married man who tried adultery, and he said he couldn’t tell the difference.” It cracked up the proceedings. They left it on the books, but they removed the penalty associated with it, making it non-criminal.
Blasphemy is what last year’s leaf screams at this year’s bud. All laws associated with it are repugnant to human development. Let the clergy tear their sullied gowns over it while we laugh at their all powerful gods needing the help of the legislature, so they won’t be toppled over by reason and true compassion.
I wonder what the Guinness Estate Act 1883 was.
have your say