Osama bin Laden's son Hamza killed in U.S. raid, Trump says

Christopher Bing, Mark Hosenball
 

 

(Reuters) - Hamza bin Laden, a son of slain al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and himself a notable figure in the militant group, was killed in a U.S. counterterrorism operation, President Donald Trump said on Saturday.

 

In a statement issued by the White House, Trump said the operation took place in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, but he offered no further details.

 

“The loss of Hamza bin Ladin not only deprives al-Qa’ida of important leadership skills and the symbolic connection to his father, but undermines important operational activities of the group,” Trump said, using an alternative spelling for the group that carried out the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

 

A U.S. official told Reuters Hamza had been killed months ago near the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Trump was briefed at the time on the operation.

 

The U.S. government believes Hamza, who is thought to have been about 30 years old, had succeeded his father as the head of what remains of al Qaeda, the official said. Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. forces in 2011.

 

Hamza was at his father’s side in Afghanistan before the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. He also spent time with his father in Pakistan after the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan pushed much of al Qaeda’s senior leadership there, according to the Brookings Institution.

 

The U.S. State Department designated Hamza a global terrorist in 2017 after he called for acts of terrorism in Western capitals and threatened to take revenge against the United States for killing his father.

 

Reuters reported on July 31 that U.S. officials believed Hamza had been killed. But Trump’s statement represented the first time the U.S. government had confirmed the operation.

 

It was unclear why the White House decided to publicize information about Hamza’s death months after he was killed.

The State Department and Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not respond to requests for comment.

 

Reporting by Christopher Bing and Mark Hosenball; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Tom Brown

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-09-15

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Good. Nice to see Trump finally do something right.  Congratulations.

Old news but good nonetheless I hope the sob suffered

good riddance

now... as I understand these guys always seem to have many brothers and sisters, how many of them extremists remain?

Edited September 15, 20196 yr by tgw

1 minute ago, tgw said:

good riddance

 

RIP. It is never a good thing to speak ill of the dead.

2 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

 

RIP. It is never a good thing to speak ill of the dead.

he's right down there with Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin and others of the same vein such as his father.

It's rather nice that so many criminals finally met their fate. Only regret: some met it much too late.

Edited September 15, 20196 yr by tgw

Great news. Get them all. 

3 minutes ago, tgw said:

he's right down there with Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin and others of the same vein such as his father.

It's rather nice that so many criminals finally met their fate. Only regret: some met it much too late.

he obviously was a bad dude but the knee jerk comparisons to Hitler or Mao are way over done. He didn't kill 6 million people.

3 minutes ago, kiwiaussie said:

So this news from guy who said a hurricane was going to hit Alabama? 

yeah, so maybe the reality is Bin Laden junior slipped on a banana peel while walking in a street and had an unlucky fall on the curb stone and died, but the official story is it was a counterterrorism operation and the lad who dropped the peel is awarded the medal of honor.

whatever, but it remains a win. dead is dead.

Edited September 15, 20196 yr by tgw

3 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

he obviously was a bad dude but the knee jerk comparisons to Hitler or Mao are way over done. He didn't kill 6 million people.

“It's the thought that counts”

 

you really think he wouldn't have killed 6 million americans if given the chance?

Edited September 15, 20196 yr by tgw

9 minutes ago, tgw said:

“It's the thought that counts”

 

you really think he wouldn't have killed 6 million americans if given the chance?

He didn't. We can speculate forever but the truth is the comparisons to. Hitler aren't valid. We can also compare Barry Bonds to  Babe Ruth but it is pointless. If somebody doesn't kill at least a few million than stop with the BS and stupid comparisons.

Troll posts and replies removed.   Stay on topic, please.  

 

another defeat for The Left

5 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

another defeat for The Left

I guess the plans ro go to Camp David must be on hold.

1 hour ago, Cryingdick said:

 

RIP. It is never a good thing to speak ill of the dead.

 

Why?

9 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

another defeat for The Left

 

Not expecting any coherent, rational addition to this one-liner, but I seem to recall his dad was killed during the previous president's term.

5 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

Why?

Because those that do so usually expose themselves as hypocrites and cheapen the value of their own words. In general I feel there is no need to speak ill of somebody that has died. 

15 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

another defeat for The Left

Disgraceful slur, ignorant or both.

 

 

8 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

Why?

I’m not sure speaking I’ll If the dead is  necessarily a bad thing, death should not hide a person’s character/crimes from discussion, but I see nothing of merit in celebration of somebody’s death beyond a matter of fact statement that they are dead.

 

Killing a terrorist or criminal might be necessary, making the killing a matter of celebration is to join all those who celebrate killings.

 

This terrorist is dead, but like his father he will be replaced, and do it continues.

11 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

Because those that do so usually expose themselves as hypocrites and cheapen the value of their own words. In general I feel there is no need to speak ill of somebody that has died. 

 

Oh, a noble moral personal choice then, rather than the definitive previous comment. Would this "never" extend to just about anyone, then? How about the living - is speaking ill of them allowed? Or say, victims and people adversely effected by such baddies - should they comply with this as well?

 

15 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I’m not sure speaking I’ll If the dead is  necessarily a bad thing, death should not hide a person’s character/crimes from discussion, but I see nothing of merit in celebration of somebody’s death beyond a matter of fact statement that they are dead.

 

Killing a terrorist or criminal might be necessary, making the killing a matter of celebration is to join all those who celebrate killings.

 

This terrorist is dead, but like his father he will be replaced, and do it continues.

 

On a personal level, I'm not much given to celebrating people's death, but it's an understandable reaction.

 

I do find it amusing certain posters being the source of such assumed moral injunctions, given their posting history, though. Apparently, it's perfectly alright to speak ill (and more) of any perceived political adversity, but a dead terrorist is off limits.

 

But back to the OP - this happened sometimes back, and officially acknowledged now. Got to wonder if it's yet another spin attempt, or whether it's preempting a leak/news story. Otherwise, there's not much added value that I can think of in officially affirming this.

Edited September 15, 20196 yr by Morch

3 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

On a personal level, I'm not much given to celebrating people's death, but it's an understandable reaction.

 

I do find it amusing certain posters being the source of such assumed moral injunctions, given their posting history, though. Apparently, it's perfectly alright to speak ill (and more) of any perceived political adversity, but a dead terrorist is off limits.

 

But back to the OP - this happened sometimes back, and officially acknowledged now. Got to wonder if it's yet another spin attempt, or whether it's preempting a leak/news story. Otherwise, there's not much added value that I can think of in officially affirming this.

When a person is alive they can talk for themselves. The dead cannot.

 

So yes, its quite ok to speak ill of a live polititian.

8 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

On a personal level, I'm not much given to celebrating people's death, but it's an understandable reaction.

 

I do find it amusing certain posters being the source of such assumed moral injunctions, given their posting history, though. Apparently, it's perfectly alright to speak ill (and more) of any perceived political adversity, but a dead terrorist is off limits.

 

But back to the OP - this happened sometimes back, and officially acknowledged now. Got to wonder if it's yet another spin attempt, or whether it's preempting a leak/news story. Otherwise, there's not much added value that I can think of in officially affirming this.

You should be a little less passive and name the living rather than hide behind this ‘certain posters’.

 

Back to the dead, they at least don’t argue back.

 

wrt why this is released now, I’m in agreement, it has the hallmarks of spin/de traction.

 

Here’s odd, I find myself in general agreement with Cryingdick on this matter, that doesn’t happen often.

Edited September 15, 20196 yr by Chomper Higgot

5 minutes ago, Sujo said:

When a person is alive they can talk for themselves. The dead cannot.

 

So yes, its quite ok to speak ill of a live polititian.

More than OK, it is often very necessary

I'm glad that this man is dead, and his father too. But I doubt that Trump had anything to do with this except for perhaps giving the go ahead to continue bombing in that part of the world. This is simply part of the militarys continuing efforts in that area. Just like the economy which Obama constructed and successfully continues to this day, Trump loves to take credit for all things deemed good and shirks his responsibility for things that make him look bad---like daylight!

3 hours ago, pegman said:

Good. Nice to see Trump finally do something right.  Congratulations.

Where is the proof, he has lied over 12,000 times in the job. The deceased person was reported 2 years ago as dead, then 18 months ago, then 2 months ago they cant say which part of the military completed the task. FAKE NEWS!

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Hamza was at his father’s side in Afghanistan before the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.

As a 12 year old child.

 

While I do not mourn this man’s death I don’t think we can blame him for 9/11. 

Edited September 15, 20196 yr by Bluespunk

2 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

 

RIP. It is never a good thing to speak ill of the dead.

I praise any and all of the parasites eliminated. 

55 minutes ago, Sujo said:

When a person is alive they can talk for themselves. The dead cannot.

 

So yes, its quite ok to speak ill of a live polititian.

 

I don't think a person being dead amounts to all encompassing immunity from criticism or comment on their actions and views. One can argue the form, style and gusto in which these are expressed may be this or that. Don't recall any of the posters commenting on this topic having issues with negative commentary on dead leaders, politicians or people based simply on the fact that they are dead.

 

If the argument is about civility and propriety then, IMO, it would be better to practice what's preached when it comes to the living first.

57 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

You should be a little less passive and name the living rather than hide behind this ‘certain posters’.

 

Back to the dead, they at least don’t argue back.

 

wrt why this is released now, I’m in agreement, it has the hallmarks of spin/de traction.

 

Here’s odd, I find myself in general agreement with Cryingdick on this matter, that doesn’t happen often.

 

Passive how? There's a poster who brought up this "point" and I commented regarding the "source". I also think it stands as a general observation - that quite often those readily spewing bile and whatnot take up some holier than thou moral stance.

 

We're not in disagreement as to the more base expressions of joy at the death are pointless and perhaps distasteful - just as to how much of an issue this is.