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| Europe |
| Spain: Bin Laden's son will appeal asylum refusal |
| 2008-11-07 |
| (AKI) - The son of Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden will appeal against the Spanish government's refusal to grant him political asylum, his wife said on Thursday. At least he's not gonna blow something up because he couldn't get his way. If I was him, I'd try Norway. It's colder, but the girls are pretty and they'll take in most anybody. Maybe Mullah Krekar could put him up until he got his own place. Omar Bin Laden, who was travelling on a Saudi Arabian passport, has been held since Monday at Madrid's Barajas Airport since he arrived on a flight from Cairo and requested asylum. The application was refused because the government did not believe he faced persecution in Egypt where he had been living, the Interior Ministry said. An emailed statement from his British wife Zaina al-Sabah on Thursday said bin Laden had been in danger in Egypt and would appeal against the Spanish decision. "Omar is an innocent young man who has never participated in a single violent act," the statement said. "We also pray that some country in the world will be merciful and allow Omar a place to live in peace," it said. Omar claims to have been forced to leave Egypt because his life was in danger despite being made welcome there by the Egyptian government. Spain's Interior Ministry decision was revealed after a series of lengthy interviews on Wednesday with Omar. The decision coincided with an assessment by a representative of the United Nations refugee agency, who said Omar's life was not in danger, sources told Spanish daily El Pais. Omar's appeal means that the Interior Ministry will have a further 48 hours to review it. If his claim is rejected again, he could be swiftly deported, but Omar could still appeal yet again to a Spanish court, a move that would not stop his deportation. Seven months ago, Omar was refused entry to live in the United Kingdom with his 52-year-old British wife, Zaina. The Bin Laden family is one of the wealthiest in the Kingdom, where they possess an impressive conglomerate including one of the largest construction firms and equity management. Omar, 28, is one of 19 children of the Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, who tops America's most wanted list. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 How about "Iben Baad". |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2008-11-07 10:59 |
| #2 Maybe if he changed his name to Ben Quick... |
| Posted by: mojo 2008-11-07 01:35 |
| #1 Malmo Sweden. It's like he never left NWFP. |
| Posted by: ed 2008-11-07 01:05 |