France’s Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, has announced the deportation of Omar bin Laden, the son of Osama bin Laden, from his residence in Normandy after he was accused of glorifying terrorism on social media. Retailleau stated that bin Laden had made comments in 2023 that amounted to an apology for terrorism.
Retailleau described the decision as a matter of national security, confirming that Omar bin Laden is now barred from re-entering France. French newspaper Le Parisien reports that bin Laden is currently residing in Qatar after his appeal against deportation was denied.
Omar bin Laden had been living in Normandy with his UK-national wife since 2016, frequently traveling between France and the UK. His deportation comes amid heightened immigration discussions in France, sparked by recent high-profile criminal cases involving foreign nationals.
Retailleau is scheduled to meet with French prefects to review the use of the “obligation to leave French territory” (OQTF) legal measure, which was at the center of a recent debate following the murder of a 19-year-old student by an individual previously subject to an OQTF.
