French authorities have ordered Omar bin Laden, the son of slain Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, to leave the country due to posts advocating terrorism on social media, according to France’s Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau.
Born in Saudi Arabia, Omar bin Laden, 43, spent his early years in the country before living in Sudan and Afghanistan. He distanced himself from his father at the age of 19 and eventually settled in Normandy, northern France, in 2016, where he pursued a career in painting.
Retailleau shared the news on X (formerly Twitter), revealing that Omar bin Laden had been residing in the Orne department of Normandy as the spouse of a British national.
The interior minister stated that the son of the jihadist leader “posted comments on his social networks in 2023 that advocated terrorism.” Consequently, the prefect of Orne issued an order for him to leave French territory. Retailleau added that the courts had confirmed the legality of this decision, emphasizing it was made in the interest of national security.
The minister also announced that he signed a ban preventing Omar bin Laden from returning to France for any reason. However, further details were not provided, and it remains unclear whether he has already left the country.
Omar bin Laden’s marriage to British woman Jane Felix-Browne, a grandmother with five previous divorces and over two decades his senior, attracted significant media attention when it was confirmed in 2007. Following their marriage, she adopted the Muslim name Zaina Mohammed. Omar bin Laden had sought to live in the UK, but British authorities rejected his application.
Osama bin Laden, who was the son of a wealthy Saudi construction magnate, is believed to have had around two dozen children.
Retailleau has pledged to restore “order” regarding immigration and crime, asserting that “the rule of law is neither intangible nor sacred.” His appointment as France’s interior minister reflects the government’s rightward shift under new Prime Minister Michel Barnier, following a hung parliament after the summer legislative elections.