State designates bin Laden’s son a global terrorist

by Max Greenwood - 01/05/17 11:23 AM ET

The State Department has designated the son of Osama bin Laden as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, the agency announced Thursday.

Hamza bin Laden in 2015 became an official member of al-Qaida, the terror group his father founded. Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks that killed nearly 3,000 Americans, was killed by U.S. forces in 2011.

Hamza bin Laden threatened revenge on the U.S. in an audio message last year, calling for terrorist attacks in U.S. and around the world.

{mosads}The State Department’s designation levies sanctions against bin Laden, barring him from accessing any assets he may have in the U.S. and forbidding American citizens from engaging in any transactions with him.

“The imposition of sanctions by the United States against terrorists is a powerful tool,” the State Department said in its statement. “Today’s action notifies the U.S. public and the international community that Hamza bin Laden is actively engaged in terrorism.”

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