Sunday, November 9, 2008

Omar Osama Bin Laden Denied entry into Egypt

Egypt denied entry to one of Osama bin Laden's sons on Sunday, becoming the third country to reject the self-proclaimed "ambassador for peace."

Omar Osama bin Laden, 27, and his British wife arrived at Cairo International Airport over the weekend and were promptly put on a plane to the Gulf Arab country of Qatar.

Bin Laden was denied entry after he unsuccessfully sought political asylum in Spain, claiming he would not be safe if he returned to an Arab country. The couple had lived in Egypt for the past year.

One of the al-Qaida leader's 19 children, Omar Osama bin Laden caused a tabloid storm last year after he married Zaina Alsabah, a British citizen.

Upon arrival in Qatar, Alsabah, 52, told the Associated Press the two were looking to eventually move to bin Laden's native Saudi Arabia.




"We are staying here as long as it takes, we are working with the U.N. and the U.S. embassy to help us getting back to Saudi Arabia," she said. "I was very surprised at the Egyptian government's stance."

As a Saudi national, bin Laden is automatically entitled to a six-month residency in Egypt, but an airport security official said after his high profile decision to apply for asylum in Spain, he was no longer welcome.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

British authorities rejected his request for a residency visa there in May saying his presence would cause "public concern" due to statements he had made to the press. He has not renounced his father, but has said he wants to be an "ambassador for peace" between the Muslim world and the West.





Alsabah has said the couple sought asylum in Spain because they were threatened.

Spain's interior minister has confirmed that bin Laden's son was deported because his asylum application did not meet any Spanish requirements.

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