Laden son questioned in Egypt, sent to Qatar

CAIRO: Egypt refused entry to Osama bin Laden’s son Omar on Sunday and put him and his British wife on a plane to Qatari capital Doha, sources said. Omar bin Laden arrived in Cairo on Saturday from Madrid after the Spanish authorities refused his request for asylum. The couple, who lived in Egypt for several months in 2007 and 2008, has also been denied entry to Britain.

Airport sources said Omar bin Laden, who has not seen the Qaeda leader for many years and says he does not support violence, had asked to go to Qatar, where as a Saudi citizen he will normally have right of entry.

The British authorities have denied Omar bin Laden a visa and the Spanish interior ministry rejected his asylum plea on the grounds that it did not consider he is in danger in Egypt.

His British wife, Zaina al Sabah, said the couple fear they will be assassinated for condemning the views of Omar’s father. She said her husband, one of Laden’s many sons, had stopped living with Osama before he masterminded the 9/11 attacks on the US seven years ago.

Omar bin Laden has lodged another request for a British visa, but this will not be considered until February 2009, his wife said.