Osama's son vows to avenge father's killing

Washington: Hamza bin Laden, the son of former Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, has threatened to take revenge on the United States for the killing of his father and warned the Americans that they are accountable for the decisions of their leaders. "Hamza bin Laden Threatens Revenge Against U.S. for Assassinating Father," tweeted the SITE Intelligence Group. Hamza, who is in his mid- twenties, is the next expected leader of the militant group. The speculation gained momentum when an undated audio recording surfaced in May this year in which Hamza calls for unity among jihadi militants in Syria who currently fight under competing banners ranging from ISIS to Al-Qaeda, reported CNN earlier. In the video, he also calls for jihad against Israel and its American backers to "liberate" Palestine. The video was seen as an effort by Al-Qaeda to capitalize on the impact of the "bin Laden" name. Being a young leader in an ageing group, he is now being considered as the young voice that could appeal to the youth, which Al-Qaeda has failed so far unlike the Islamic state. One of the masterminds of the 9/11 attack, Osama bin Laden was killed on May 2, 2011, by the United States Navy Seal commandos in Abbottabad, Pakistan. However, it is not clear whether Hamza bin Laden still has an operational role in planning Al-Qaeda attacks.