President Donald Trump pushed the CIA to hunt down Osama bin Laden’s son instead of chasing more high priority terrorists because he was the ‘only name he knew’ and he wanted a ‘celebrity killing’, according to a new report.
During Trump’s time in office he has been briefed by intelligence officials on the nation’s biggest terror threats, but fixated on taking down the youngest son of 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden, two people familiar with briefings said.
‘He would say, “I’ve never heard of any of these people. What about Hamza bin Laden?”‘ one former official said to NBC. ‘That was the only name he knew.’
The CIA had regularly reported to Trump senior terror figures they were working to find and kill such as al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri.
However, Hamza bin Laden wasn’t high on the CIA’s list of potential US targets and was not believed to be planning out any attacks.
In the end the US carried out an airstrike that killed Hamza in 2018, according to current and former officials familiar with the matter.
President Donald Trump pushed the CIA to hunt down Osama bin Laden’s son Hamza bin Laden (right) instead of other more high priority targets and threats. One former CIA official said it was because Trump wanted to boast about a ‘celebrity’ killing
Ex CIA official Douglas London says Trump was obsessed with hunting down Hamza, the son of 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden (above) because he wanted a ‘celebrity’ targeted killing
After 9/11 Hamza along with other bin Laden family members hid in Iran for a number of years. In August 2015 he emerged in a video with terror group leader al-Zawahri who introduced Hamza calling him ‘a lion from the den of al Qaeda.’
Though Hamza did appear in the video himself, he said in an audio-only portion: ‘What America and its allies fear the most is that we take the battlefield from Kabul, Baghdad and Gaza to Washington, London, Paris and Tel Aviv, and to take it to all the American, Jewish and Western interests in the world.’
From there he became common name and reference in al Qaeda messages and news outlets reported he was being groomed to be the next leader of the terror organization.
Former CIA official Douglas London, who led an agency unit targeting senior terrorists in 2018, said that Trump’s ‘obsession’ with bin Laden’s son ‘is one example of the president’s preference for a “celebrity” targeted killing versus prioritizing options that could prove better for US security.’
‘CIA had not overlooked the value in Hamza’s name recognition, nor his musings posted by al Qaeda’s media cell, but he was young, lacked battlefield experience, and had yet to develop a serious following,’ London wrote in a piece for JustSecurity.com, which he says was reviewed and deemed unclassified by the CIA.
Though Hamza was not a top threat, he was urging attacks on Americans in the name of al Qaeda and was seen by experts as the possible future leader of the terror group.
‘Despite intelligence assessments showing the greater dangers posed by Zawahiri … and the unlikelihood Hamza was in the immediate line of succession, the president thought differently,’ London wrote.
Former CIA official Douglas London said that Trump’s ‘obsession’ with bin Laden’s son ‘is one example of the president’s preference for a “celebrity” targeted killing versus prioritizing options that could prove better for US security’
‘He regularly demanded updates on Hamza and insisted we accelerate our efforts to go after him.’
Trump’s wishes ‘necessarily influenced the alignment of the Intelligence Community’s focus and resources,’ London said.
In March 2019 the US government announced a $1million reward for information to help locate Hamza bin Laden because officials were unable to confirm his death. Intelligence sources told NBC that he actually died in 2018 strike.
On September 14, 2019 Trump announced that Hazem bin Laden was killed in a US counter terrorism operation in the Afghanistan/Pakistan region and no further details were disclosed.
Trump’s decision to target Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in January, which erupted tensions between the US, Iran and Iraq, is a further testament to the high-stakes impact that the Commander in Chief’s decisions holds. After the Soleimani strike the Iranian military launched missiles at US bases in Iraq, but no lives were lost in the attack
A former senior US official familiar with the matter said the Pentagon, the Department of State and various intelligence agencies all gave input in the process of nominating lethal action against Hamza, one source said.
While the choice to target Hamza bin Laden didn’t shake geopolitics, it shed light on Trump’s power in naming and pursuing America’s enemies.
Trump’s decision to target Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in January, which erupted tensions between the US, Iran and Iraq, is a further testament to the high-stakes impact that the Commander in Chief’s decisions holds.
Trump targeted Soleimani despite intelligence warnings that such a move would lead Iran to retaliate by killing Americans.
Following the Soleimani strike the Iranian military launched missiles at US bases in Iraq, but no lives were lost in the attack.
Trump has proudly professed that he acts on instinct.
‘I have a gut, and my gut tells me more sometimes than anybody else’s brain can ever tell me,’ he said when answering a question about the economy in November 2018.
Osama bin Laden pictured with his successor Ayman al-Zawahri who took over as leader of al-Qaeda. He is still alive and has been a leader of the terror group since June 2011
Trump green-lighted a successful strike on ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (left) and Yemeni al Qaeda chief Qasim al-Rimi (right), two prominent names on the CIA list of potential US targets, in October 2019
Still, many military officials are in his corner.
‘The president’s highest priority is keeping Americans safe,’ a senior administration official said speaking on the condition of anonymity.
‘He and his administration have successfully targeted the most dangerous and deadly terrorists in the world in order to protect the American people, including Hamza bin Laden, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Qassem Soleimani, and Qasim al-Rimi. These and countless other measures that have removed dozens of high value targets exemplify this administration’s resolve to defeat terrorism.’
Trump did end up following the CIA’s suggestions and green-lighted a successful strike on ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Yemeni al Qaeda chief Qasim al-Rimi, two prominent names on the CIA list of potential US targets, in October 2019.
They were at or near the top of every intelligence priority list, officials say.
The strike was announced by the White House on February 7.