Bin Laden’s brother- in- law dwells on the marriage of his sister with Al Qaeda leader

Doctor Saad Echerif , the brother-in –law of former Al Qaeda leader Oussama Bin Laden, has related the story of the highly controversial marriage of his sister Siham with the man in the beginning of the 1990s despite the staunch opposition of dignitaries at the time.

• wenty years after, Saad has decided to talk about his sister and make public in details his relationship with the most wanted terrorist in modern history. In  a wide- ranging interview with Echourouk, he dwelt on the personality of the man.

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• Echouorouk: How did you receive the announcement made by the US over the killing of Oussama Bin Laden ?

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• Saad:  I felt a deep sorrow especially that the news was made public after the early prayer of the day, I felt like I woke up to a nightmare. But soon, I recollected the old memories during particular period of times in our lives, so I remembered the first time I met him and the last moment we spent together.

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• Echouorouk: What was the mistake that Bin Laden committed which shaken his popularity among his followers around the world over the last few years until his elimination?

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• Saad:  I think that claiming his responsibility for bombings and mass killing weakened his position and drained his popularity among his sympathizers, in addition to several strategic setbacks that made of him the chased rather than the hunter. That was another blow because people need heroes even if their doing wrong.

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• Echouorouk: Is there any future after Oussama, knowing that one of the analysts has recently declared that Oussama was irreplaceable?

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• Saad:  I think Oussam was bigger than Al Qaeda and there will no future for this organization after him, unless infiltrated to be served as an alibi for foreign forces to set foot in various regions around the globe.

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• Echouorouk: Let’s talk about the marriage of your sister with Oussam and your role in it, was Siham ( Oussam’s third wife) convinced by his ideas?

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• Saad:  Undoubtedly, she believed in him and his combat at the beginning when he left fame and fortune to spread the God’s word. She accepted despite the staunch opposition of my parents and the fact of being the third after two previous wives.

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• Echouorouk: What was Oussam’s stand over the adhesion of women in the “Jihad” (holly war)?

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• Saad:  What I knew from Oussama , is that he never mixed his personal life with his activities, he was behaving with his wives like any other human being, as far as I know my sister never interfered in his activities. He was drew a red line between his private life and his public one.

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• Echouorouk: Parties from Bin Laden’s family have cut all ties with him and his heirs; does it change something as your concerned?

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• Saad:   I don’t think so, they have made their choice and we are not concerned. We are talking about our sister and no one else, our duty is to  retrieve her.

• Echouorouk: Is it conceivable that Bin Laden’ wife doesn’t master the use of arms?

• Saad:  as far as I know, she is not familiar with weapons and this reinforces my theory about Bin Laden’s stand concerning women and jihad.

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