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Iman Bin Laden Arrives in Damascus | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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London, Asharq Al-Awsat – Iman Bin Laden, daughter of Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, arrived in the Syrian capital of Damascus on Thursday morning after leaving Tehran on a commercial flight accompanied by her mother, Najwa Ghanem, Osama Bin Laden’s first wife.

Asharq Al-Awsat exclusively revealed on December 23, 2009 that Iman Bin Laden had sought refuge in the Saudi Arabian embassy in Tehran and spent over three and a half months there.

Omar Bin Laden, 19, Osama Bin Laden’s fourth son, who first revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that six of his siblings, his father’s wife Umm Hamza, and eleven of Bin Laden’s grandchildren had been present in the Iranian capital since the end of 2001, said that he did not know how to repay Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal al Saud [for his kindness] who exerted great efforts to ensure Iman Bin Laden’s departure from Tehran. In reference to Prince Saud al Faisal, Omar Bin Laden said, “He has the worth of a thousand princes.”

“I spoke to Prince Saud al Faisal a number of times about my sister Iman, and he would always answer me straight away and would reassure and support me. He would say to me she was confined and God willing she will be released. I felt the compassion of a father or big brother and he would take away our concerns with his calm words, like healing balm, and he would tell us to be patient, affirming that relief would come from God soon and His mercy reaches everywhere and that God willing after difficulty comes ease, and Iman will return to her mother very soon,” said Omar Bin Laden.

Omar added, “Prince Saud al Faisal would answer our queries in a fine way and with kind, sublime words. He has the worth of a thousand ministers.”

Omar Bin Laden also praised Saud al Faisal’s aides and the mission at the Saudi Embassy in Tehran. He said, “We would like to thank them for their generosity and their Arab nobility in hosting my sister Iman for over 100 days.”