The US Department of State is offering a reward $1 million for information on whereabout of Hamza, the son of former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
In a statement on Thursday, the department said, that Hamza “is emerging as a leader in the [al-Qaeda] franchise” and that “since at least August 2015.
It further revealed that Hamza has released audio and video messages on the Internet calling on his followers to launch attacks against the United States and its Western allies.”
Hamza has made intimidating remark against the US to “revenge for the May 2011 killing of his father by US service members.”
The department statement reads, “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” in January 2017, and later stated that “all property subject to US jurisdiction in which Hamza bin Laden has any interest is blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him.”
Hamza was declared an official member of the group in August 2015 by al-Qaeda senior leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. Per the State Department, the 2015 declaration included an audio message in which Hamza “called for acts of terrorism in Western capitals.”
Osama bin Laden was killed on May 2, 2011, in Pakistan by US Navy Seals in a mission codenamed Operation Neptune Spear.
