Saudi Arabia revokes citizenship of Hamza bin Laden

Saudi Arabia announced on Friday that it had revoked the citizenship of Hamza bin Laden, a son of the late al-Qaeda leader who has become an increasingly prominent figure in the terror network.

Saudi Arabia revoked his citizenship via a royal decree in November, a notice published Friday by the kingdom's official gazette said.

The announcement comes a day after the United States government offered a $1 million reward for information leading to his capture as part of its "Rewards for Justice" program.

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Hamza bin Laden, who according to the US is around 30, has threatened attacks against the US to avenge the 2011 killing of his father, who was living in hiding in the Pakistani garrison town of Abbottabad, by US special forces. He was named a "specially designated global terrorist" in January 2017.

US intelligence agencies increasingly see the younger bin Laden as a successor to his father for the mantle of global jihad, especially as Islamic State attempt to hold onto their last square mile in Baghouz, eastern Syria.

Osama bin Laden's three surviving wives and his children were quietly allowed to return to Saudi Arabia after his killing.

But Hamza bin Laden's whereabouts have been a matter of dispute. He is believed to have spent time with his mother in Iran, despite Al-Qaeda's strident denunciations of the Shiite branch of Islam that dominates the country.

One of Hamza bin Laden's half-brothers told The Guardian last year that Hamza's whereabouts were unknown but that he may be in Afghanistan.

He also said that Hamza bin Laden married the daughter of Mohammed Atta, the lead hijacker in Al-Qaeda's September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.