Osama bin Laden's eldest son, Saad, has taken over the command of the al-Qaeda terror network blamed by Washington for the September 11 attacks, the Saudi pan-Arab daily Asharq Al-Awsat reported yesterday.
Saad bin Laden has been in charge of the organisation "since the US offensive against al-Qaeda bases in Afghanistan," which began in October, and al-Qaeda's pullout from its main hideouts in the country, the paper quoted "informed sources" as saying in a London-datelined dispatch.
This disclosure "substantiates the theory that bin Laden was killed or seriously wounded" in the US-led military campaign, the paper said.
Bin Laden's second son, 20-year-old Mohammad, had previously been expected to succeed the suspected terror mastermind in case of his death or incapacitation, Asharq Al-Awsat said, adding that Saad was "unknown" outside al-Qaeda.
Bin Laden has some 20 sons from various wives, the paper said.
Speculation about bin Laden's fate has abounded since the US-led bombardment of al-Qaeda hideouts began.
Dale Watson, head of the FBI's anti-terrorist unit, said in mid-July that he believed bin Laden was probably dead but added he had no evidence to support his contention.
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