Saudi Arabia has stripped Osama bin Laden’s son Hamza of his citizenship, the country’s interior ministry has confirmed.
Hamza, thought to be around 30 years old, was named as a “specially designated global terrorist” by Washington in January 2017.
The US State Department have since stepped up their search for the key al Qaeda leader by placing a $1million reward for information leading to his capture.
Hamza bin Laden has been the subject of speculation for years with reports of him in Pakistan, Afghanistan or under house arrest in Iran.
Hamza bin Laden is the son of one of Osama bin Laden’s three surviving wives, Khairiah Sabar, who was living with her husband in a compound in Abbottabad, near a large Pakistani military base, when he was killed.
He has since made public statements urging followers to wage war on London, Washington, Paris and Tel Aviv and is seen as a deputy to the terrorist group’s current leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri.
In 2015, Hamza released an audio message urging jihadists in Syria to unite, claiming that the fight in the war-torn country paves the way to “liberating Palestine.”
And in a message a year later, following in the footsteps of his father, he urged the overthrow of the leadership in their native Saudi Arabia.
In a statement, the US State Department said: “The Justice Program is offering a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to the identification or location in any country of al-Qa’ida (AQ) key leader Hamza bin Laden.
Osama himself had been the world’s most wanted man since the 9/11 terror attacks on America in 2001.
The al-Qaeda leader was tracked down to a compound in Abbottobad, Pakistan, and killed on 2 May 2011 in a raid by US special forces.
His body was later buried at sea.