One of Bin Laden’s wives to be repatriated to Yemen ‘within days’

Osama Bin Laden’s fourth wife, Amal Ahmed Al Sadah, is expected to return to Yemen “within days.”

The 29-year-old Yemeni was shot in the leg during the May 2 raid on the family compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan by US special forces. She was detained by Pakistani authorities soon after and has been questioned by both Pakistani and American intelligence officers.

The Guardian quoted reports in Yemen and Saudi Arabia papers on the finalization of an arrangement between Yemeni and Pakistani diplomats for Ms. Sadah’s return as well as her 12-year-old daughter.

Two of Bin Laden’s other wives—Khairah Sabar and Siham Sabar--who were with him in Abbottabad are Saudi citizens are also in Pakistan’s custody. Saudi officials told the Guardian that “there was no objection to their return to Saudi Arabia.”

Bin Laden’s Saudi citizenship was revoked in 1994.

According to Ms. Sadah’s brother, Zakria, Yemeni diplomats in Pakistan informed him of his sister’s arrival “in the coming days” after the “completion of legal formalities” he was quoted as saying in Yemen Times.

Negotiations over the exact arrangements for the journey had been long and complicated, the newspaper said.

Since Bin Laden’s death, Ms. Sadah’s family in Yemen has been demanding her safe repatriation.

They told Associated Press they had seen their daughter/sister only once since her wedding to Bin Laden in 1999. Since then, communication was largely limited to messages delivered by couriers.

Ms. Sadah, who is believed to have been Bin Laden’s favorite wife, is said to have told her friends and family that she wanted to “go down in history.”

When Bin Laden reportedly gave her the option of returning to Yemen or staying on with him in Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks she said: “I want to be martyred with you and I won’t leave as long as you’re alive.”

(Muna Khan, Editor of Al Arabiya English, can be reached at [email protected])