I was looking at Al Arabiya website when I came across the story of `Wafa Bin Laden`. A little search and found few articles about her. Anyway, here is the story from some news clips:
She walks down the street on the Upper East Side, thin and stylish. But no one’s asking, “Who’s That Girl?”
For, almost all her neighbours know who she is — despite the fact that she has added a twist to her family name. Her uncle is the world’s most wanted. And she’s probably one of the most unwanted.
Meet Wafa’a Bin Laden (or Wafah Binladin as she like to spell her name), niece of Osama bin Laden who wants to be an Arab version of Madonna. But a friend quoted in the New York Post said, “She wants to be a pop star but no record company will have her.”
Wafah blames her infamous uncle — whom she has met just once — for ruining her legal and musical careers.
Pop Idol judge Simon Cowell said, “There’s only one worse surname you could have to launch a pop career, and that’s Hitler.”
“At first, we all had sympathy for her and thought she was a nice girl with an unfortunate family connection. But she’s this extremely spoilt wealthy girl,” a friend said. “And the way she treats people. Now she is trying to make money by giving French lessons. But if you don’t want her French lessons, she will hang up and scream, `Bitch!”`
Wafa’a was born an American citizen while her father was studying in California. She grew up in Switzerland in a multimillion-dollar mansion. She studied law at Geneva University before going on to Columbia for a three-year doctorate.
In 2001, she lived in a $6,000-a-month loft on Spring Street, just ten blocks from WTC. Shopkeepers knew her as a big spender. A saleswoman at Bigdrop reported that she would spend thousands at a time on designer clothes. But in the months before the 9/11 attacks, she left for London.
Binladin is living on Park Avenue, and frequenting New York’s poshest clubs and bars. Some city folk are outraged that she should be living a life of luxury so close to the hole in the ground where the twin towers once stood.
She has left her Muslim background behind and adapted herself to Western culture (with all what that means). She even changed the spelling of her last name to the more Western “Binladin”.
“Because of this last name that I have nothing to do with, the western world hates me, and because I’ve chosen American values, the Saudi Arabian world hates me,” the singer lamented.
Her mother, Carmen Bin Ladin, lives in Geneva and has been separated for 15 years from her husband, Yeslam, the half-brother of the terrorist mastermind.
Yeslam Bin Ladin maintains that he has had no contact with Osama for years. He has been accused in a lawsuit filed by victims of the September 11 attacks of “providing material financial support to international terrorism” through his half-brother, but has vigorously rejected such allegations.
I don’t speak Arabic. I don’t have a Saudi passport. I play guitar, I write and sing music.”
Wafah is known as a party girl, who once danced with President George W Bush’s daughter Jenna at a nightclub in the south of France. (Wow, what a privilage!)
Carmen’s marriage to Yeslam disintegrated when he expected their children to be brought up conservatively. “My husband doesn’t even acknowledge his daughters when he sees them on the street,” she said.
According to Wafah, her mother fears “some fundamentalist will do away with me” because of her new career. She is currently working on an album and demo tape under the name Wafah Dufour (her mother’s maiden name) and describes her voice as “sort of Chrissie Hynde” — a reference to the vocalist with The Pretenders.
She added: “I am not a bimbo. I don’t want sympathy. I only ask that people try to understand.”
Ok. I understand. My advice to you: Consult some “Animal Rights Associations.” They might grant you some rights as being American. On the other hand, I don’t think that the `fundamentalists’ will target a bitch like you, unless you happen to be in a place targeted by them. I mean, who are you to be targeted?!
Cheep propaganda against Arab, their culture and values. I wont say religion or Islam, as I believe that’s a personal choice, but all articles about this bitch are going around the Arab culture, freedom, terrorism, US dream, etc… To hell, do what you want. You are nothing more than a digit on the left!
welcome to the site.
It is hard to work up a whole lot of sympathy for this young woman, given her alleged attitude.
But it must be a difficult thing to live in NYC with the name bin-Laden. The fact that she does so without much fear is a testimony to the great people of the city.
Let her try to live in Midland, Texas. She would be in grave danger, I assure you.
this is just a note to the community that Haitham has registered his residence as ‘Palestinian Territory-Occupied’. That is the designation on my bar for Palestine.
You were born in Kuwait though, if I remember correctly. Is that correct?
Yes. I’m a Palestinian, with Jordanian nationality, born in Kuwait, and now living in Bahrain. Does that make it easier 🙂
Well, this is what happen to you when your homeland is occupied and you are not allowed to live in it!!
I’m not a refugee, as I got a permanent Jordanian passport, so you can say that I’m lucky, although that is not great, as we are always treated less when it comes to rights but equal when it comes to duties. Anyway…
-Haitham
As fucked up as it is, you should designate yourself as being a resident of Bahrain, if that is where your primary residence is…
that is how our residence designation works.
We are very grateful for your voice.
I might be moving from Bahrain to Kuwait soon. So it will be a frequent change of residence. However, as the say that “perception is reality”, I don’t want to be known as a Bahraini or Kuwaiti, cause I will never be!
Thanks for the warm welcome…
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A stong voice from Palestine …
I have some affinity with a few Palestinians -acquaintance and friends living in the Houston, Tx- and Arabs through ARAMCO during past decades.
Haitham, a strong voice from a Palestine
Reference – International Court of Justice on ruling Israeli build security wall in the occupied Palestinian territory.
The Law of Armed Conflict
and International Humanitarian Law
Ruth Wedgwood and Christophe Girod – Fall 2004
Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
John Hopkins University – excellent links! [pdf file]
The protest was in advance of the public sitting
of the International Court of Justice
Very exceptional BooMan, historically and on world scale, if her Palestinian pride claims a piece of her homeland. It is a great statement where I am comfortable with. Don’t call her on it! After all, it is Middle-East region and not like living in Palestine, Tx.
[debris after crash of Space Shuttle]
Haitham – you are very welcome – make yourself at home in BT community. Love to hear more from you with active contribution as comment or diary.
Oui – Liberté – Egalité – Fraternité
WELCOME!
I love this story. I sent it to my 22-year-old daughter who loved this line, she told me: “There’s only one worse surname you could have to launch a pop career, and that’s Hitler.”
She must be somewhat bright and diligent if the got accepted into Columbia for a doctoral program. (Did she quit?)
I love this too: But if you don’t want her French lessons, she will hang up and scream, `Bitch!”` (So funny.)
P.S. Did you see the sandstorm photos from your site in the middle column?
I am reposting it to embed the link which made the screen too wide.
…………..
LONDONBEAR’S POST:
Well Hitler’s three great-nephews who are still presumeed to be surviving in the USA have adopted other names. As the youngest will now be 40 he is unlikely to start a pop career now.
The three boys are grandsons of Hilter’s half brother Alois who lived in Liverpool, England. Alois’ wife and son William went to the USA in the late 1930s. William had four sons, one died in a car crash. William assumed a false name and when he died in 1987 his grave was marked with that name.
Hitler is supposed to have visited his half brother in Liverpool before WW I but the story is disputed.
by Londonbear on Fri Apr 29th, 2005 at 08:27:56 PM PDT
I don’t think this girl is serious about her singing career. I mean, this is America where anyone can come and change their name and make of themselves whatever talent and luck allow. She’s trying to serve up cake and eat it, too, by holding on to the family name, however adulterated. Me thinks she wants the notoriety and doth protest too much about getting it.
Welcome, Haitham. I look forward to reading more of your perspective.
Fair and balanced, people :>
er.. to Osama not Madonna…. hmmmm… Osamadonna! Nice ring to it… perhaps if she makes it big, she can sneak her uncle in to become a front man for a heavy metal band… he could do some serious terrorism of Christians then…
great diary. Little Miss Bin laden certainly sounds like a spoiled brat and no doubt she is. A part of me feels for her but the other half just can’t do it. I say change your name girl. If she changes her name does she lose daddy’s money too?
I look forward to hearing more on your perspective. Again, welcome.
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You are too harsh on judgment of Wafah Binladen. Carmen was wise to leave Saudi Arabia, where women are oppressed and there is no religious freedom. I have seen interviews with here, telling of the visit of Osama at her front door. He turned away because Carmen did not have her face fully covered.
Switzerland or Europe would seem more liberal to accept the Bin Ladens. You cannot blame this young woman for the evil of the Wahabi religion and fundamentalists, who exploit terror on society.
You do not seem to know her well, so you make a superficial judgment. Wafah has lived all her life outside the Arab world, so why should she not choose for Western freedom and liberal views?
The Bushes and their friends at Carlyle don’t mind to have close social and financial ties to the Bin Ladens, even today with multi-million dollar contracts. So why should I mind what a single spoiled brat does with her life, we have so many of those in America. I just hope she will earn her own keep and find inner happiness in her life.
Wafah Binladin left the city in the months before her uncle’s ghastly attack, but she’s back now, living at a friend’s posh pad off Park Avenue, pursuing her career as a pop star and living it up on the social scene at swanky Soho House.
A former Columbia student who grew up in Geneva, she takes the subway around town, Elton John sheet music under her arm, trading on her connections and looking for a way into the music scene.
Oui – Liberté – Egalité – Fraternité
To this site and please let me invite you to post on the Tell Us About You Diary.
I do agree with Oui above about the article.
I don’t get your beef with Wafa or do you have one?
C’mon, and we don’t make fun of Paris Hilton?
And BTW,
Al-oha (ana min hawai’i)
I’m overwhelmed with the warm welcoming from all of you. Thanks a lot.
I hope it will be a place to build and extend bridges between different cultures.
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Is an outstanding geographic location to comment on the clash of the fortunate wealthy and the have-nots in the community and society. An illustration of how government deals with welfare, education, hospital care and migrant workers, also the individual rights of its citizens and non-citizens.
The Emirates with Dubai and Abu Dhabi can be studied closely as an example of the difficulties. No judges, no courts but the ones flown in from elsewhere, usually from Egypt with an advanced knowledge on legal and judicial matters. A conflict between a non-citizen and a local Arab, will be judged solely on the witness of the local Arab, you will find the disadvantage translated into being dumped in the desert prison at Margham. Very similar to the courts and sentencing to the dungeon, in medieval Europe.
The modern metropolis, trying to entice the Western business community and the Asian Tiger nations, and cooperation with the independent third-world nations of Africa and Asia. A great hustle and bustle of people and cultures crossing one’s path in a relatively small area. Very different from the historic silk route, traders by camel caravan and the western entrepreneurs by ships searching for spice, trade and colonization.
The extravagance and riches of the few is superficial for the social and economic challenges existing underneath.
Saudi Arabia - Riyadh
The Arab government trying to modernize its laws, constitution, reforming its theocratic culture in regards to rights for women, voting rights, child custody and freedom of religious belief. Many leaders must make an historic jump from medieval rule by tribe, king or lord and make a change for participation of its citizens.
Saudi Arabia – women
Oui – Liberté – Egalité – Fraternité