Al-Qaeda has released a new propaganda video featuring Hamza bin Laden, the son of the terror group’s founder Osama bin Laden, on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The release has revived questions about Hamza’s reported death in 2019 and highlighted the continued symbolic importance of the Bin Laden family within the organisation’s propaganda.

The video, reportedly around 50 minutes long, includes footage of Hamza bin Laden along with previously unseen material involving former Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. Its release comes 25 years after the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States, which were carried out by Al-Qaeda and resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people.

The appearance of Hamza is particularly significant because he was once considered a potential future leader of Al-Qaeda. His association with his father gave him considerable symbolic value within the organisation, and he had previously appeared in Al-Qaeda propaganda material.

Hamza bin Laden appears in new propaganda footage

The newly released footage reportedly shows Hamza bin Laden sitting against a cracked mud wall, wearing a traditional white turban. An assault rifle can also be seen beside him.

The imagery appears to reinforce his association with Al-Qaeda’s militant identity and the legacy of his father. The timing of the video’s release, coinciding with the September 11 anniversary, also appears significant.

Hamza’s public profile grew after Osama bin Laden was killed by US forces in Pakistan in 2011. In the years that followed, Hamza was presented in Al-Qaeda propaganda as an important figure who could potentially play a major role in the organisation’s future.

His inclusion in the latest video allows Al-Qaeda to reconnect its current messaging with the legacy of its former leader.

Hamza’s reported death remains surrounded by uncertainty

Hamza bin Laden was widely reported to have been killed in a US counterterrorism operation sometime between 2017 and 2019. However, the circumstances surrounding his reported death were never fully established publicly.

US officials had indicated in 2019 that Hamza had likely been killed, but detailed information about the operation was not released. There was also no widely publicised confirmation of his death from Al-Qaeda.

The absence of a formal acknowledgment from the organisation contributed to continuing speculation about his fate.

The newly released footage has therefore attracted particular attention. However, the existence of the footage does not by itself prove that Hamza is currently alive. It is also unclear when the footage was recorded.

The video may have been produced years ago and released only now as part of an anniversary propaganda campaign.

Hamza was viewed as a potential Al-Qaeda successor

Hamza bin Laden was regarded as more than simply the son of Osama bin Laden. Within Al-Qaeda’s propaganda structure, he was portrayed as a possible future leader who could help maintain the organisation’s influence among supporters.

His family connection to Osama bin Laden gave him an established name within extremist circles. Al-Qaeda had previously used recordings and statements attributed to Hamza to promote its ideological message and encourage supporters.

The organisation’s decision to feature him again could therefore be an attempt to revive his symbolic importance and strengthen the perception of continuity between its historical and present leadership.

Video also includes Ayman al-Zawahiri

The footage reportedly contains previously unseen material involving Ayman al-Zawahiri, who became Al-Qaeda’s leader after Osama bin Laden’s death.

Al-Zawahiri was killed in a US drone strike in Kabul in July 2022. His inclusion in the new video places imagery associated with two generations of Al-Qaeda leadership within the same propaganda production.

The combination of Hamza bin Laden and al-Zawahiri appears intended to reinforce the group’s historical narrative and demonstrate continuity in its ideology despite the deaths of several senior leaders.

Significance of the September 11 anniversary

The release of the video on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks carries considerable propaganda significance.

The attacks remain the most prominent event associated with Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda. By releasing footage featuring his son around the anniversary, the organisation can draw attention back to the Bin Laden legacy and the ideology associated with the attacks.

Such anniversary-based propaganda is also a way for extremist organisations to keep historical events relevant to their supporters and audiences.

The continued use of Osama bin Laden’s family name demonstrates the enduring propaganda value that the organisation attaches to its former founder.

Questions over Al-Qaeda’s current leadership

The video also comes amid continuing questions about Al-Qaeda’s organisational structure and leadership.

Following Osama bin Laden’s death, Ayman al-Zawahiri assumed leadership before being killed in 2022. Saif al-Adl has subsequently been identified as the organisation’s de facto leader, although questions remain about his exact status and location.

Against this background, the appearance of Hamza bin Laden has attracted renewed attention because of his previous association with the organisation’s leadership ambitions.

However, the footage alone does not establish that Hamza has assumed any leadership position or that he is currently involved in Al-Qaeda’s operational activities.

Propaganda rather than confirmation of Hamza’s survival

Security analysts are likely to examine the footage carefully to determine when and where it was recorded.

A key question is whether the material is genuinely recent or whether Al-Qaeda is using older footage to create the impression of continued relevance.

The distinction is important because Hamza’s reported death has never been publicly documented in a way that completely resolved questions surrounding his fate.

The release therefore creates new speculation but does not provide definitive evidence about his current status.

Al-Qaeda continues to rely on historical figures

More than two decades after the September 11 attacks, Al-Qaeda continues to rely heavily on historical figures and events in its propaganda.

The latest video brings together references to Osama bin Laden’s legacy, Hamza bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri while presenting the organisation’s ideological message to a contemporary audience.

The strategy demonstrates how Al-Qaeda continues to use its past leadership to maintain visibility despite changes within its organisational structure.

For now, the most significant development from the video is the reappearance of Hamza bin Laden’s image and the questions it has generated over his reported death.

While the footage may increase speculation about whether he survived the alleged 2019 operation, it does not independently confirm his current whereabouts or status. The release instead appears to demonstrate how Al-Qaeda continues to use the Bin Laden name as a powerful propaganda symbol, particularly around the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.