Bin Laden son’s wife joins British legion

The daughter-in-law of former al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden is a keen member of the Royal British Legion.

Zaina Bin Laden, 56, has supported the services charity with cash donations for at least five years.

She said last night: “Whoever my father-in-law was, a good cause is a good cause. Charity is a big part of my life.”

Zaina — previously known as Jane Felix Browne — married the terror mastermind’s son Omar in 2007 a month after she met him on a trip to Egypt’s pyramids.

She is due to renew her annual membership of her local Legion branch in Moulton, Cheshire, next week. Zaina said she and Omar, 31 — whose mother is Bin Laden’s first wife Najwa — wear poppies on Remembrance Day.

The gran hit back at critics who say she should not be in an organisation that cares for members of the armed forces, veterans and families.
She said: “My family were in the British forces and I still have links.

“My husband believes people who fight for their countries should be respected and I believe that too. This is a cause deep in my heart and it doesn’t matter who I am married to.”

Zaina converted to Islam before she wed Omar, her sixth husband.

His father was killed by US special forces who raided his compound in Pakistan in 2011.

Omar, whose middle name is Osama, insists he had no contact with his father since before the 9/11 attacks of 2001.

Zaina said she does not visit her local club because she does not drink, but she helps in fund-raising.

A military source said: “The Legion can’t deny her membership purely on the basis of her surname — that would be discrimination. But many members will be appalled.”

The RBL, which has 360,000 members, says on its website: “We welcome all supporters of the Service community.”