The search for Bin Laden's deputy intensifies, raising concerns about al Qaeda's future terrorists.

The FBI issued a public appeal for information on the whereabouts of a former close associate of Usama bin Laden, who is believed to have been involved with al Qaeda, one day after the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

According to Tony Molloy, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force in the bureau's New York office, Hamza Al Ghamdi, who served as a trusted member of bin Laden's security detail in the period leading up to the 2001 attacks, held significant roles within the terror network and served in various conflict zones over the years.

According to Molloy, the FBI has information dating back to the late '90s regarding his affiliation with fighting violent Islamic extremist jihad in foreign conflict zones.

Ghamdi is being sought for interrogation regarding his suspected affiliation with al Qaeda, where he held various positions including being bin Laden's personal bodyguard.

Through his affiliations and associations, it is likely that he has information of historical relevance to our investigations into al Qaeda operations and attacks globally in the last 20 years, as stated by Molloy.

Ghamdi, like bin Laden, is a native of Saudi Arabia and fought against Russian troops in Afghanistan in the 1980s. He also participated in terrorist attacks in Tajikistan in the early 1990s and ran an al Qaeda guesthouse in Kabul, authorities said.

In December 2001, he engaged in the final battle of Tora Bora, a U.S. military operation in eastern Afghanistan aimed at apprehending or eliminating bin Laden, who was believed to be concealed in caves. Despite evading capture, bin Laden was eventually killed by U.S. forces in 2011 while hiding out in Pakistan.

According to Molloy, Ghamdi is thought to be in Afghanistan, possibly near the border with Pakistan. The State Department is offering a $5 million reward for his capture.

"He is difficult to locate and question because he operates in non-permissive locations," Molloy stated.

Ghamdi was not merely a member of al Qaeda; he collaborated with the group's top leaders, including Ayman al-Zawahiri, who was involved in the Sept. 11 attacks and was killed in a 2022 U.S. drone strike in Afghanistan.

At the time, President Biden stated that his death would have a significant impact on al Qaeda's ability to operate, particularly against the U.S. homeland.

Biden stated that Zawahiri was also responsible for other attacks against the U.S., including the October 2000 suicide bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen, which resulted in the deaths of 17 U.S. sailors, and the 1998 attacks on the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, which resulted in the deaths of 223 people.

The FBI continues to search for those responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks, 23 years later, the agency stated.

"The FBI's New York City Field Office, led by acting assistant director Christie M. Curtis, stated in a Thursday news release that they have not forgotten the September 11th attacks and are still seeking justice for the victims, even 23 years later."

The FBI has clarified that the individual named Ghamdi is not the same Hamza al Ghamdi who was involved in the hijacking of United Airlines Flight 175 and the subsequent crash into the World Trade Center.

Ghamdi should be removed from the "global jihad battlefield," according to Molloy.

He stated that the American public expects it, the victims deserve it, and it will ensure our safety.