Sunday, May 8, 2011

Death of a Terrorist

According to national news reports, Osama Bin Laden has been killed at a compound in Pakistan, by US special operation forces a few days ago. The news just became public on Sunday. It is a great victory in the war on terror against al Quaeda. Do you think that bin Laden prepared a will and other documents in preparation of his death. Is there estate administration in Pakistan?

His adult son was killed in the coup also, which makes for a twist in estate law. If his son was named in the will, and they died at the same time, there should be a clause in the will that states where the son’s share goes. It is recommended that you draft contingency plans should a beneficiary die at the same time as you or within a short amount of time. Mr. Bin Laden, as we know, had much power, but did he have a lot of assets? The mansion he was living in, according to CNN wire staff, was worth over one million dollars.

Was the compound titled in his name? These are questions I would ask the Personal Representative. Since he is one of the most wanted, if not the most wanted man in the world, for the sake of his relatives, I would think that he had an estate plan. I would like the courts to allow the United States to file claims against his estate on behalf of all the individuals who perished in the terrorist attacks on U.S. soil on September 11, 2001. May they rest in peace.

Hallie Zobel
May 6th, 2011