, 26, the son of the world's most wanted man, , is planning a 4800km horse race for peace that will span across North Africa, hoping to begin this March pending the approval of governments along the route. Omar said they planned to ride 50km a day, with week-long rests in each country. He is actively seeking sponsors to help pay for the event and raise money for child victims of war.

The 26-year-old, who is one of Osama bin Laden's 19 children, bears a striking resemblance to his father, living with his him in Sudan, then moved with him to Afghanistan when Khartoum forced out the al-Qa'ida leader in 1996. Omar said he hadn't seen him since 2000, when he (Omar) left Afghanistan.  

Omar, who wears a black leather biker jacket and has dreadlocks that dangle halfway down his back, raised quite a storm last year when he married a 52-year-old British woman, Jane Felix-Browne, who took the name Zaina Alsabah.

Omar said he cut himself off from the violence associated with his father when he realized there was a better way to achieve change. "I don't want to be in that situation to just fight. I like to find another way and this other way may be like we do now, talking," he said in English.

He disclosed that he is not “in touch” with his father, adding, "He doesn't have email," Omar said. "He doesn't take a telephone ... if he had something like this, they will find him through satellites."

His wife, who is twice his age, said that despite his surname, her husband was in a rare position to do good. "Omar thinks he can be a negotiator," said Ms Alsabah, who is applying for a visa to take her husband to Britain. "He's one of the only people who can do this in the world."

Confirming Omar's family connection yesterday, a US intelligence official said: "Omar bin Laden is the son of Osama bin Laden and his first wife, Najwa."

At least two of Osama bin Laden's sons, Hamza and Saad, are believed to have an active role in al-Qa'ida; but most of his children, like Omar, live as legitimate businessmen.

The family as a whole disowned Osama in 1994 when Saudi Arabia stripped him of his citizenship because of his militant activities.

Osama bin Laden's billionaire father, Mohammed, who died in 1967, had more than 50 children and founded the Binladen Group, a construction conglomerate that is given many major building contracts in the kingdom.