THE man who shot terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden says al-Qadea is now grooming a new leader in an effort to strike again.

In an interview with Nine’s 60 Minutes, ex-US Navy SEAL Robert O’Neill said the war on terror is far from over for the militant-Islamist group, which remains intact despite the death of the evil terrorist in May 2011.

Describing the moment he came face-to-face with the man responsible for the deadly September 11 attacks on the US, Mr O’Neill said in a preview of tonight’s report: “Standing in front of me was Osama bin Laden … I put the first three bullets into bin Laden”.

He also warned a resurgent al-Qaeda is preparing another attack that could be led by a fresh-faced leader — bin Laden’s son, Hamza.

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Hamza, who is in his mid-twenties, called for a new jihad on Saturday to save Syria from the Assad regime.

A recording released on jihadist social media accounts purports to be of Hamza bin Laden urging Sunni Muslims to fight “crusaders”, Shia and “international aggression”.

“The cause of Syria is the cause of the entire worldwide Muslim community,” he said in an undated audio recording released on jihadist networks Thursday.

“In order for the people of Syria to resist the Crusader, Shiite and international aggression, Muslims — all Muslims — must stand with them, support them and give them victory,” he said.

“Wakefulness is essential, as is quick, serious and organised movement, to support the people of blessed Syria before it is too late.”

Academic Thomas Joscelyn, who has dedicated his life to studying al-Qaeda at the New York based Foundation for Defence of Democracies said he agreedwith Mr O’Neill’s fears the terror group is now more dangerous than ever.

“ISIS is the organisation that wants to stab you in the neck, al-Qaeda is the organisation that wants to stab you in the back,” Mr Joscelyn told 60 Minutes.

Hamza bin Laden has become active as an Al-Qaeda propagandist since his father’s death. The United States added him to its terrorist blacklist in January. The US Treasury estimates that he was born in 1989 in the Saudi city of Jeddah. His mother was Khairiah Sabar, one of the Al-Qaeda founder’s three wives.

Last year, the fifth anniversary of the death of the man who ordered the 9/11 attacks on the United States, experts began to note his son’s increasing prominence in the movement.

The State Department has designated him a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist”, freezing any assets he holds in areas under US jurisdiction.

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