Atlanta, GA 1/18/2008 11:25:15 PM
News / People

Jane Felix-Brown and Omar bin Laden Plan Horse Race for Peace

Jane Felix-Brown, now Zaina Alsabah, and her husband Omar Osama Bin Laden, son of Osama bin Laden, are planning a 4800 km horse race that will span across North Africa.  They hope to bring attention to the cause of peace.

At a café in a Cairo mall, Omar says “It’s about changing ideas of the Western mind.”  Omar continues, “A lot of people think Arabs - especially the bin Ladens, especially the sons of Osama - are all terrorists…This is not the truth.”

The couple hopes to start the race in March.

Jane Felix-Browne and Omar bin Laden are still planning the event, seeking government approval for the route and sponsors to fund the race and money for child victims of war.

Omar says they will be riding 48km per day, taking weeklong rests in each country they pass.

Teams are encouraged to join from all over the world.  The couple wants the race to be the equine vrsion of the Paris-Dakar car rally.

Commenting on the car rally and his race, Omar said, “I heard the rally was stopped because of al-Qaida.  I don’t think they are going to stop me.”