Posted on 02/24/2005 7:00:02 PM PST by freedom44
GENEVA (Reuters) - Swiss authorities have ruled that a Geneva-based half-brother of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) has the right to use the family name as a trademark.
But businessman Yeslam Bin Ladin said he had no immediate plans to bring out any goods under the name.
"I don't intend to exploit the brand Bin Ladin commercially for the time being, but registering it will prevent others from using my name to bad effect," the daily Tribune de Geneve quoted him as saying.
In July 2002 the Federal Intellectual Property Institute revoked the trademark which it had initially granted in August 2001 -- a month before al Qaeda launched suicide plane attacks on the United States that killed 3,000 people.
In revoking it, the Swiss authorities argued that the trademark could "morally wound" Swiss and disrupt public order.
But an appeals body, in a decision taken last June but only just published, said public order had not been disrupted and that trademarks should be revoked only in exceptional circumstances.
Bin Ladin has repeatedly condemned the Sept. 11 attacks and loss of life.
A dual Swiss-Saudi national who has lived in the Geneva area for two decades, he plans to market a perfume under the name "Yeslam" with the "YB" logo later this year.
wouldn't want anyone to give your name a bad reputation
It's a new line of clothing that blows itself up.
Bin Laden Day Care Centers
"...trademarks should be revoked only in exceptional circumstances."
Well, if these aren't exception circumstances, what are?
OTOH, we really can't condemn Osama's whole family because of his actions. I mean, there are dozens, scores! of them. Remember his sister-in-law, Carmen (I think, I also think she is the ex-wife of the man in this article) who rushed onto TV to condemn him? Let's face it, she was one of the few Muslims who issued any kind of condemnation.
Pen*le extensions. Heard Slick Willie will be spokesman in U.S. television ads for the product.
Somehow has clearly read my essay on how to fight terrorism. :p
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.