Swiss Authorities Remove Ban On Bin Ladin Trademark

by Ulrika Lomas, for LawAndTax-News.com, Brussels

28 February 2005

The Swiss authorities have lifted a suspension on trademarking the name 'Bin Ladin', it emerged last week.

Businessman and half-brother of Osama Bin Laden, Yeslam Binladin (who has changed the spelling of his name in a deliberate move to distance himself from his notorious relative) registered the name with the trademark authorities in his home country of Switzerland, and was granted approval in August 2001.

This approval was revoked by the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property following the September 11 terrorist attacks, as it was thought to be offensive in the light of those events.

However, the Swiss appeal commission last week argued that there were insufficient grounds for the repeal of the trademark, and ordered trademark protection to be afforded to the name in Switzerland, and in the countries with which it has signed an intellectual property treaty.

Speaking to the Swiss media, the perfume and beauty product manufacturer explained that:

"I have no intention of exploiting the trademark Bin Ladin for commercial ends, but its registration will ensure that other people cannot use my name ill-advisedly."

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