Osama bin Laden was a Saudi Arabian terrorist who was the founder and leader of the militant group al-Qaeda, which was responsible for the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. He was one of the most wanted men in the world and was on the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists list. Bin Laden was killed by U.S. Navy SEALs in a raid on his compound in Pakistan in 2011.
Bin Laden was born into a wealthy family in Saudi Arabia in 1957. He studied civil engineering at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah and graduated in 1979. He then joined the mujahideen, or Muslim holy warriors, fighting against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. After the Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989, bin Laden returned to Saudi Arabia and founded al-Qaeda.
Al-Qaeda is a Sunni Islamist militant organization that aims to establish a worldwide caliphate, or Islamic state. Bin Laden believed that the United States and its allies were waging a war against Islam and that it was the duty of Muslims to fight back. Al-Qaeda carried out a number of terrorist attacks against the United States and its allies, including the September 11 attacks.
who was osama bin laden
Osama bin Laden was a Saudi Arabian terrorist and founder of al-Qaeda.
- Founder of al-Qaeda
- Responsible for 9/11 attacks
- Killed by U.S. Navy SEALs
- Wealthy Saudi family
- Studied civil engineering
- Fought against Soviets in Afghanistan
- Aimed to establish a worldwide caliphate
Bin Laden's terrorist activities resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent people. He remains one of the most notorious figures in modern history.
Founder of al-Qaeda
Osama bin Laden founded al-Qaeda in 1988, with the aim of establishing a worldwide caliphate, or Islamic state. The group's name, al-Qaeda, means "the Base" in Arabic, and it was originally formed as a network of militant Islamic groups fighting against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan.
After the Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989, bin Laden returned to Saudi Arabia and began to focus on expanding al-Qaeda's reach and influence. He recruited new members, raised funds, and established training camps in various countries around the world. Bin Laden also began to issue fatwas, or religious edicts, calling for attacks against the United States and its allies.
In 1998, bin Laden and al-Qaeda carried out the bombings of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, which killed over 200 people. This attack brought al-Qaeda to the attention of the US government and intelligence agencies. In 2001, al-Qaeda carried out the September 11 attacks on the United States, which killed nearly 3,000 people and led to the US invasion of Afghanistan.
Bin Laden and al-Qaeda continued to carry out terrorist attacks against the United States and its allies in the years following 9/11. In 2011, bin Laden was killed by US Navy SEALs in a raid on his compound in Pakistan.
Al-Qaeda remains a significant terrorist threat today, and it has inspired and carried out attacks in many countries around the world. The group's ideology of global jihad continues to attract new recruits, and it remains a major challenge for governments and security agencies.
Responsible for 9/11 attacks
Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda were responsible for the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, which killed nearly 3,000 people and caused billions of dollars in damage. The attacks were the deadliest terrorist attacks in world history.
Bin Laden had been planning the 9/11 attacks for many years. He recruited and trained 19 al-Qaeda operatives to carry out the attacks. The operatives hijacked four commercial airliners and crashed them into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The attacks caused the collapse of the World Trade Center towers and extensive damage to the Pentagon.
The 9/11 attacks had a profound impact on the United States and the world. They led to the US invasion of Afghanistan and the overthrow of the Taliban regime, which had been harboring al-Qaeda. The attacks also led to the passage of the Patriot Act, which expanded the US government's surveillance powers.
Bin Laden and al-Qaeda continued to pose a threat to the United States and its allies in the years following 9/11. The US government launched a global campaign against al-Qaeda and its affiliates, which resulted in the deaths of many of the group's leaders and operatives. Bin Laden himself was killed by US Navy SEALs in a raid on his compound in Pakistan in 2011.
The 9/11 attacks remain a defining moment in American history. They continue to shape US foreign policy and national security strategy.