Osama bin Laden

Osama bin Laden portrait

Osama bin Laden (March 10, 1957 – May 2, 2011) was a Saudi Arabian terrorist and the founder of the Islamist militant group Al-Qaeda. Born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, bin Laden was a member of the wealthy bin Laden family, and attended King Abdulaziz University, where he studied economics and business administration. However, his life took a radical turn when he joined the fight against the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. This experience laid the foundation for his extremist beliefs and the eventual formation of Al-Qaeda in 1988.

Early Life

Osama bin Laden was born to Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden, a billionaire construction magnate with close ties to the Saudi royal family, and his tenth wife, Hamida al-Attas. Osama was the 17th of his father's 52 children. He grew up in a privileged environment, yet he was drawn to Islamic fundamentalism during his time at university, influenced by the teachings of Abdullah Azzam, a key figure in the global jihad movement.

Formation of Al-Qaeda

In the late 1980s, after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, bin Laden founded Al-Qaeda with the goal of waging global jihad and establishing a pan-Islamic caliphate. Al-Qaeda was responsible for several high-profile terrorist attacks, including the 1998 bombings of the United States Embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, and the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, which killed nearly 3,000 people.

War on Terror

Following the 9/11 attacks, the United States launched the War on Terror, with the aim of dismantling Al-Qaeda and capturing or killing its leaders, including bin Laden. He evaded capture for nearly a decade, during which time he continued to release tapes and videos calling for attacks against Western targets.

Death

On May 2, 2011, bin Laden was killed by United States Navy SEALs in a covert operation in Abbottabad, Pakistan. His death marked a significant victory in the War on Terror for the United States and its allies, although Al-Qaeda and its affiliates continue to operate in various parts of the world.

Legacy

Bin Laden's legacy is a contentious one. To some, he is a martyr who fought against foreign intervention in Muslim lands; to others, he is a terrorist responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent people. His death did not end the threat posed by Islamist terrorism, but it did deal a significant blow to Al-Qaeda's global network.