Early Life and Background:
Osama bin Laden was born in 1957 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, into the prominent and wealthy bin Laden family. He studied at King Abdulaziz University and was deeply influenced by radical Islamic ideologies. During the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s, he joined the Afghan resistance and helped fund and organize mujahideen fighters.
Founding of al-Qaeda:
In 1988, bin Laden founded al-Qaeda ("The Base") with the aim of establishing a pan-Islamic caliphate and waging jihad against enemies of Islam. The organization quickly evolved into a decentralized global terror network.
Global Attacks and 9/11:
Al-Qaeda was responsible for numerous terrorist attacks, including the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and the 2000 USS Cole bombing in Yemen. However, the most devastating was the September 11, 2001 attacks, in which nearly 3,000 people were killed after hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania.
Manhunt and Death:
Following 9/11, bin Laden became the world’s most wanted man. The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in 2001 to dismantle al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban from power. After nearly a decade in hiding, bin Laden was found living in Abbottabad, Pakistan. On May 2, 2011, he was killed during a raid by U.S. Navy SEALs under orders from President Barack Obama.
Legacy:
Bin Laden’s actions and ideology left a profound impact on global politics and security. The post-9/11 world saw major shifts in surveillance, counter-terrorism, and international relations. While al-Qaeda weakened after his death, jihadist ideologies and offshoots like ISIS continued to pose threats worldwide.
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