Osama bin Laden

Founder of al-Qaeda, a Salafi jihadist militant leader who aimed for a pan-Islamic caliphate.

Chronology: 1957-03-10 – 2011-05-02

Origins & Early Life

Osama bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Laden (1957/58 – 2 May 2011) was the founder and first general emir of al-Qaeda, a Salafi jihadist militant organization, from 1988 until his killing in 2011. During that era, he was one of the most significant supporters of Islamic terrorism and jihadist militant movements around the world, as he aimed to found a pan-Islamic caliphate and end the United States' interventionism in the Middle East, including its support for Israel. Most notably, bin Laden helped orchestrate the September 11 attacks against the U.S. in 2001, which caused the U.S.-led global war on terror.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He led al-Qaeda and its allies in numerous wars, including the Second Afghan Civil War (1992–1996), Bosnian War (1992–1995), Algerian Civil War (1992–2002), and Third Afghan Civil War (1996–2001). Born into the billionaire bin Laden family in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, bin Laden moved to Afghanistan during the Soviet–Afghan War (1979–1989). He used his personal fortune to fund several jihadist groups around the world, including the Afghan mujahideen and Egyptian Islamic Jihad, and built a large Islamist network to train militants in Chechnya, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Somalia, Yemen, Tajikistan...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Source: Wikipedia