Osama bin Laden's Early Life Osama bin Laden was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to a wealthy family with ties to the royal family. His upbringing was privileged, and he received an education at prestigious institutions.
Influence of Pan-Islamist Ideology Bin Laden developed a pan-Islamist ideology from early on, advocating for Muslim unity and resistance against Western involvement in the Middle East. He drew inspiration from Sayyid Qutb's writings which promoted Islamic jihad and Sharia Law.
Involvement in Afghan War After finishing his studies at King Abdulaziz University, Bin Laden traveled to Pakistan where he joined Mujahidin fighting against Soviet invaders in Afghanistan. He established Maktab al-Khidamat organization that raised funds for training fighters.
Establishment of Al-Qaeda Following the war in Afghanistan, Bin Laden transformed Maktab al-Khidamat into Al-Qaeda with a goal of waging holy war against non-Muslims across various regions.
Expulsion from Saudi Arabia In 1991, due to disagreements over US military presence and intervention during Operation Desert Storm following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait; Osama bin laden was expelled by the Saudi government.
The 9/11 Attacks Al-Qaeda's plan to hijack commercial airline planes and fly them into buildings in the US, targeting the World Trade Centre and Pentagon. The attacks took place on September 11, 2001, resulting in a devastating loss of lives.
Hijackers' Actions 19 hijackers implemented their orders by boarding four different flights bound for Los Angeles and San Francisco. They successfully crashed three planes into their targets while passengers attempted to regain control of the fourth plane.
Aftermath of Attacks Over 2,600 people lost their lives in the Twin Towers along with others at the Pentagon and aboard United Airlines Flight 93. Media coverage spread news globally within minutes after which Bin Laden initially denied involvement but later admitted responsibility through video releases.
US Response & War in Afghanistan 'Operation Enduring Freedom' was launched against Taliban regime sheltering Al-Qaeda following a joint congressional resolution authorizing force against those responsible for the attacks. The war resulted in an initial victory for US forces but failed to bring Bin Laden to justice or eliminate insurgent revolts.
Bin Laden's Escape & Hiding Bin Laden escaped from Tora Bora cave complex during clashes with allied fighters; he hid primarily in Pakistan despite being hunted as 'the most wanted man'. His presence there was tolerated due to lukewarm support from Pakistani security services.
Iraq Invasion & Rise of Islamic State 'War on Terror' extended into Iraq under claims that Saddam Hussein supported terrorism; however no evidence linked him directly with bin laden or Al-Qaeda activities. This led to insurgency campaigns where Al-Qaeda became involved before splitting off as ISIL (Islamic State).