Osama bin Laden

Saudi terrorist and co-founder of al-Qaeda (1957–2011)

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Fame84.4
Momentum5.7
Scientists rank#11
Wikipedia445.3K

Lived 1957–2011, aged 54

ScientistsScientist

Wikipedia
152 languages
Cross-language footprint
Era
1957–2011
Aged 54
Known for
Fahrenheit 9/11
2004

Summary

Updated 2026-08-31

He founded al-Qaeda in 1988 and orchestrated the 11 September 2001 attacks that killed 2,977 people and triggered two decades of global war. The world's most wanted man for nearly ten years, he was killed by U.S. forces in Pakistan in 2011.

Biography

About

Raised in a wealthy Saudi family, bin Laden left the country during the Soviet–Afghan War to fund and arm the Afghan mujahideen, co-founding Maktab al-Khidamat in 1984. He established al-Qaeda four years later and commanded forces through Afghan civil wars before Saudi Arabia expelled him in 1991 for his anti-Western stance. From Sudan and later Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, he directed bombings of the World Trade Center in 1993 and U.S. embassies in East Africa in 1998, declaring holy war on Americans both military and civilian. The operation he planned with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed saw 19 hi…

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from Osama bin Laden

Osama bin Laden

said23 Dec 1998

The International Islamic Front for Jihad against the U.S.

— In response to the interviewer stating: 'Are you responsible for the bomb attacks on the two American embassies in Africa?'

Osama bin Laden

saidMay 1998

After our victory in Afghanistan and the defeat of the oppressors who had killed millions of Muslims, the legend about the invincibility of the superpowers vanished.

— Interview with ABC reporter John Miller (May 1998)

Osama bin Laden

saidMay 1998