Worldviews

636 Words2 Pages

Osama bin Laden

Osama bin Laden, was a Saudi Arabian born al-Qaeda founder who up until his welcomed death in 2011 remained public enemy number one for many years. The Sunni militant Islamist organisation he lead from 1988 until the day he died, has been held responsible for numerous mass-casualty attacks against both civilian and military targets, including the September 11 attack on the twin towers, New York City.

As a child, Osama led a privileged and overindulgent upbringing thanks to his fathers wealth. He decided to attend school in Jiddah, joining the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood (mujahideen), like most Saudi men, unlike his brothers who followed in his fathers footsteps. His work with the mujahideen involved helping to bring in arms, money and fighters from the Arab world to Afghanistan, which helped him gain popularity with the Arab population. However, as he began his terrorist motions he found himself banished from Saudi Arabia in 1992, causing him to shift his base to Sudan, until once again he was banished in 1996. After establishing a new base in Afghanistan, he declared war on the United States of America, initiating a series of bombings and other related attacks. His actions granted him a place on the FBI’s ten most wanted list and made him a major target of the War on Terror from 2001 to 2011.

Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan of May 2nd, 2011 by a U.S. military unit, ordered by President Barack Obama. With the support of the CIA and United States Navy SEALs the raid on bin Laden’s compound in Abbotabad saw him suffer the fatal gunshot wound to the head. Whereafter his body was then taken to Afghanistan to be identified by one of his wives. That evening President Obama addressed the nation with the words ...

... middle of paper ...

...l-Qaeda. [ONLINE] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Qaeda. [Accessed 21 March 14].

Wikipedia. 2014. Osama bin Laden. [ONLINE] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osama_bin_Laden#Criminal_charges. [Accessed 21 March 14].

Wikipedia. 2014. Osama bin Laden. [ONLINE] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osama_bin_Laden#Criminal_charges. [Accessed 21 March 14].

History.com. 2014. Osama bin Laden. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.history.com/topics/osama-bin-laden. [Accessed 21 March 14].

Thomas R. Mockaitis. 2010. Osama bin Laden: A biography. [ONLINE] Available at: http://books.google.com.au/books?id=Khabi_lxwdsC&pg=PA17&lpg=PA17&dq=osama+bin+laden+worldview&source=bl&ots=8satP2_46y&sig=_lN9O8usexQzEVEGyK_jJuddUCs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=FaQrU8COHsqPkgXNwIGYDA&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=osama%20bin%20laden%20worldview&f=false. [Accessed 21 March 14].

More about Worldviews

Open Document