Challenges Faced by Osama bin Laden: Obstacles and Turning Points

Life is full of challenges, and Osama bin Laden faced many. Discover key struggles and how they were overcome.

Osama bin Laden, a Saudi-born Islamist, founded al-Qaeda and served as its first emir. He fought against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan and supported Bosnian fighters in the Yugoslav Wars. He vehemently opposed U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, declaring war against the U.S. in 1996. Bin Laden orchestrated and supervised the September 11 attacks in 2001, targeting U.S. assets. His actions and ideologies had a significant impact on global politics and security.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

May 1988: Massacre of Shias in Gilgit Allegedly Led by Bin Laden

In May 1988, large numbers of Shias from in and around Gilgit, Pakistan were killed in a massacre. It is alleged that the Pakistan Army induced Osama bin Laden to lead an armed group of Sunni tribals to suppress the revolt.

March 1989: Bin Laden Leads Foreign Fighters in Battle of Jalalabad

In March 1989, Osama bin Laden led 800 Arab foreign fighters during the unsuccessful Battle of Jalalabad, suffering massive casualties.

November 1990: FBI Raids Home of Al-Qaeda Associate, Uncovers Terrorist Plots

On 8 November 1990, the FBI raided the New Jersey home of El Sayyid Nosair, an associate of al-Qaeda operative Ali Mohamed and discovered evidence of terrorist plots.

1990: Bin Laden Funds Afghan Coup Attempt

In 1990, Osama bin Laden funded the Afghan coup d'état attempt led by General Shahnawaz Tanai and lobbied the Parliament of Pakistan to carry out an unsuccessful motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

1991: Expulsion from Saudi Arabia

In 1991, Bin Laden's views on pan-Islamism and anti-Americanism resulted in his expulsion from Saudi Arabia.

1991: Bin Laden Denounces Saudi Dependence on U.S. Forces

In 1991, Osama bin Laden publicly denounced Saudi dependence on the U.S. forces, which led to him being placed under house arrest and eventually forced to leave the country.

1991: Bin Laden Expelled from Saudi Arabia

In 1991, Osama bin Laden was expelled from Saudi Arabia for criticizing the Saudi alliance with the United States.

December 1992: Bombing of the Gold Mihor Hotel in Aden

The first bombing attack believed to involve Osama bin Laden was the 29 December 1992, bombing of the Gold Mihor Hotel in Aden, which resulted in two fatalities.

1993: Nosair convicted in connection to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing

El Sayyid Nosair was eventually convicted in connection to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and, years later, admitted guilt for the murder of Rabbi Meir Kahane in New York City on 5 November 1990.

1993: Reported citizenship and Bosnian passports

In 1999, the press reported that Bin Laden and his Tunisian assistant Mehrez Aodouni were granted citizenship and Bosnian passports in 1993 by the government in Sarajevo. Following the September 11 attacks, the Bosnian government denied this information, but it was later found that Aodouni possessed the Bosnian passport when he was arrested in Turkey.

1994: Stripped of Saudi citizenship

In 1994, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia stripped Bin Laden of his Saudi citizenship and persuaded his family to cut off his $7 million a year stipend due to Bin Laden's continued criticism of the King.

1994: Start of terror network in Albania

In 1994, the head of Albania's State Intelligence Service (SHISH) said that Bin Laden was running a terror network in Albania to take part in the Kosovo War under the guise of a humanitarian organization.

1995: EIJ assassination attempt on Hosni Mubarak

In 1995, the EIJ, closely linked with Bin Laden and forming the core of al-Qaeda, attempted to assassinate Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The attempt failed, leading to Sudan expelling the EIJ and al-Qaeda developing its justification for killing innocent people.

1995: Sudan offered to expel Bin Laden

In late 1995, Sudanese officials discussed expelling Bin Laden with the Saudi government. The US Ambassador encouraged this, but Saudis did not want Bin Laden, citing the revocation of his citizenship. Sudan allegedly offered to hand Bin Laden over to the United States, though no credible evidence supports this.

February 1996: Sudan offered to expel Bin Laden to Saudi Arabia

In February 1996, Sudanese officials began approaching officials from the United States and other governments to ease foreign pressure. Sudan secretly offered to expel Bin Laden to Saudi Arabia, asking the Saudis to pardon him. However, Saudi officials did not want Bin Laden in their country.

May 1996: Bin Laden returned to Afghanistan

On 18 May 1996, Bin Laden was permitted to leave Sudan for a country of his choice due to increasing pressure. He returned to Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on a chartered flight where he forged a close relationship with Mullah Omar. He lost between $20 million and $300 million after the government seized his construction equipment, and he was forced to liquidate his businesses, land, and even his horses.

August 1996: Declared Holy War Against the U.S.

In August 1996, Bin Laden declared a fatwā declaring holy war against the U.S.

1996: Bin Laden Declared War on the U.S.

In 1996, Osama bin Laden declared war on the U.S. and advocated attacks targeting U.S. assets in various countries.

June 1997: Confessions of arrested men in Al Khobar building bombing

In The New York Times' 26 June 1997 report on the bombing of the Al Khobar building in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, it was noted that those arrested confessed to serving with Bosnian Muslim forces and admitted to ties with Bin Laden.

February 1998: Declared Holy War Against the U.S. (Fatwa)

In February 1998, Bin Laden declared a second fatwā declaring holy war against the U.S.

March 1998: Libya Issues Interpol Arrest Warrant

In March 1998, Libya issued the first official Interpol arrest warrant against Bin Laden and three other people for the killing of a German intelligence agent and his wife in Libya on March 10, 1994.

June 1998: Bin Laden Indicted by U.S. Grand Jury

On June 8, 1998, Bin Laden was first indicted by a grand jury of the U.S. on charges of conspiracy to attack defense utilities of the U.S. and prosecutors further charged that Bin Laden was the head of al-Qaeda.

August 1998: U.S. Cruise Missile Strikes

On August 20, 1998, 66 cruise missiles launched by U.S. Navy ships in the Arabian Sea struck Bin Laden's training camps near Khost in Afghanistan, missing him by a few hours.

November 1998: Bin Laden Indicted in New York

On November 4, 1998, Bin Laden was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, on charges including the murder of US Nationals Outside the United States, Conspiracy to Murder US Nationals Outside the United States, and Attacks on a Federal Facility Resulting in Death for his alleged role in the 1998 embassy attacks.

December 1998: CIA reported al-Qaeda preparing for attacks in the U.S.

In December 1998, the CIA reported to Clinton that al-Qaeda was preparing for attacks in the U.S., including the training of personnel to hijack aircraft.

1998: Arrest of EIJ members in Albania

By 1998, four members of EIJ were arrested in Albania and extradited to Egypt. The mujahideen fighters were organized by Islamic leaders in Western Europe allied to Bin Laden and al-Zawahiri.

1998: Indictment for capital crimes in embassy attacks

In 1998, Bin Laden was indicted for capital crimes related to the embassy attacks leading to being added to the FBI's most wanted list later.

1998: Indictment for Embassy Attack

In 1998, Bin Laden was indicted for the embassy attack, leading to his inclusion on the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists list in 2001.

June 1999: FBI placed Bin Laden on its Ten Most Wanted list

On 7 June 1999, the FBI placed Bin Laden on its Ten Most Wanted list.

June 1999: Bin Laden Added to FBI Most Wanted List

On June 7, 1999, Bin Laden became the 456th person listed on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, following his indictment for capital crimes in the 1998 embassy attacks.

October 15, 1999: United Nations designated al-Qaeda as a terrorist organization

On October 15, 1999, the United Nations designated al-Qaeda as a terrorist organization through UN Security Council Resolution 1267, aiming to impose sanctions.

October 1999: Al-Qaeda Designated as a Terrorist Organization

In October 1999, the United Nations designated al-Qaeda as a terrorist organization.

December 1999: Arrest of Ahmed Ressam

According to Middle East intelligence reports, Bin Laden financed small convoys of recruits from the Arab world through his businesses in Sudan. Among them was Karim Said Atmani, identified as a document forger for a group accused of plotting bombings in the United States. He is a former roommate of Ahmed Ressam, who was arrested at the Canada–United States border in mid-December 1999, and later convicted of colluding with Bin Laden by a French court.

December 1999: Arrest of Khalil al-Deek in Jordan

In late December 1999, Khalil al-Deek was arrested in Jordan on suspicion of involvement in a plot to blow up tourist sites. He had lived in the area 100 km north of Sarajevo in the past few years. A second man with Bosnian citizenship, Hamid Aich, lived in Canada at the same time as Atmani and worked for a charity associated with Bin Laden.

1999: NATO bombing of Yugoslavia

During his trial, former Serbian President Slobodan Milošević claimed Bin Laden had used Albania as a launchpad for violence and that the U.S. aided terrorists, culminating in the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War.

1999: Pakistani Commando Plan Aborted

In 1999, the CIA, together with Pakistani military intelligence, had prepared a team of approximately 60 Pakistani commandos to infiltrate Afghanistan to capture or kill Bin Laden, but the plan was aborted by the 1999 Pakistani coup d'état.

1999: Reported citizenship and Bosnian passports

January 2000: Foiled triple attack planned by Islamic militants

In late 2000, Richard Clarke revealed that Islamic militants headed by Bin Laden had planned a triple attack on 3 January 2000, which included bombings in Jordan and an attack on a target within the United States. The plan was foiled by arrests and the sinking of an explosive-filled skiff.

2000: CIA Operatives Attack Convoy

In 2000, foreign operatives working on behalf of the CIA fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a convoy of vehicles in which Bin Laden was traveling through the mountains of Afghanistan, hitting one of the vehicles but not the one in which Bin Laden was riding.

August 2001: Intelligence Report on Bin Laden's Plans

On August 6, 2001, U.S. President George W. Bush received an intelligence report titled "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S."

September 2001: Bin Laden Denies Responsibility

On September 16, 2001, Bin Laden read a statement, later broadcast by Al Jazeera, denying responsibility for the September 11 attacks.

September 2001: Bush Declares 'Wanted: Dead or Alive'

On September 17, 2001, President George W. Bush stated, "I want justice. There is an old poster out west, as I recall, that said, 'Wanted: Dead or alive'" in reference to Bin Laden.

October 2001: Bosnia and Herzegovina described as safe haven for terrorists

In October 2001, a former U.S. State Department official described Bosnia and Herzegovina as a safe haven for terrorists, asserting that militant elements were protecting extremists with ties to Bin Laden.

October 2001: Bombing of Afghanistan Begins

In October 2001, the bombing of Afghanistan began, and prior to this, attempts at assassination and requests for the extradition of Bin Laden from the Taliban of Afghanistan were met with failure.

October 2001: Bin Laden Listed as FBI Most Wanted Terrorist

On October 10, 2001, Bin Laden appeared on the initial list of the top 22 FBI Most Wanted Terrorists, based on the indictment for the 1998 embassy attack. The Taliban eventually offered to turn over Osama Bin Laden to a third-party country for trial if the U.S. ended the bombing, but the offer was rejected.

November 2001: Videotape Recovered Showing Foreknowledge

In November 2001, a videotape recovered by U.S. forces in Jalalabad showed Bin Laden discussing the September 11 attacks with Khaled al-Harbi in a way that indicates foreknowledge.

December 2001: Broadcast of Videotape

On December 13, 2001, a videotape recovered in November 2001 showing Bin Laden discussing the September 11 attacks with Khaled al-Harbi was broadcast on various news networks.

2001: September 11 Attacks

In 2001, Osama bin Laden supervised the execution of the September 11 attacks inside the U.S.

2001: Battle of Tora Bora

In late 2001, during the Battle of Tora Bora in Afghanistan, the US government concluded that Bin Laden was present, but the U.S. failed to commit enough ground troops, leading to his escape.

2002: Criticized the U.S. for its Secular Governance

In late 2002, Bin Laden criticized the U.S. for its secular form of governance and called upon Americans to convert to Islam.

2004: Bin Laden Speaks of Bleeding America to Bankruptcy

In a 2004 tape broadcast by Al Jazeera, Osama bin Laden spoke of "bleeding America to the point of bankruptcy", outlining his strategy of luring enemies into long wars of attrition.

2004: Bin Laden Claims Responsibility for 9/11

In the 2004 video, Bin Laden abandoned his denials and said he had personally directed the nineteen hijackers of the September 11 attacks and accused George W. Bush of negligence in the hijacking of the planes on September 11.

December 2005: Bin Laden's Location Revealed in Letter

In December 2005, a letter from Atiyah Abd al-Rahman to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi indicated that Bin Laden and the al-Qaeda leadership were based in the Waziristan region of Pakistan at the time.

2005: CIA Unit Shut Down

In late 2005, the CIA unit composed of special operations paramilitary forces dedicated to capturing Bin Laden was shut down.

May 2006: Bin Laden Claims Responsibility for 9/11 in Al Jazeera Tape

In a tape aired by Al Jazeera on May 23, 2006, Bin Laden announced, "I am the one in charge of the nineteen brothers. ... I was responsible for entrusting the nineteen brothers ... with the raids."

September 2006: Al Jazeera Broadcasts Video of 9/11 Preparations

On September 7, 2006, Al Jazeera broadcast a videotape showing Bin Laden with Ramzi bin al-Shibh, Hamza al-Ghamdi, and Wail al-Shehri, as they made preparations for the September 11 attacks.

July 2007: Senate Votes to Double Reward

On July 13, 2007, the Senate voted to double the reward for information leading to Bin Laden's capture or death to $50 million.

August 2007: Raid on Tora Bora Caves

Between August 14 and 16, 2007, U.S. and Afghanistan forces raided the mountain caves in Tora Bora after receiving intelligence of a pre-Ramadan meeting held by al-Qaeda members, but they did not find either Bin Laden or al-Zawahiri.

August 2007: Bin Laden Claims Responsibility in Video

In August 2007, Al-Qaeda released verified videos demonstrating Bin Laden's continued survival, where he claimed sole responsibility for the September 11 attacks.

February 2009: Taliban detainee claims Bin Laden seen in Afghanistan

Early in February 2009, a Taliban detainee in Pakistan said he had information that Bin Laden was in Afghanistan that year; he said that in January or February 2009, he met a trusted contact who had seen Bin Laden in Afghanistan about 15 to 20 days earlier.

March 2009: Hunt for Bin Laden centered in Chitral District, Pakistan

In March 2009, the New York Daily News reported that the hunt for Bin Laden had centered in the Chitral District of Pakistan, including the Kalam Valley. Author Rohan Gunaratna stated that captured al-Qaeda leaders had confirmed that Bin Laden was hiding in Chitral. Pakistan's Prime Minister Gillani rejected claims that Osama bin Laden was hiding in Pakistan.

December 2009: US officials comment on Bin Laden's whereabouts and Al-Qaeda

On 6 December 2009, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stated that the United States had had no reliable information on the whereabouts of Bin Laden in years. On 9 December, General Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, said that al-Qaeda would not be defeated unless Bin Laden were captured or killed, thus indicating that the U.S. high command believed that he was still alive.

February 2010: Afghan President visits Saudi Arabia, Saudi role in Afghanistan discussed.

On 2 February 2010, Afghan president Hamid Karzai arrived in Saudi Arabia for an official visit. The agenda included a discussion of a possible Saudi role in Karzai's plan to reintegrate Taliban militants. During the visit, an anonymous official of the Saudi Foreign Affairs Ministry declared that the kingdom had no intention of getting involved in peacemaking in Afghanistan unless the Taliban severed ties with extremists and expelled Osama bin Laden.

June 2010: Report of Bin Laden hiding in Iran

On 7 June 2010, the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Seyassah reported that Bin Laden was hiding out in the mountainous town of Sabzevar, in northeastern Iran. On 9 June, The Australian's online edition repeated the claim, though this report turned out to be false.

October 2010: NATO suggests Bin Laden is in Pakistan

On 18 October 2010, an unnamed NATO official suggested that Bin Laden was alive, well, and living comfortably in Pakistan, protected by elements of the country's intelligence services. A senior Pakistani official denied the allegations and said that the accusations were designed to put pressure on the Pakistani government ahead of talks aimed at strengthening ties between Pakistan and the U.S.

April 2011: U.S. intelligence traces Bin Laden to Abbottabad, Pakistan

In April 2011, various U.S. intelligence outlets traced Bin Laden to Abbottabad, Pakistan. It was previously believed that he was hiding near the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas, but he was found 160 km away in a three-story mansion in Abbottabad.