Osama bin Laden

Osama bin Laden (1957-2011) is perhaps the most influential and infamous terrorist leader in history. He originally became involved in the jihadist sphere when he traveled to Pakistan from his home in Saudi Arabia to help organize the mujahideen's fight against the Soviet invasion. He became an influential figure due to his extensive personal connections and also because he funded parts of the campaign directly with his family's wealth. In 1988, he founded Al Qaeda, intending for it to act as an organizational base for future jihadist campaigns. As Al Qaeda's leader, he oversaw numerous attacks against America and the West, including the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers. Bin Laden was killed by U.S. forces in a raid on his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan in May 2011.