Photo: UPI.com
Osama Bin Laden is known for being one of the most notorious public figures in the world. He was the founder of al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other terrorist attacks against civilian and military targets. Bin Laden was on the FBI’s Most Wanted Fugitives/Terrorist list for his involvement in the 1998 U.S embassy bombings, until his recent death on May 2, 2011.
His Islamic belief structured his mentality. He had two distinguished teachers in Islamic studies, which was a compulsory subject in the college he attended. Most say Bin Laden’s ideology included the idea that innocent civilians, including women and children, were legitimate targets of jihad. People reasoned his “attacks” on the US with his Islamic beliefs. However, Osama Bin Laden denies being involved. Bin Laden, in a September 28, 2001 interview with the Pakistani newspaper Ummat, is reported to have said:
“I have already said that I am not involved in the 11 September attacks in the United States. As a Muslim, I try my best to avoid telling a lie. I had no knowledge of these attacks, nor do I consider the killing of innocent women, children and other humans as an appreciable act. Islam strictly forbids causing harm to innocent women, children and other people. Such a practice is forbidden even in the course of a battle.”
The capturing of Osama bin Laden had been an objective of the United States government since the presidency of Bill Clinton. Soon after George Bush became president in 2001, U.S. government officials named Bin Laden and the al-Qaeda organization as the prime suspects and offered a reward of $25 million for information leading to his capture or death. However, George Bush served two presidential terms without capturing Osama Bin Laden. On October 7, 2008, in the second presidential debate, on foreign policy, then-presidential candidate Barack Obama pledged, “We will kill Bin Laden. We will crush al-Qaeda. That has to be our biggest national security priority.” Following up on that promise, in April 2011, President Obama ordered a covert operation to kill or capture Bin Laden. Finally, on May 1, 2011, the White House announced that U.S. Navy SEALs had carried out the mission, killing him in his Abbottabad, Pakistan compound. The U.S. was somewhat at peace when this was announced. At last, one of the most dangerous terrorists was dead. But where do we go from here?
After a few days of excitement, many U.S. citizens became worried. What if al-Qaeda plans another serious attack on the U.S. for killing their astute leader? Other citizens questioned if the killing was a hoax. After all, many speculated that Osama Bin Laden died of kidney complications soon after the September 11th attacks. The government will not show the death photos of the historical terrorist, but they assure us his remains were buried at sea. Whatever the case may be, the FBI now lists Bin Laden as deceased on the Most Wanted List on May 3, 2011. So currently we all can be at peace.
Written by Tiara Rowe
Links used:
http://www.twf.org/News/Y2006/0608-BinLaden.html
http://www.angelfire.com/home/pearly/htmls1/osama-bio.html
http://www.prisonplanet.com/osama-bin-laden-has-been-dead-for-years.html
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