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America's Most Wanted
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by Rebecca Fitzgerald
On Tuesday, September 11,2001, the World Trade Center towers and the U.S. Pentagon were attacked by terrorists. Since then there have been several possible suspects that would launch this kind of attack, only one has stayed in mind, Osama bin Laden.
Reported to be “ One of the most significant sponsors on Islamic extremists activities in the world today” by the State Department, bin Laden is also on e of the FBI’s most wanted men with a five million dollar reward for his capture. So who is Osama bin Laden and why does he pose a threat to the U.S.?
Osama bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Laden was born in 1957 on Saudi Arabia to a wealthy construction tycoon , Muhammad bin Laden. He fought against the Soviet Union when it attacked Afghanistan in 1979. And for his brave actions during this time he was seen as a star by many. But interestingly enough it was also at this time that he started to hide from the public eye. In 1989, bin Laden and Muhammed Atef founded a terrorist group, al-Qaeda, “which was dedicated to opposing non-Islamic governments with force and violence”. Bin Laden as well as others sponsored training camps including granting the group with funds and weapons. In 1991 he was exiled from Saudi Arabia due to his anti-government actions. Since then the World has been “seeing” a lot of him.
Bin Laden has been linked to several attacks against the U.S. including the most recent tragedy that occurred last Tuesday. There have also been threats to kill the former president, William Clinton, and the Pope.
In February 1993, the World Trade Center was bombed which killed six and injured more than a thousand people. Later that same year in October, two U.S. helicopters were gunned down by local Somali groups which killed eighteen U.S. soldiers. In December 1994, a Philippine Airlines plane was bombed, putting a hole in the bottom of the aircraft killing one passenger injured ten others. In August 1998, two U.S. embassies were bombed, in Kenya and Tanzania. In Kenya 224 were killed and 4,500 injured, eleven were killed in Tanzania. In December of that same year, sixteen Western tourists were captured and held by Yemeni tribesman until the government troops invaded resulting in at two hour shot-out, tow were dead and four were injured. Last year’s attack on the USS Cole, which killed seventeen and injured 39 crew members, has also been linked to Osama bin Laden.
Bin Laden is said to be very well educated person. He has a dominating personality and is very respected for his simple Sunni lifestyle. He has never been captured as of yet. However there have been several attempts.
In one interview, bin Laden expressed how he felt and the U.S. and its actions towards Iraq stating “ Houses were demolished over the heads of children. Also by the testimony of relief workers In Iraq, the American led-sanctions resulted in the death of more than 1 million Iraqi children. All of this is done in the name of American interests. We believe that the biggest thieves in the World and the terrorists are the Americans. The only way for us to fend off these assaults is to use similar means. We do not worry about the American opinion or the fact that they placed prices on our heads. We as Muslims believe our fate is set.”
More than once, bin Laden has asked fellow Muslims around the world to join together and fight in a jihad, a holy war against America. He was once quoted by an Arabian newspaper out of London as saying “ I’m fighting so I can die a martyr and go to heaven to meet God. Our fight now is against the Americans.”
So now what? Is Osama bin Laden really at fault for this horrific attack against the United States? Only time will tell.
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