by Jean Sasson
May 16, 2003: Casablanca, Morocco: A series of suicide bombings strike a Spanish restaurant, a hotel, a Jewish center, and the Belgian consulate, killing thirty-three people.
August 5, 2003: South Jakarta, Indonesia: A car bomb explodes outside the JW Marriott Hotel lobby, killing twelve people and injuring over 150. The dead are four tourists and eight Indonesians.
November 15, 2003, and November 20, 2003: Istanbul, Turkey: Four car bombs explode at Jewish synagogues, killing fifty-seven and wounding over seven hundred.
2003–2008: Iraq: There are hundreds of al-Qaeda attacks in every region of Iraq, killing thousands of innocent Iraqis.
March 11, 2004: Madrid, Spain: Ten bombs explode on commuter trains in Madrid, killing over 190 people and wounding 1,800.
May 29, 2004: Khobar, Saudi Arabia: Four terrorists attack oil industry installations and the Oasis Compound, a housing compound for foreign workers. The terrorists take fifty foreign nationals hostage, killing twenty-two, some of whom have their throats slit.
June 18, 2004: Saudi Arabia: American Paul Johnson is kidnapped and held hostage and later beheaded.
July 7, 2005: London, England: Four suicide bombers attack the public transport system, killing fifty-three and wounding seven hundred.
November 9, 2005: Amman, Jordan: Simultaneous bombings in three different American-franchise hotels kill fifty-seven people and injure 120 others.
April 11, 2007: Algiers: Two bombs explode, one at a police station and the other at the office of the Algerian prime minister, killing thirty-three people.
June 2, 2008: Pakistan: The Danish embassy is struck by a car bomb, killing six people and injuring many others.
Index
abaaya, 15, 23, 26–27
burqa v., 52
Abdel Rahman, Omar, 77
Azzam and, 131
background of, 130–31, 254
as blind cleric, 130
for al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya, 130–31, 308
against Jews, 131
as terrorist, 131
to U.S., 131
World Trade Center and, 131, 308–9
Abdul Rahman. See bin Laden, Abdul Rahman
Abdullah. See bin Laden, Abdullah
Abdullah, Abdullah Ahmed, 77
Abdullah, Crown Prince, 84
Aboud, Omar Mohammed Awad. See bin Laden, Omar Osama
Abu Hafs. See Atef, Mohammed accidents, 6, 45, 243–44, 259
Adel, Sayf
leaving Sudan, 139–40, 142
at Tora Bora, 161
Afghan warlords
fighting between, 155
Khalis as, 154
Afghanistan. See also Jalalabad; Kabul; Kandahar; Khost training camp; 9/11; Nourallah, Mullah; political activities; Tora Bora
bandits in, 268–69
civil war in, 149, 155
clothing in, for Osama with Omar, 175
heroin in, 158
horse story in, 33–34
map of, 146
move to, 87, 149–50, 309, 310
Mujahideen in, 72–73, 303, 304
Osama with Omar’s arrival in, 149–50, 309
political activities and, 32–36, 77–78, 303–4
poppy fields in, 158
Russia v., 177
Soviet Union in, 27, 30, 177, 303–6
stories about, 34–36
from Sudan, 134–44, 145, 309, 310
Taliban for, 175–76
training camps in, 193, 207, 305
warlords of, 154–55
war’s end in, 73–74, 77
women’s clothing in, 153–54
age
of Mujahideen, 178–79
Osama and, 224
Algiers, attacks in, 317
Allia. See al-Attas, Allia Ghanem animals. See also horse(s)
Abdul Rahman against, 63
birds, 226
bull, 253
camels, 204–5
cow, 227, 241
dogs, 133–34, 176, 184, 187–89, 229–30
at family farm, 43–44
gazelle, 43–44
goats, 252
monkeys, 134–35
pigeons, 69–71, 117, 118
puppies, 176, 229–30
snakes, 3–4, 166, 204
Asr (afternoon prayer), 18
al-Assad, Bashar, xv
assassination
attempt, on Mubarak, 135–36, 145, 295, 309
attempt, on Omar, Mullah, 244–45
attempt, on Osama, 123–26
of Azzam, 78, 306
of Nourallah, 173–74
asthma
bin Laden sons and, 60, 141
for Omar, 60, 141, 156–57
Atef, Mohammed (Abu Hafs), 77, 139–40, 142, 161
daughter’s marriage for, 271–73, 278
death of, 313
grenade and, 208
indictment against, 311
to Omar, 213
for Osama with Omar, 162–63, 213, 271–73
political background of, 162
son for, 162–63
attack(s). See also 9/11; U.S. embassies’ attacks; war
in Algiers, 317
on Bali nightclub, 316
on bin Laden sons, 123–26
on Black Hawk helicopters, 145, 316
on Danish embassy, 317
on Farouk training camp, 238–39
on Ghriba synagogue, 316
on Grand Mosque, 303
helicopter, God and, 36
in Indonesia, 316, 317
in Iraq, 317
in Jordan, 317
on Kenya’s U.S. embassy, 236–37, 311, 316
on Khartoum, 239
on Khobar Towers building, 309, 316
in London, 317
in Morocco, 316
on Omar, 220–21
on al-Qaeda’s training camps, 238–39
by Russian helicopter, 34–36
in Saudi Arabia, 309–10, 316, 317
in Spain, 317
on Tanzania’s U.S. embassy, 236–37, 311
in Turkey, 317
on USS Cole, 277–78, 312, 316
in Yemen, 145, 308, 315
al-Attas, Allia Ghanem (Osama’s mother) appearance of, 8, 251
background on, 291, 301
divorce for, 40, 167–68, 291, 301
on Grandfather bin Laden’s marriage, 278
Kandahar visit by, 250–54
Khartoum visit by, 103
marriages of, 8, 40, 291, 301
miscarriage of, 40, 167–68, 291
Najwa and, 8–9, 20, 21, 24
on Omar’s return, 278
Osama and, 8, 166, 251–52, 254, 292
Osama/Najwa engagement and, 12–13
residence of, 291–92
rude driver v., 166–67
al-Attas, Muhammad (Osama’s stepfather), 8, 40
appearance of, 251
marriage of, 168, 291, 301
rude driver v., 167
as stepfather, 170–71, 252–53, 292
austerities
for Najwa, 181, 184–87
Osama for, 61–62, 99–100, 116, 173
Aziz, Abdul, 39–40
Azzam, Abdullah, 25
Abdel Rahman and, 131
assassination of, 78, 306
background of, 29, 315
in political activities, 35–36, 303–4
political activities with, 35–36, 77–78, 302, 303, 304
al-Zawahiri and, 78, 130
Baath Party, xv
Bali nightclub attacks, 316
al-Banshiri, Abu Ubaidah, 77
al-Bashir, Omar Hassan Ahmed, 135
bin Laden, Abdul Rahman (second son), 293
animal cruelty by, 63
birth of, 25, 302
character of, 63, 214
dogs and, 133, 188–89
as escort, 264–66, 268–69, 271
food rationing and, 215
grenade and, 208
illness
of, 26
mischief and, 70–71
position of, 128
summary on, 294
bin Laden, Abdullah (first son)
birth of, 24, 302
character of, Osama v., 122
without friendships, 63
to front lines, 77, 305
horses and, 57
marriage of, 127–28, 294
refrigerator and, 125
summary on, 294
bin Laden, Ahmed, 286
bin Laden, Aisha (Khadijah’s daughter)
birth of, 104, 307
summary on, 298
bin Laden, Ali (Khadijah’s son), 293
birth of, 51, 304
divorce and, 120
summary on, 297
bin Laden, Amal (Osama’s fifth wife), 294, 299–300, 312
bin Laden, Amer (Khadijah’s son)
birth of, 75, 307
summary on, 298
bin Laden, Bakr (Ladin) (seventh son)
birth of, 105, 308
leaving, 264–65, 268, 282, 286
summary on, 297
bin Laden, Carmen, 288
bin Laden, Fatima (Najwa’s first daughter)
birth of, 55, 306
children and, 268
marriage of, 259–60
novelty of, 67
summary on, 296
bin Laden, Hamza (Khairiah’s son), 293
birth of, 74, 306
summary on, 298
bin Laden, Iman (Najwa’s second daughter), 92
birth of, 75, 307
leaving of, 264–65
summary on, 296
bin Laden, Kadhija (Siham’s daughter)
birth of, 74, 306
marriage of, 259–60
summary on, 298–99
bin Laden, Khadijah (second wife) (Khadijah Sharif)
divorce for, 104, 120, 308
first daughter for, 104
lineage of, 304
marriage to, 50–51, 304
sons for, 51, 75, 307
summary on, 293
bin Laden, Khairiah Sabar (third wife)
choosing, 52–53
home for, 107
marriage of, 52–53, 305
son for, 74
summary on, 293
bin Laden, Khalid (Siham’s son)
birth of, 74, 306
summary on, 299
bin Laden, Laden (Osama’s brother), 20
bin Laden, Miriam (Siham’s daughter)
birth of, 75–76, 307
summary on, 299
bin Laden, Mohammed (sixth son)
accident of, 259
birth of, 52, 305
marriage of, 271–73, 278
photograph of, 215
status of, 215, 296
summary on, 296
toys and, 67
bin Laden, Mohammed Awad (Osama’s father). See Grandfather
bin Laden bin Laden, Najwa Ghanem (Osama’s first wife). See also Najwa (childhood)
abaaya for, 15, 23, 26–27
acceptance for, 91, 256, 270–71
accounts from, xiii
with Allia, 8–9, 20, 21, 24
austerities for, 181, 184–87
belief for, 15, 91, 105
for bin Laden sons, 116–18, 189–90
childbirth for, 24, 25, 27, 31–32, 51, 55, 75, 270
clothing for, 15–16, 21, 26–27, 187, 269
daily routine of, 17–22
daughters and, 61, 95, 270
divorce and, 267, 282
domestic help for, 17, 21, 24, 95
early separation for, 14
education for, 17, 21, 22
eighth pregnancy for, 75
eleventh pregnancy of, 256, 260–61
engagement of, 13
escape for, 281–83, 312
father’s death for, 103
father’s visit and, 103
fifth son for, 51
first daughter for, 55
first pregnancy of, 24
first son for, 24
as first wife, 41, 53, 54
forewarning for, 180
fourth pregnancy for, 28–29
fourth son of, 31–32, 38
friends of, 22, 26, 51
hobbies of, 21–22, 96
home-leaving by, 14–15
homes of, 16, 28, 36–37, 51–52, 54, 68, 77, 94–95, 106–8, 184–86, 207, 208
horses and, 58
house planning by, 21
irreverence of, 23–24
isolation of, xiii, 21, 106, 289
Khartoum routine for, 95–96
leaving Khartoum, 180–82
marital relationship of, 41, 281–82
marriage for, 13–14, 41, 302
without modern conveniences, 43, 115, 125, 185–86
money from, 116
as mother, 41, 66, 282–83
mother of, 5–6, 13, 292
Omar and, 180–82, 260–61, 264–66, 270–71, 312
photographs for, 187
prayers by, 18
pre-engagement of, 12–13
protection for, 16–17
rebellion of, 31–32
reflection of, 191
religious study for, 17, 21, 22
return of, 267–68, 270–71, 274, 312
Sasson and, xiv, 289
second daughter of, 75
second son for, 25
seventh pregnancy of, 54–55
seventh son for, 104–5
sixth son for, 52
summary on, 292–93
survival of, 286
Syria and, xv, 76, 85, 281–83, 312
tenth pregnancy of, 180, 186
terrorist v., xiii
third daughter for, 205, 206, 270
third son for, 27
Tora Bora routine of, 187, 202–3
trusting Osama, 91, 180–81, 183, 187, 281–82
as unquestioning, 181–83, 185–86, 190, 281
to U.S., 25–27, 302
veil for, 15–16, 23, 26–27
youth of, 3–10, 13
bin Laden, Nour (Najwa’s daughter)
birth of, 270, 312
summary on, 297
bin Laden, Omar Osama (fourth son). See also 9/11; Osama with Omar
Abu Hafs to, 213
accounts from, xiii, 287–90
to Afghanistan, 149–50
anger of, 41
animals and, 204–5
arrest of, 276
art for, 72
asthma for, 60, 141, 156–57
attack on, 220–21
as baby, 31–32
birth of, 31, 38, 304
breakouts by, 66
bride search of, 230–34
camels and, 204–5
character of, 92, 190, 203, 215–16, 259
citizenship for, 128–29, 270, 274, 312
clothing of, 31–32, 175
daily routine of, 64–65
death and, 132–33, 140
dog for, 176, 184, 188
early childhood of, 31–32, 40
escape for, 199–201, 242, 254–57, 260–61, 263–66
food rationing by, 215
friends’ deaths for, 131–33, 240–41
front lines for, 219–21
to Ghanem family, 230–31
girls and, 57, 258–59
Hamdan with, 216–18
happiness and, 225
horses for, 47, 57–60, 86, 92, 181, 231–32
humiliation for, 164
illness of, 171–72
isolation of, xiii, 288
Jeddah return for, 274–75
Khandahar return for, 278–80, 312
leaving Sudan, 136–45
as lost, 232–34
manhood for, 179, 215–16, 260–61
marriage for, 286, 295
on Medina, 68
against mosque lectures, 221–23
with Najwa, 180–82, 200, 260–61, 264–66, 270–71
name o
f, 128–29
poems and, 200
propaganda on, 199
responsibility for, 128, 136–44, 190, 215–16, 241–42
retaliation and, 239–41
romantic dreams for, 200
sadness of, 189
Sakhr with, 216–18, 235
Sasson and, xiv, 287–90
school for, 71–72, 108–11, 275–77
sisters’ husbands from, 259–60
snake and, 204
solitariness of, 65, 259
songs and, 199–200
summary on, 295
against terrorism, xiii, 215–16, 287
thefts by, 65–66
against war, 221, 225, 241–43, 287–89
warnings for, 277–78, 279–80, 284, 311–12
without water, 61–62
wife for, 230, 258, 286, 287, 295
women and, 57
against al-Zawahiri, 129, 212–13
bin Laden, Osama. See also bin Laden family; Osama; Osama (childhood); Osama (young married); Osama with Omar; Osama’s fatherhood chronology of, 301–13
bin Laden, Osman (fifth son)
birth of, 51, 304
character of, 66–67, 214
marriage of, 281
summary on, 295–96
bin Laden, Rukhaiya (Najwa’s daughter)
birth of, 205, 206, 310
leaving for, 264–65
summary on, 297
bin Laden, Sa’ad (third son) begging women and, 69
birth of, 27, 303
bride for, 230–31, 234
in car accident, 64
character of, 63, 92, 128, 214
fatherhood for, 258
food and, 214, 215
summary on, 294–95
bin Laden, Safia (Amal’s daughter), 294
summary on, 299–300
bin Laden, Salem (Osama’s brother), 20
bin Laden, Siham (fourth wife), 53
daughters for, 74, 76, 104, 307
lineage of, 305
marriage of, 53, 305
in Medina, 68
son for, 74
summary on, 293
bin Laden, Sumaiya (Siham’s daughter)
birth of, 104, 308
summary on, 299
bin Laden, Tiayba Mohammed (Abdullah’s wife), 127–28, 294
bin Laden family
clothing for, 187
cold for, 202–3
conduct for, 107
events with, 20
food for, 186, 215
growth of, at Tora Bora, 202
hunger for, 202–3, 215, 223
loss of, 286
name of, 301
9/11 and, 284–85
Osama’s concerns for, 151
privacy of, 288–89
as unknown, 313
bin Laden sons. See also specific sons
asthma and, 60, 141
attack on, 123–26
bicycles for, 117
Christians v., 118–19
conduct of, 62, 107
confinement of, 43, 66, 127
dogs and, 133–34, 187–89
driver and, 70–71
without emotions’ display, 47, 59
extra classes for, 111
freedom v. father for, 73, 115–17, 213, 255–56
