Growing Up Bin Laden: Osama's Wife and Son Take Us Inside Their Secret World

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Growing Up Bin Laden: Osama's Wife and Son Take Us Inside Their Secret World Page 44

by Jean Sasson


  Haj attack on, 303

  Mujahid as, 72

  Mujahideen as, 72–73

  against premarital sex, 178

  violence against, 27, 194

  world rulership by, 177

  Naji. See Ghanem, Naji

  Najwa. See bin Laden, Najwa Ghanem

  Najwa (childhood)

  Allia and, 8–9

  ancestors of, 4–5

  art for, 7

  bicycling for, 7

  chores of, 5

  discipline and, 5–6

  education for, 6–7

  father of, 3–4, 5

  fear of snakes, 3–4, 204

  food for, 5

  hobbies of, 7

  home of, 3

  imagination for, 7

  mother of, 5–6, 13, 292

  music for, 7

  Naji and, 3–4

  neighborhood of, 4

  Osama and, 8–9, 10, 302

  poverty and, 6

  pride of, 5

  sharing by, 6–7

  siblings of, 3

  tennis for, 7

  Yemen and, 4

  National Islamic Front, 135

  nature, for Osama, 20–21, 43–44, 96–97

  Nile River, 120–22, 232–33

  9/11 acceptance and, 285, 289–90

  bin Laden family and, 284–85

  Bush and, 285

  denial and, 284–85, 289–90

  Haadi and, 284

  Osama’s location after, 286, 313

  al-Qaeda and, 312–13

  responsibility for, 290

  Tora Bora after, 313

  U.S. retaliation for, 285–86, 313

  World Trade Center and, 312, 316

  Northern Alliance, 155

  Massoud and, 216

  Nourallah, Mullah

  affection of, towards Osama, 151–52

  Afghanistan’s welcoming from, 149–50

  assassination of, 173–74

  background of, 149

  dog from, 176, 184

  home from, 151–53, 184

  mourning for, 176

  Nowari, Azza, 129

  Obaiy bin Kahab School, 71

  Omar’s return to, 275

  Omar. See bin Laden, Omar Osama; Osama with Omar

  Omar, Mullah Mohammed

  appearance of, 245–46

  assassination attempt on, 244–45

  background of, 158–59

  disrespect from, 248

  for expulsion, 247

  faith of, 244–45

  heroin and, 158

  meeting with, 201

  protection of, 175, 192, 244, 311

  visit by, 245–48

  oral history, memory v., xiii–xiv

  Osama. See also political activities; political/militant activities

  on aging, 224

  Allia and, 8, 166, 251–52, 254, 292

  against America, 145, 176–77, 194

  annulled marriage of, 293, 309

  assassination attempt on, 123–26

  for austerities, 61–62, 99–100, 116, 173

  BBC for, 199

  broken pledge by, 85

  character of, 38, 122, 129, 141

  civilians v., 237

  Dictaphone for, 165

  disability of, 159–60

  divorce and, 267, 282

  drinks for, 164–65

  English for, 108

  family concerns for, 151

  family farm and, 43–44

  fatwa from, 310

  favorite items of, 165

  fourth wife for, 53

  friends of, 198–99

  gardening by, 43, 96–97

  health of, 102, 159–60, 172

  help from, 47–48, 58

  horses for, 33–34, 43, 57–59, 113–14, 243–44, 253

  humiliation and, 121, 141, 163–64

  against Israel, 313

  for Jihad, 248–49

  location of, after 9/11, 286, 313

  Massoud and, 155

  mental skills of, 42

  against modern conveniences, 43, 60, 115, 125

  mosque’s speeches by, 84

  Mujahideen and, 106, 112–13, 303, 306

  Najwa’s trust for, 91, 180–81, 183, 187, 281–82

  nature for, 20–21, 43–44, 96–97

  Nourallah’s affection for, 151–52

  Omar about, 40–42

  poverty for, 223–24

  pride of, 121

  Prophet Mohammed v., for wives, 49

  religion for, 40–41, 43, 221

  riding accident of, 243–44

  safe houses for, 239–40, 244, 311

  Saudi Arabia and, 254, 306, 307, 309

  without Saudi citizenship/assets, 128, 145

  second wife for, 49–51

  simplicity for, 54, 68, 107–8, 115, 151, 152, 208

  against singing, 199

  against sons’ pigeons, 118

  sons v. girls/women, 45–46

  stepfather of, 170–71, 252–53, 292

  stubbornness of, 253

  Sudan loyalty for, 113, 128

  sunflowers from, 97

  with Taliban, 219

  third wife for, 52–53

  U.S. retaliation and, 238–41

  as war hero, 73, 74–75, 305, 306

  women and, 41

  Osama (childhood)

  Allia and, 8

  birth of, 301

  birthday of, 74

  car for, 168–70

  courage of, 10

  engagement of, 13

  father’s death for, 9, 42, 167

  father’s relationship with, 40

  Naji and, as children, 9–10, 166

  Najwa and, 8–9, 10

  nature of, 8, 10, 40

  parents’ divorce and, 40, 168

  play for, 8–10

  pre-engagement of, 12–13

  snake story of, 166

  Osama (young married)

  for Afghan Muslims, 27, 31, 32–36

  appearance of, 19, 41–42

  cars for, 20, 38, 54

  in college, 25, 29

  eating habits of, 18–19

  education of, 19, 29, 302, 303

  mosque attendance for, 17–18, 43, 47–48

  with Najwa, 41

  nature for, 20–21

  to Pakistan, 27–28, 30, 31

  political activities, 29–30, 303

  politics and, 25, 27

  as protector, 16–17

  traits of, 38, 40–42

  to U.S., 25–27, 302

  work of, 19–20, 302

  Osama with Omar

  Abu Hafs for, 162–63, 213, 271–73

  accident of, 45

  attention from, 40, 45, 46–47

  as “chosen one,” 215–16, 224–25, 242

  clothing of, 175

  disrespect and, 213, 230, 241–43, 288

  Fisk’s interview with, 224–25

  fixing huts, 160–62

  food for, 165

  foot washing for, 163–64

  front lines for, 216–18

  handwashing and, 164

  hiking, 173

  about killing, 241–43, 287

  life mission and, 176–78

  mosque lectures v., 222–23

  about Najwa’s leaving, 264–65

  parting of, 266–68

  punishment from, 46–47, 66

  rebellion and, 45, 213, 225, 230, 242

  service for, 163–65

  stories from, 166–71

  travel together for, 136–44

  truth about, 287

  wife joke from, 42

  Osama’s fatherhood. See also Osama with Omar

  absenteeism and, 73

  accident and, 45

  affection and, 45–48, 67

  Afghanistan stories and, 34–36

  bin Laden sons v. time, 189–92

  with daughters, 67, 101–2

  in family’s training, 99–100

  fanaticism of, 60�
�63

  games and, 44–45

  Grandfather bin Laden v., 171, 190–91

  humor and, 35, 42, 59, 62, 163, 166

  injury for, 45

  insensitivity of, 61–62, 72

  in Khartoum, 96, 98–100

  love and, 41–42, 46, 48, 267

  Osama’s political activities v., 34–36, 40–42

  political dangers v., 42–43

  punishment and, 45–47, 66, 116

  suicide missions v., 263

  toys and, 43, 44, 67, 96

  against water, 61–62

  with younger children, 67

  Pakistan

  Danish embassy attack in, 317

  home in, 36–37, 51–52, 77, 304

  Osama to, 27–28, 30, 31, 303, 313

  Peshawar, 51–52, 77, 153

  Palestine, 29

  Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood, 29–30

  Palestinians

  America v., 193–94

  Israel against, 194

  Pashtun, 149

  Pashtunwali, 149

  patriarchy, 56–57

  personal life, privacy about, xiii, 288

  Peshawar, 51–52, 77

  Jalalabad v., 153

  photograph(s)

  for bin Laden, Mohammed, 215

  for Najwa, 187

  Omar and, 225

  Osama and, 225

  political activities. See also Pakistan; al-Qaeda; royal family; Saudi Arabia

  Afghanistan and, 32–36, 77–78, 303–4

  Azzam in, 35–36, 77–78, 303–4

  disappearance and, 85, 92

  fatherhood v., 34–36, 40–42

  helicopter attacks in, 34–36

  helicopter flying in, 33

  homes’ war preparation as, 80–81

  horse story in, 33–34

  against Hussein, 79

  injuries and, 33

  loyalty in, 82–83

  marriage and, 37

  against Mujahideens’ arrest, 83–84

  public criticisms as, 84–85

  sons and, 77

  variety of, 36–37

  political/militant activities. See also attack(s); Egypt; al-Qaeda; royal family; Sudan; Tora Bora; war Afghan training camps as, 193, 207, 304

  against America, 145

  changing Middle East, 193

  changing world, 193, 306

  dreams v., 224

  Egyptians for, 77, 144–45, 304

  fighting as, 33–35, 193, 305

  food v., 223–24

  friendly fire and, 216–18

  al-Jihad and, 129–30, 131–33

  Kandahar military base/home, 208–9

  Sudan expulsion and, 136–45, 309, 310

  about suicide missions, 199, 262–63

  surveying military bases, 207

  politics

  Massoud for, 155

  Osama and, 25

  population

  of Jeddah, 16

  of Saudi Arabia, 11

  of Syria, xv

  poverty

  begging women and, 69

  culture v., 178–79

  food and, 223–24

  Najwa’s childhood and, 6

  for Osama, 223–24

  premarital sex, Muslims against, 178

  privacy

  of bin Laden family, 288–89

  about personal life, xiii, 288

  Prophet Mohammed, 22

  against dogs, 133, 188

  example of, for wives, 49

  girls and, 57

  insult to, 313

  Koran and, 17, 42, 49–50

  lineage from, 304, 305

  al-Qaeda (al-Qaeda al-Askariya). See also al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya; al-Jihad; Mujahideen; U.S. embassies’ attacks

  Algiers attacks and, 317

  Bali nightclub attacks and, 316

  Black Hawk helicopters attacks and, 316

  children of, 237

  chronology of, 315–17

  code for, 236

  Danish embassy attack and, 317

  founding of, 78, 306, 315

  Ghriba synagogue attack and, 316

  Hamza for, 298

  Indonesia attacks and, 316, 317

  Iraq attacks and, 317

  for Islamic Jihad, 193

  Israeli plane attack and, 316

  Johnson kidnapping/death and, 317

  Jordan attacks and, 317

  Kenya hotel attack and, 316

  Khobar Towers building attack and, 309, 316

  Khost training camp for, 240–41

  London attack and, 317

  membership in, 197–98

  Morocco attacks and, 316

  9/11 and, 312–13, 316

  9/11 U.S. retaliation on, 313

  Pearl kidnapping/death and, 316

  recruiting for, 144, 178

  Saudi Arabia attacks and, 316, 317

  Spain attacks and, 317

  Taliban v., 174–75

  Turkey attacks and, 317

  U.S. embassy attacks and, 311, 316

  U.S. embassy attacks retaliation on, 311

  USS Cole attack and, 277–78, 312, 316

  al-Qaeda trainees. See also training camps anti-American lectures for, 195

  clothing of, 195

  dates about, 196

  hugger as, 196–97

  hygiene of, 196

  jokers as, 197

  loyalty oath from, 195

  Osama’s drivers among, 197

  renaming of, 198

  routine of, 195–96

  sports for, 196

  weapons training of, 196

  rada (milk mother), 105

  rape

  of boys, 131–32

  fear of, 132–33

  religion. See Christians; Islam; Jews

  al-Riyadh Village (Sudan), 94

  royal family. See also specific royalty

  America and, 82–83

  criticisms of, 84–85, 126–27, 306, 307

  family farm raid and, 84

  loyalty to, 82–83

  offers and, 82, 126, 306

  Russia, 177. See also Afghanistan; Soviet Union

  Russian helicopter attacks, 34–36

  God and, 36

  Sa’ad. See bin Laden, Sa’ad Sabar, Khairiah. See bin Laden, Khairiah Sabar

  Sadat, Anwar, 130, 131, 135–36, 295–96

  safe houses, 239–40, 244, 311

  Sakhr. See Hamdan, Salim Ahmad Salim

  Salim. See Hamdan, Salim Ahmad Salim

  Salwa, 29, 302

  Sasson, Jean

  Najwa and, 289

  Najwa/Omar v., xiv

  Omar and, 287–90

  on political activities, 29–30, 77–78

  al-Saud, Abdul Aziz, 292

  al-Saud, Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, 11, 286

  al-Saud, Fahd bin abdul Aziz

  Hussein v., 80

  insult to, 127

  letter to, 309

  offer from, 254

  al-Saud, Naif bin Abdul Aziz

  meetings with, 82

  restriction from, 85

  Saudi Arabia. See also bin Laden, Najwa Ghanem; Jeddah; Mecca; Medina; Osama (young married); political activities

  Americans’ contamination of, 83, 84, 85, 306, 307, 309

  America’s defense of, 82–83

  attacks in, 309–10, 316, 317

  book about, 288

  disconnection from, 128, 309

  facts on, 11

  flight from, 85, 92–93, 307

  Haj attack in, 303

  Hussein’s demands from, 79–80

  Johnson kidnapping/death in, 317

  Khobar Towers building attack in, 309, 316

  map of, 11

  al-Qaeda attacks in, 316, 317

  respect in, 288

  sex segregation in, 109

  women soldiers in, 84

  Saudi bin Laden Group, 19, 292

  Sayaff, Sheik, 155

  appearance of, 156

  September 11. See 9
/11

  Services Office. See also al-Qaeda

  founding of, 77, 192–93, 304

  for housing/training, 192

  Shaakr, Abu, 211–12

  Shafiq al-Madani, 82

  Sharaf, Mohammed, 131, 132–33

  Sharif, Khadijah. See bin Laden, Khadijah

  sheik. See also specific sheiks

  on singing, 200

  Siham. See bin Laden, Siham

  singing

  Osama against, 199

  sheik on, 200

  soccer, 44, 81

  Somalia, 39

  against America, 145

  Black Hawk helicopter attack in, 145

  Mogadishu attack in, 308

  sons

  political activities and, 34–36

  as “prisoners,” 42–43

  status from, 24, 27, 51, 54, 74

  Soviet Union

  in Afghanistan, 27, 30, 177, 303–6

  Jihad against, 30

  Spain, al-Qaeda attacks in, 317

  sports

  for bin Laden sons, 44, 101, 110–11, 120–22

  brutality in, 110–11

  soccer, 44, 81

  swimming, 98–99, 101, 120–22

  Sudan. See also Khartoum

  to Afghanistan, 134–44, 145, 309, 310

  bin Laden women in, 101

  expulsion from, 136–45, 309, 310

  geography of, 87, 93

  map of, 87 move to, 87, 91–95, 307

  for Mujahideen, 144–45

  Osama’s loyalty for, 113, 309

  suicide missions, 199, 262–63. See also 9/11

  Sunni Muslims, Wahhabi sect, 174–75

  swimming

  for bin Laden sons, 101, 120–22

  for bin Laden women, 98–99

  Syria

  Baath Party for, xv

  facts on, xv

  Latakia in, 3–5

  map of, xv

  Najwa and, xv, 76, 85, 281–83, 312

  Taliban. See also Omar, Mullah Mohammed

  for Afghanistan, 175–76

  civilians and, 238

  clothing of, 175

  dreams and, 175

  executions and, 238

  expulsion threat on, 245

  Forse tribe v., 238

  friendly fire from, 216–17

  against Massoud, 155, 216–17, 219

  Omar, Mullah, for, 159

  Osama with, 219

  al-Qaeda v., 174–75

  to Tora Bora, 174–75

  Tanzania, U.S. embassy attack in, 236–37, 311

  teachers, cruelty of, 71–72

  terrorism

  Massoud against, 155

  Omar against, xiii, 215–16, 287

  seeds of, xiv

  terrorist

  Abdel Rahman as, 131

  Najwa v., xiii

  Omar v., xiii

  Al-Thager Model School, 19

  al-Thani, Hamad bin Khalifa, 286

  thobe, 19

  toilets, war and, 227–28

  Tora Bora (Afghanistan)

  Adel at, 161

  bin Laden family’s growth at, 202

  daily routine at, 187

  hiking in, 173

  huts in, 161–62

  illness in, 171–72

  land gift in, 152–53

  move from, 201, 205–6

  Najwa’s routine at, 187, 202–3

  after 9/11, 313

  roads to, 157, 159

 

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