Birth of Osama bin Laden
Birth of Osama bin Laden
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Osama bin Laden Biography and Timeline
Follow Osama bin Laden through 68 dated historical records for Saudi Arabia.
Osama bin Laden, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
68Distinct records
1 of 2Page
1957–2000Years on this page
1957
1984
Al-Qaeda
Maktab al-Khidamat is established by Abdullah Azzam and Bin Laden in Peshawar, Pakistan
Maktab al-Khidamat
Maktab al-Khidamat is established by Abdullah Azzam and Bin Laden in Peshawar, Pakistan
1986
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda begins to set up a network of recruiting offices in the United States, the hub of which is the Al Kifah Refugee Center at the Farouq Mosque in Brooklyns Atlantic Avenue
1987
Maktab al-Khidamat
Azzam and bin Laden start creating camps inside Afghanistan
1988
Al-Qaeda
Formed to take up the jihadist cause after the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan. Formed during meeting between "several senior leaders" of Egyptian Islamic Jihad, Abdullah Azzam, and Osama bin Laden, where it was agreed to join bin Ladens money with the expertise of the Islamic Jihad organisation
Al-Qaeda
Formed during meeting between "several senior leaders" of Egyptian Islamic Jihad, Abdullah Azzam, and Osama bin Laden, where it was agreed to join bin Ladens money with the expertise of the Islamic Jihad organisation
1990
Saudi Defence Proposal
Saudi leaders instead accept protection from international coalition forces.
Al-Qaeda
Bin Laden offers the services of his mujahideen to King Fahd to protect Saudi Arabia from the Iraqi army, the Saudi monarch refuses bin Ladens offer, opting instead to allow US and allied forces to deploy troops into Saudi territory
Exile of Osama bin Laden
After speaking publicly against the Saudi Government for harboring American troops, he was banished and forced to live in exile in Sudan
Mujahideen
Bin Laden offers the services of his mujahideen to King Fahd to protect Saudi Arabia from the Iraqi army, the Saudi monarch refuses bin Ladens offer, opting instead to allow US and allied forces to deploy troops into Saudi territory
1991
Bombing of New York
Al-Qaedas involvement is unclear but some analysts believe after the attack the group seeks out the plotter Ramzi Yousef and offers him money, Yousef later serves a life sentence for the attack. A bomb explodes at the World Trade Center
Al-Qaeda
Sudan becomes alQaedas base for business operations and preparations for jihad, from here a number of attacks on Western targets are alleged to have been organised or supported. A bomb explodes at the World Trade Center
1992
Coup
The Al-Qaeda move to Sudan follows an Islamist coup in Sudan, led by Colonel Omar al-Bashir, who professed a commitment to reordering Muslim political values
Exile of Osama bin Laden
The Al-Qaeda move to Sudan follows an Islamist coup in Sudan, led by Colonel Omar al-Bashir, who professed a commitment to reordering Muslim political values. From around 1992 to 1996, al-Qaeda and bin Laden based themselves in Sudan at the invitation of Islamist theoretician Hassan al Turabi
Coup
The Al-Qaeda move to Sudan follows an Islamist coup in Sudan, led by Colonel Omar al-Bashir, who professed a commitment to reordering Muslim political values
Exile of Osama bin Laden
The Al-Qaeda move to Sudan follows an Islamist coup in Sudan, led by Colonel Omar al-Bashir, who professed a commitment to reordering Muslim political values. From around 1992 to 1996, al-Qaeda and bin Laden based themselves in Sudan at the invitation of Islamist theoretician Hassan al Turabi
1993
Al-Qaeda
Members of a Somali militia shoot down two Black Hawk helicopters, the US believes that Al-Qaeda fighters helped train those responsible for the incident in which 18 American servicemen were killed
Al-Qaeda
A key turning point for bin Laden, further pitting him against the Sauds, occurred in 1993 when Saudi Arabia gave support for the Oslo Accords which set a path for peace between Israel and Palestinians
Al-Qaeda
Saudi support for the Oslo process contributes to bin Laden's hostility toward the Saudi monarchy
Oslo Accords
A key turning point for bin Laden, further pitting him against the Sauds, occurred in 1993 when Saudi Arabia gave support for the Oslo Accords which set a path for peace between Israel and Palestinians
Oslo Accords
Bin Laden views Saudi support for the Oslo Accords as evidence of unacceptable compromise with Israel
1994
Citizenship
Due to bin Ladens continuous verbal assault on King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, on 5 March 1994 Fahd sent an emissary to Sudan demanding bin Ladens passport; bin Ladens Saudi citizenship was also revoked
Exile of Osama bin Laden
Due to bin Ladens continuous verbal assault on King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, on 5 March 1994 Fahd sent an emissary to Sudan demanding bin Ladens passport; bin Ladens Saudi citizenship was also revoked
1995
Exile of Osama bin Laden
An attempt to assassinate Egyptian president Mubarak led to the expulsion of bin Laden, by the Sudanese Government
1996
Al-Qaeda
Bin Laden leaves Sudan and returns to Afghanistan
Bombing of Dhahran
A bomb rips through a US military housing complex near Dhahran Saudi Arabia killing 19 Americans
Alliance Osama bin Laden and Taliban
Osama bin Laden had lived in Afghanistan along with other members of al-Qaeda, operating terrorist training camps in a loose alliance with the Taliban
Declaration of War
Bin Laden issues a fatwa against the United States of America and its allies
Fatwah
Bin Laden issues a fatwa against the United States of America and its allies. Al-Qaeda announceds its Jihad to expel foreign troops and interests from Islamic lands
Jihad
Bin Laden issues a fatwa against the United States of America and its allies. Al-Qaeda announceds its Jihad to expel foreign troops and interests from Islamic lands
Fatwah
Al-Qaeda announceds its Jihad to expel foreign troops and interests from Islamic lands
Jihad
Al-Qaeda announceds its Jihad to expel foreign troops and interests from Islamic lands
1998
Al-Qaeda
Bin Laden issues fatwa calling for attacks on US citizens
Al-Qaeda
US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania are bombed
Bombing of US Embassies
US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania are bombed
Bombing of US Embassies
The US retaliates against the bombings of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania with air strikes against alleged training camps in Sudan and Afghanistan
2000
Al-Qaeda
Two suicide attackers ram a boat carrying explosives into the USS Cole in Aden port killing 17 American sailors
Bombing of USS Cole
Two suicide attackers ram a boat carrying explosives into the USS Cole in Aden port killing 17 American sailors
Suicide
Two suicide attackers ram a boat carrying explosives into the USS Cole in Aden port killing 17 American sailors
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.