by Jean Sasson
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
&nb
sp; 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
storm at, 203–4
Taliban to, 174–75
view of, 160
water at, 186
toys
for bin Laden, Mohammed, 67