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American Morning

America's New War: Profile of Bin Laden

Aired September 19, 2001 - 09:53   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAUN, CNN ANCHOR: Now that President Bush called Osama bin Laden a prime suspect a lot of you might be wondering how it is that a son of Saudi billionaire could end up, if it is proven, to pull off this massive of a terrorist attack.

Mike Boettcher now gives us some insights.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN ANCHOR, (voice-over): Though the evidence is still being examined, one name tops the list of suspects; it's a name that's been on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list since 1999: Osama bin Laden.

The 44-year-old bin Laden, through a spokesman, denies any involvement, but U.S. intelligence agencies say his fingerprints are unmistakable.

In western intelligence circles, bin Laden has been well-known for years for this document, "A Call for Jihad," or holy war.

But Osama bin Laden doesn't come from family of extremists, he was born the son of a billionaire Saudi businessman, the 17th of 52 children, some of whom live in the United States. His father built the largest construction business in Saudi Arabia.

Osama joined the family operation at young age, developing an expertise in demolition. But in 1979 the religious 23-year-old left his comfortable life and took a radical turn. That year the Soviets invaded Afghanistan and bin Laden joined the Afghan opposition, offering money, equipment and know how. By 1986 bin Laden was running training camps and leading his own troops into battle.

When the war ended bin Laden founded al Qaeda, a multinational terrorist network. It's members use the most up-to-date technology, satellite phone, e-mail, fax, to coordinate their activities from all over the world. It grew thousands of volunteers.

When the Gulf War broke out in 1990 an outraged bin Laden began to target a new enemy: America. He declared a holy war against his new enemy and a set of demands that hold to this day: Bin laden wants U.S. troops out of Saudi Arabia; he opposes U.S. bombing campaigns in Iraq; he is against U.S. support of Israel; and he objects to U.S. backing of Arab nations he deems un-Islamic, such as Egypt. In the next decade, Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda organization would be implicated in a series of attacks on Americans at home and abroad.

In 1992 the first American victims, 18 servicemen killed in Somalia, a Muslim nation embroiled in famine and civil war. Nineteen ninety three, a bomb at the World Trade Center, six people killed and thousands injured. Bin Laden denies any involvement, but he was named one of many indicted co-conspirators. Nineteen ninety five, 1996, bin Laden possibly linked to two bombings in Saudi Arabia, 24 U.S. troops dead. Nineteen ninety eight, bombs at two U.S. embassies in Africa kill 224 people. Bin laden has been indicted as the mastermind behind the attack. Two thousand, the bombing of the USS Cole kills 17 U.S. sailors. Osama bin Laden is the principal focus on the investigation.

For the last several years, bin Laden has believed to be in hiding in the remote mountains in Afghanistan, where he is beyond the reach of U.S. law enforcement. The country is dominated by the Taliban, a movement of religious students turned warriors, who have imposed their harsh interpretation of Islam. In 1997, bin Laden tried to explain the logic behind his tactics.

OSAMA BIN LADEN, ALLEGED TERRORIST (through translator): The U.S. today has set a double standard, calling whoever goes against its injustice a terrorist. It wants to occupy our countries, steal our resources, impose agents on us to rule us, and then wants us to agree to all this. If we refuse to do so, it says we are terrorists.

BOETTCHER: And he made clear he had no intention of changing his ways or his future plans.

LADEN: You will see them and hear about them in the media. God willing.

BOETTCHER: Mike Boettcher, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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