How did Osama bin Laden vault to power in Afghanistan? Name some of the important terrorist incidents that al-Qaeda has conducted.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Al-Qaeda is easily the most recognized and feared of all radical Muslim terror groups. The group has its basis in the mujahedin, or "holy warriors," which fought against the Russians when they invaded Afghanistan in 1979. The U.S. government, eager to undermine the Soviet Union's power, offered assistance in the form of funding and personnel. The result was a jihad against the Soviet Union, fought by a coalition consisting of Afghans, Central Intelligence Agency operatives, and scores of young Arab men, drawn from places like Saudi Arabia, who were eager to fight for Islam. One such Saudi citizen was Osama bin Laden, who came from a wealthy family and who had studied civil engineering prior to arriving in Afghanistan. The United States and Saudi Arabia both applauded the efforts of bin Laden, whose efficiency and strategic knowledge led Afghan fighters toward victory.
In 1998, al-Qaeda made its first strike against the United States. A suicide bomber drove a truck into the U.S. embassy compound in Nairobi, Kenya, killing 216 people and injuring over 4,500. Eight minutes later, another truck bomb detonated in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, killing 11 and injuring over 100. The October 12, 2000, bombing of the U.S.S. Cole has also been attributed to al-Qaeda. Although bin Laden never formally took responsibility for the suicide attack, which killed 17 U.S. Navy personnel, the key suspect in the case told Yemini authorities that he and the suicide bombers were acting under the directions of Osama bin Laden.
On September 11, 2001, planes hijacked by al-Qaeda cells crashed into the Twin Towers in New York City and the Pentagon. Aboard another hijacked flight, passengers unsuccessfully fought to retake the plane to prevent its use in another attack, resulting in its crash in rural Pennsylvania and the loss of everyone aboard.