Osama Bin Laden

Usamah bin Mohammed bin Laden, known as Osama bin Laden, was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 1957. His father, Mohammed bin Laden, was a builder and contractor and had 11 wives and at least 52 children. Mohammed's 11th bride, a petite Syrian woman, produced only one child, Osama. It was rumored that she was Mohammed's favorite wife, and although Osama was his 17th son, he was also favored by his father.

Mohammed bin Laden moved his family from Yemen to Saudi Arabia to enhance business opportunities for his construction company. Mohammed had connections with the royal family in Saudi, the house of al-Saud. Ultimately, bin Laden's construction corporation became one of the largest and most profitable construction companies in Saudi Arabia. Mohammed's connection to the ...