Osama bin Laden Biography: Spouse, Age, Children, Net Worth, Parents, Height, Death, Education

Biography

Osama bin Laden, born on 10 March 1957 but killed on 2 May 2011, was a prominent Saudi-born militant and the founder of the terrorist organization al-Qaeda.

Born into a wealthy family, he radicalized in the 1980s, fighting Soviet forces in Afghanistan. He masterminded numerous terrorist attacks, including the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, which killed nearly 3,000 people.

Bin Laden became the world’s most-wanted terrorist, evading capture until U.S. forces killed him in Abbottabad, Pakistan, on May 2, 2011.

Saudi militant
Osama bin Laden
Wiki Facts & About Data
Real Name:	shokoya
Stage Name:	Osama bin Laden
Born:	10 March 1957 (age 54 years old)
Place of Birth:	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Died:	2 May 2011 (age 54 years), Abbottabad, Pakistan
Nationality:	Saudi Arabian
Education:	Al-Thagr Model School, King Abdulaziz University
Height:	1.93 m
Parents:	Muhammad bin Laden, Hamida al-Attas
Siblings:	Yeslam bin Laden, Bakr bin Laden, Ibrahim bin Laden, Salem bin Laden, Ali bin Laden, Tarek bin Laden, Sana bin Laden, Shaikha Mohammed bin Laden, Mohammad bin Laden, Khalil bin Laden, Yahya bin Laden, Mahrous bin Laden, Haider bin Laden, Ghalib bin Laden, Hassan bin Laden, Abdul Aziz bin Laden, Yasser bin Laden, Ahmed bin Laden, Thabet bin Laden, Issa bin Laden, Abdullah bin Laden, Khalid bin Laden
Spouse:	Amal al-Sadah (m. 2000–2011), Siham Sabar (m. 1987–2011), Khairiah Sabar (m. 1985–2011), Khadijah Sharif (m. 1983–1990), Najwa Ghanem (m. 1974–1983)
Girlfriend • Partner:	Not Dating
Children:	Omar bin Laden, Hamza bin Laden, Khalid bin Laden, Sumaiya bin Laden, Abdallah bin Laden, Miriam bin Laden, Saad bin Laden, Safiyah bin Laden, Iman bin Laden, Osman bin Laden, Nour bin Laden, Hussein bin Laden, Amer bin Laden, Zainab bin Laden, Laden bin Laden, Rukhaiya bin Laden, Khadija bin Laden, Ryon bin Laden, Fatima bin Laden, Aisha bin Laden, Abdul Rahman bin Laden, Khadijah bint Osama bin Laden, Aasiah bin Laden, Mohammed bin Laden, Ali bin Laden, Ibrahim bin Laden
Occupation:	Militant • Terrorist
Net Worth:	$29 million-$100 million (USD)

Early Life & Education

Osama bin Laden was born on March 10, 1957, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He was of Arab ethnicity with Yemeni descent and followed Sunni Islam, later adopting a Wahhabi-influenced jihadist ideology.

His father, Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden (also known as Muhammad bin Laden), was a wealthy Yemeni immigrant who built a vast construction empire in Saudi Arabia. His mother, Alia Ghanem (also known as Hamida al-Attas), was a Syrian of Palestinian descent.

Osama was one of over 50 children of Mohammed, who had multiple wives, and had numerous half-siblings, including notable brothers like Salem, Bakr, and Yeslam bin Laden. His mother remarried, giving him at least one stepbrother, Ahmad.

Osama attended elite schools in Jeddah, including Al-Thagr Model School, and studied economics and business administration at King Abdulaziz University, though it’s unclear if he completed a degree.

During his university years, he was exposed to Islamic studies and radical Islamist ideologies, including those of the Muslim Brotherhood and Sayyid Qutb, which deepened his religious fervour. Growing up in a privileged environment in Jeddah, Osama benefited from his father’s wealth and connections to the Saudi monarchy.

After his parents’ divorce, he lived with his mother and stepfather. The political climate of the 1970s, particularly the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, radicalized him, leading to his involvement in jihadist causes and the founding of al-Qaeda in 1988.

Career

Osama bin Laden rose from a privileged background to become the infamous leader of the global terrorist network al-Qaeda.

Born into the wealthy bin Laden family in Saudi Arabia, he initially worked in the family-owned Saudi Binladin Group, a construction empire founded by his father, Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden. Although his involvement in the business was limited compared to his siblings, he gained valuable experience in finance and logistics through his education in economics and business administration.

Bin Laden’s trajectory shifted dramatically during the Soviet-Afghan War (1979–1989). Motivated by growing Islamist beliefs, he travelled to Afghanistan in the early 1980s to support the mujahideen fighters resisting Soviet occupation.

Using his personal wealth and donations from Saudi supporters, he funded the resistance, provided logistical support, and applied his construction expertise to build essential infrastructure like tunnels and roads. In 1984, he co-founded Maktab al-Khidamat (MAK) with Abdullah Azzam, creating a network for fundraising and recruiting foreign fighters for the jihad.

In 1988, bin Laden founded al-Qaeda, a militant organization with the goal of waging global jihad against perceived enemies of Islam, particularly the United States and its allies. After the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, he returned to Saudi Arabia but became openly critical of the Saudi monarchy, especially over its reliance on U.S. forces during the Gulf War (1990–1991).

His dissent led to his expulsion in 1991, prompting him to relocate to Sudan. There, he financed al-Qaeda operations through businesses in agriculture and construction while planning early terrorist attacks, including the 1992 Yemen hotel bombings.

In 1996, bin Laden was forced to leave Sudan under international pressure and sought refuge in Afghanistan, where he established a close alliance with the Taliban.

From Afghan soil, he expanded al-Qaeda’s global reach, orchestrating devastating attacks such as the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, the 2000 USS Cole bombing, and the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States, which killed nearly 3,000 people. These attacks solidified his reputation as the world’s most-wanted terrorist.

As al-Qaeda’s leader, bin Laden relied on strategic planning, propaganda, and a decentralized network of operatives to sustain his campaigns. His charisma and financial acumen allowed him to maintain influence over extremist groups worldwide.

For nearly a decade after 9/11, he evaded capture, hiding in remote regions of Afghanistan and later Pakistan. On May 2, 2011, U.S. Navy SEALs located and killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan, bringing an end to a decade-long manhunt and closing a significant chapter in the fight against global terrorism.

Personal Life

Osama bin Laden was born on March 10, 1957, and was 54 years old when he was killed on May 2, 2011.

He married five known women, following Islamic polygamy customs. Najwa Ghanem (m. 1974–1983), his first cousin, married when he was 17 and she was 14, had 11 children before their separation.

He also married Khadijah Sharif (m. 1983–1990), a Saudi woman, had several children before their divorce. Khairiah Sabar (m. 1985–2011), a Saudi scholar, had at least one child and remained married until his death. Siham Sabar (m. 1987–2011), another Saudi, had multiple children and stayed married until his death. Amal al-Sadah (m. 2000–2011), a Yemeni woman married at age 15, bore at least one child and was with him at his death.

Bin Laden had an estimated 20–26 children, including sons Abdullah, Saad, Omar, and Hamza bin Laden, some of whom were linked to al-Qaeda.

Omar later distanced himself, publishing a memoir. He stood approximately 6 feet 4 inches tall, noted for his tall, lanky build.

Cause of Death

Osama bin Laden was killed on May 2, 2011, in Abbottabad, Pakistan, during a covert operation conducted by U.S. Navy SEALs, codenamed Operation Neptune Spear.

The cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and head, inflicted by SEAL Team Six members who stormed his compound. The operation, authorized by President Barack Obama, followed years of intelligence efforts to locate bin Laden, who was hiding in a fortified residence.

His body was identified through DNA testing, taken to a U.S. aircraft carrier, and buried at sea within 24 hours, in accordance with Islamic practices.

Net Worth

Osama bin Laden’s net worth is estimated to have been around $29 million to $100 million at its peak, primarily from an inheritance of $25–$30 million from his father, Mohammed bin Laden, a billionaire construction magnate.

His wealth was tied to the Saudi Binladin Group and investments in Sudan during the 1990s, though much was reportedly spent on al-Qaeda’s operations, including the 9/11 attacks. By the time of his death in 2011, his fortune was likely diminished due to his fugitive status and inability to access his assets.