Twenty-five years ago, the September 11, 2001 attacks orchestrated by Al Qaeda reshaped global politics and security policy. Back then, the group had a recognizable leader in Saudi millionaire Osama bin Laden, a home base in Afghanistan, and a clear enemy in the United States. Today, that version of Al Qaeda barely exists—but the organization never vanished. Instead, it transformed and spread into new territories.
Al Qaeda—Arabic for “the base”—was founded in August 1988 during meetings in Peshawar, Pakistan, as the Soviet Union’s occupation of Afghanistan was winding down. Bin Laden, who had fought alongside Afghan mujahideen against Soviet forces, originally envisioned the group as a database tracking foreign fighters, their fates, and their funding, with the goal of mobilizing trained volunteers for a global jihad once Soviet troops withdrew in 1989.
Before 9/11, Al Qaeda operated as a surprisingly hierarchical organization, with bin Laden as emir, Egyptian militant Ayman al-Zawahiri as his top deputy, and Mohammed Atef overseeing military operations. An advisory council and specialized divisions handled intelligence, finances, and propaganda. The group planned major strikes directly, including the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen, which killed 17 American sailors, and later approved the 9/11 plot proposed by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.
Contrary to popular belief, bin Laden didn’t simply bankroll terrorism with personal wealth—the group’s financing was more complex. To learn how Al Qaeda’s structure and reach have shifted since then, read the full report at eltiempo.com.
Source: ¿Qué pasó con Al Qaeda después de los atentados del 11-S en EE. UU.? Así cambió el grupo terrorista en 25 años (eltiempo.com). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: SSgt. Dean Wagner.