He came to Afghanistan as a stranger and reached his demise in Pakistan as an outcast. He fits the epitome of the ghuraba. To his enemies, they celebrate his death and he has perished forever prevented from threathening them but by his own mission he has achieved martyrdom.
Being constantly hounded and hunted, he has been hyped according to dubious political agendas. He was alive and well being amazingly able to deliver video messages and communiques with ease in the time of Bush. His persistent threats kept alive Bush's penchant for invasion, occupation and war as well as ensuring Bush's re-election. His death made out Obama as a war hero and rekindled Obama's re-election chances despite rapidly declining popularity.
Who he really was is sketchy and there is much which is unavailable except for rare interviews mostly involving western journalists. He was a recluse who was always on the run and forever a target for assassination ever since he took to undertake jihad in Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion. His comrades such as Dr Abdullah Azzam and Sheikh Anwar Shaaban were assassinated as well as many others who were marked with death from the beginning of their global resistance movement.
He was said to be a project manager for his family's construction company responsible for the renovation and enhancement of the Haram al Sharif. In his university days he was moved by the sermons and admired Dr Azzam's call to practical jihad and to rise up to fight injustice. He went to Afghanistan to join the resistance to fight the Soviet occupiers. He set up guest houses for foreign volunteers and he brought construction equipment and expertise to construct infrastructure and underground hospitals for the jihad. His charisma and personal friendship with fellow Saudis to the highest levels ensured material and full support for his efforts.
During those days, he was a hero to Muslims and to the West who were fighting their proxy war against the Russian communists. Reagan once described the mujahideen as similar to America's founding fathers in praising their resolute resistance.
After the Soviets were defeated and left the country, he was disillusioned by the severe and relentless disunity among bickering mujahideen factions leading to protracted civil war and self destruction over again. He was there in a failed gathering among mujahideen leaders to reach a political understanding led by Dr Abdullah Naseef. He kept listening to leaders saying mustahil - impossible - to every option offered.
When he returned to Saudi Arabia, he was especially disappointed with the kingdom's decision to invite US armed forces over Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. He had also enjoined reform supporting dissident ulama in submitting a memorandum to the kingdom's rulers which resulted in a harsh response. Saudi Arabia which once heaped praise on him and gave him support was then not safe for him anymore.
He left Saudi Arabia and went to Sudan which declared itself as dawlah al tamkin - the state of shariah-undertaking construction work for the fledgling Islamic state. Many followed him to Sudan being their only place of shelter, refuge and sanction. By this time, he already had a very high price on his head. The other members of the mujahideen had been hunted down in their own countries and arrested, there were no place to go. So they all went along to Sheikh Osama.
Others went to fight in Bosnia being well received in the beginning. Later on in Bosnia as they showed themselves to be quite capable in combat operations against the Serbs, Nato came down hard on them forcing them to leave the country which they had helped in the hour of need. Again many were assassinated and arrested.
After a series of terror bombings on civilians in Africa and US military barracks in Khobar, he was publicly declared the terrorist responsible. The US launched cruise missiles against targets in Sudan.
Under severe pressure, Sudan forced the ouster of Osama. The President of Afghanistan invited him back and he returned to the country which was still most welcoming. He was seen to be leaning towards the Taliban in the civil war supporting them and giving them his allegiance when they swept to power in Kabul.
After an attack on a US navy ship in Yemen, the mujahideen camps in Afghanistan were targets for more cruise missiles. He was then already persistently targeted to be killed. He made his infamous declaration of war against the US and its allies blaming them and the Zionists for the gross injustice and occupation of the Muslim lands including the land of the holy places, Saudi Arabia.
After 9/11, he was blamed for the attacks which led to another invasion of Afghanistan and his disappearance for a long time until that fateful day in Abbottabad.
Robert Fisk commented that he should have been brought to justice and allowed due process. In fact Fisk said the injustices suffered by the Muslims throughout has to be addressed so that there was no reason for anyone to decide to attack America or its interests.
Instead Osama was shot and killed by a death squad and his body thrown into the sea out of fear or whatever intriguing reasons still unknown. He remained an outcast hurled into the vast Arabian sea.
