Osama Bin Laden is a wanted terrorist, most know for his involvement in planning and funding the 9-11 attacks in 2001. But he was already on the Most Wanted list prior for his involvement in bombing the USS Cole in Yemen in 1998.

Bin Laden's empire is known to be funded by his family businesses in Saudi Arabia. He left Saudi Arabia in the 70's to fight against the Soviet Union during the Soviets Afghanistan invasion. Ironically while fighting with the Afghani freedom fighters Bin Laden was armed and trained by the American CIA.

Today, The US State Department calls him "one of the most significant sponsors of Islamic extremist activities in the world today".
Source(s):
http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/fugitives/laden.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/155236.stm

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From Mahalo:

"Osama bin Laden is the leader of Al Qaeda, a group that funds and trains Islamic militants to carry out attacks spreading jihad, or holy war, across the globe." His whereabouts is unknown.
Source(s):
http://www.mahalo.com/Osama_Bin_Laden

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I just like to add something not mentioned here. Most people know about Osama Bin Laden and his links with Al Queda. But the question in general is about Bin Laden.

The bin Laden family (Arabic: بن لادن‎), also spelled bin Ladin, is a wealthy family intimately connected with the innermost circles of the Saudi royal family. The family was thrown into media spotlight through the activities of one of its members, Osama bin Laden. The financial interests of the bin Laden family are represented by the Saudi Binladin Group, a global construction and equity management conglomerate grossing $5 billion U.S. dollars annually, and one of the largest construction firms in the Islamic world, with offices in London and Geneva.

There is an alleged business connections of the Bush and bin Laden families. This was discussed in Michael Moore's documentary Fahrenheit 9/11
Source(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bin_Laden_family

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Although almost everything about bin Laden is disputed, the following facts are largely undisputed.
Osama bin Laden was born March 10, 1957, to a wealthy and privileged Saudi family with connections to Saudi royalty. His parents divorced when he was very young, and he lived with his mother and her new husband. Although he studied economics and business administration, he may not have completed his university education.
He is a student of the Quran and has expressed radical interpretations of it in video and audio recordings. He has expressed a belief in the absolute correctness of Sharia law.
In the early 1980s he became heavily involved in the war against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. He had a major role in providing supplies and forces. During this period he founded or became affiliated with al Qaeda. In 1998 he became an announced part of the "International Islamic Front for Jihad Against the Jews and Crusaders", and anti-U.S./Israeli group. Associates have been convicted of terrorist acts, and he has claimed responsibility for the Trade Tower attack in 2001.
He has been charged or indicted for several acts of terrorism, including the bombing of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, and rumors link him to many more. There are bounties for his capture of more than $25 million.
He married first at 17 and has fathered as many as 25 children. bin Laden is a tall (6'4 or more), thin man who walks with a cane. He is left-handed.
There have been as many rumors of his death as there are rumors of his involvement in terrorist acts. Dead or not, he is an international symbol for terrorism and is a well funded, well connected religious extremist.
Source(s):
http://www.mahalo.com/Osama_Bin_Laden
http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/fugitives/laden.htm
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/osamabinladen.html
http://www.adl.org/terrorism_america/bin_L.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osama_bin_Laden

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