Editing Osama bin Laden (section)

=== Formation and structuring of al-Qaeda ===
{{Main|Al-Qaeda}}
[[File:Flag of Jihad.svg|thumb|The flag used by various [[al-Qaeda]] factions]]
By 1988,<ref name="al-Fadl">{{cite court|litigants=United States v. Usama bin Laden et al.|court=[[United States District Court for the Southern District of New York|SDNY]]|reporter=Cr.|vol=S (7) 98|opinion=1023|pinpoint=Testimony of Jamal Ahmed Mohamed al-Fadl|date=6 February 2001|url=http://cryptome.org/usa-v-ubl-02.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024164934/http://cryptome.org/usa-v-ubl-02.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Bin Laden had split from Maktab al-Khidamat. While Azzam acted as support for Afghan fighters, Bin Laden wanted a more military role. One of the main points leading to the split and the creation of al-Qaeda was Azzam's insistence that Arab fighters be integrated among the Afghan fighting groups instead of forming a separate fighting force.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bergen|2006|pp=74–88}}</ref> Notes of a meeting of Bin Laden and others on 20 August 1988, indicate that al-Qaeda was a formal group by that time: "Basically an organized Islamic faction, its goal is to lift the word of God, to make his religion victorious." A list of requirements for membership itemized the following: listening ability, good manners, obedience, and making a pledge (''[[Bay'at|bayat]]'') to follow one's superiors.<ref>{{Harvnb|Wright|2006|pp=133–134}}.</ref>

According to Wright, the group's real name was not used in public pronouncements because its existence was still a closely held secret.<ref>{{Harvnb|Wright|2006|p=260}}.</ref> His research suggests that al-Qaeda was formed at an 11 August 1988, meeting between several senior leaders of [[Egyptian Islamic Jihad]] (EIJ), Azzam, and Bin Laden, where it was agreed to join Bin Laden's money with the expertise of the EIJ and take up the jihadist cause elsewhere after the [[Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan|Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8EqWnqdsgZMC&q=August+11,+1988,+meeting+between+%22several+senior+leaders%22+of+Egyptian+Islamic+Jihad,+Abdullah+Azzam,+and+bin+Laden&pg=PA108 |title=Urban Terrorism : Myths And Realities |first=N. C |last=Asthana |page=108 |publisher=Pointer Publishers |isbn=978-81-7132-598-6 |date=1 January 2009 |access-date=18 November 2020 |archive-date=2 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202135034/https://books.google.com/books?id=8EqWnqdsgZMC&q=August+11%2C+1988%2C+meeting+between+%22several+senior+leaders%22+of+Egyptian+Islamic+Jihad%2C+Abdullah+Azzam%2C+and+bin+Laden&pg=PA108 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Following the Soviet Union's withdrawal from Afghanistan in February 1989, Bin Laden returned to Saudi Arabia as a hero of ''jihad''.<ref name="pbschronology">{{cite web |title=Who is Bin Laden?: Chronology |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/binladen/etc/cron.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414023118/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/binladen/etc/cron.html |archive-date=14 April 2010 |access-date=28 May 2010 |publisher=PBS}}</ref> Along with his Arab legion, he was thought to have brought down the mighty superpower of the Soviet Union.<ref>{{Harvnb|Wright|2006|pp=146}}</ref> After his return to Saudi Arabia, Bin Laden engaged in opposition movements to the Saudi monarchy while working for [[Saudi Binladin Group|his family business]].<ref name="pbschronology" /> He offered to send al-Qaeda to overthrow the Soviet-aligned [[Yemeni Socialist Party]] government in [[South Yemen]], but was rebuffed by Prince [[Turki bin Faisal Al Saud|Turki bin Faisal]]. He then tried to disrupt the [[Yemeni unification]] process by assassinating YSP leaders, but was halted by Saudi Interior Minister Prince [[Nayef bin Abdulaziz]] after President [[Ali Abdullah Saleh]] complained to [[Fahd of Saudi Arabia|King Fahd]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Wright|2006|pp=173–176}}</ref> He was also angered by the internecine tribal fighting among the Afghans.<ref name="Fisk-p4" /> However, he continued working with the [[General Intelligence Presidency|Saudi GID]] and the [[Inter-Services Intelligence|Pakistani ISI]]. In March 1989, Bin Laden led 800 Arab foreign fighters during the unsuccessful [[Battle of Jalalabad (1989)|Battle of Jalalabad]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fleiss |first=Alex |date=2022-04-05 |title=What happened in the battle of Jalalabad? |url=https://www.rebellionresearch.com/what-happened-in-the-battle-of-jalalabad |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=Rebellion Research |archive-date=26 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626020059/https://www.rebellionresearch.com/what-happened-in-the-battle-of-jalalabad |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name="auto">{{Cite book |last=Roy Gutman |url=http://archive.org/details/howwemissedstory00gutm |title=How we missed the story |date=2008 |publisher=US Inst Peace Pr |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-1-60127-024-5}}</ref> Bin Laden led his men in person to immobilize the 7th [[Sarandoy]] Regiment but failed doing so leading to massive casualties. He funded the [[1990 Afghan coup d'état attempt]] led by hardcore communist General [[Shahnawaz Tanai]].<ref name="auto"/> He also lobbied the [[Parliament of Pakistan]] to carry out an unsuccessful [[motion of no confidence]] against Prime Minister [[Benazir Bhutto]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Coll|first=Steve|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/52814066|title=Ghost wars : the secret history of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet invasion to 10 September 2001|date=2004|publisher=Penguin Press|isbn=1-59420-007-6|location=New York|oclc=52814066|access-date=2 July 2021|archive-date=11 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811181909/https://www.worldcat.org/title/ghost-wars-the-secret-history-of-the-cia-afghanistan-and-bin-laden-from-the-soviet-invasion-to-september-10-2001/oclc/52814066|url-status=live}}</ref>