History glossary
al-Qaeda
the militant Islamist network led by Osama bin Laden that carried out the September 11 attacks.
- Category
- Militant organisation
- Region
- Global
- Date range
- from 1988
What it means
Al-Qaeda is a militant Islamist network formed from transnational jihadist networks that grew around the Afghan-Soviet war. Under Osama bin Laden, it carried out attacks against U.S. and allied targets, including the September 11 attacks.
Related terms
Stories using this term
The World After The Cold War
From the fall of the Soviet Union to the rise of China and global terrorism, this story traces the turbulent reshaping of the international order after 1991.
The United States After 9/11
After 9/11, the United States launched the War on Terror, invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, expanded surveillance and homeland security, and entered a long era of costly war and deep political division.
