ALBAWABA - A user on X (formerly Twitter) called Belal Elbukhary shared on his official account a picture of an article by the British newspaper, The Independent in 1993 showcasing something surprising about Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
The article was praising Osama bin Laden as a "warrior and freedom fighter" against the Soviet Union and referred to him as part of the West and a "global Jihadi" against Russians with the praise of all Arab countries.
This is a surprising take on the figure as he's seen by the West including the United States and Britain as a "terrorist" and the mastermind behind the tragic 9/11 attack.
Bin Laden's military organization is best known as "Al-Qaeda" but is internationally recognized as a terrorist organization rather than a military one.
Was Osama bin Laden an anti-Soviet warrior?
The picture of the article in question is not really visible since it's quite blurry but it was titled in bold as follows; Anti-Soviet warrior puts his army on the road to peace.
The article was reposted on The Independent's official website. It was written by Robert Fisk, who is the first-ever Western journalist to interview Osama bin Laden.
The Independent also referred to Bin Laden as "the Saudi businessman who also oversaw building work in the country of Sudan."
The Seattle Times and other U.S. newspapers reported the death of Osama bin Laden on May 02, 2011. (Shutterstock)
Social media user Belal criticized the contradictory outlook of the US and the UK, which labeled Osama bin Laden as a warrior during the Soviet war but added him to the wanted list after the 9/11 attacks.
He wrote on X:
"Yes, these are the same "terrorists" they have been fighting for years until today after the magic turned against them!
Simply put, this is the mentality of the West, and today they accuse Hamas of terrorism."
