Osama Bin Laden As A Teenager

He probably looks older from the stress; his is not an easy job!

god this screams FAKE at me, i guess we are supposed to go "gosh how can someone so innocent looking become so evil?"

the whole photo looks like its a promotional shot for a broadway show

The photo is authentic. There was an article in a newspaper here in Sweden a year or two ago about the visit, with photos, interviews with people who met the bin Ladens etc. As I recall it, they were visiting some business acquaintance that bin Laden senior had in Falun.

Hmm. 22 kids. If one of the women in that picture is mom...She looks fantastic. (Did Osama's father have multiple wives??)

They must be so proud.

For some reason, I thought that Osama is a dialysis patient (which would explain why he looks 20 years older than he is).

Oh yeah, and that was why we all got the "Osama must be dead by now" story, I believe.

I seem to remember hearing both Osama and his father had several wives. I've also heard that the total number of bin Laden siblings is around 50. The others, from what I hear, stayed with their father's construction business instead of going into the destruction business. Reason #437 that polygamy is a bad idea - having over 50 people getting stuck with Osama bin Laden as a brother.

Oh, this looks so fake. All the people look like cardboard cutouts, and a lot of the clothes look as if they were changed with the Colorize tool. (For example, the purple pants.)

I see that I maybe wasn't clear enough in my earlier posting: the photo was published in the article I read some year ago in a Swedish newspaper. So, yes, it is authentic.

I do have to point out that the picture being published in a newspaper does not necessarily mean it's authentic.

Oh my Godddd, the seventies clothes...

I have no problem believing the picture is authentic, but it seems to be "colorized". I think that is why people think it looks fake. I have no idea if the original was black and white or just faded color, but this picture has had color enhancement.

Yeah, I saw that picture on some reputable news program... I think it was Frontline on PBS. But it does look colorized. You think Osama is pissed that they put him in a pea green shirt?
Hmmm... perhaps now we're at the source of his anger.

Look the signs on the store windows : FYND -> FDNY ???

Oh and the other poster is right. It is not because its said on tv or the newspaper that its true without a doubt. I for one don't believe its authentic.

I don't think the FYND sign in the window is any reference to the new york fire department. This is what a shopper's guide to Sweden says about the term:

<i>Bargain hunting: Special signs indicate sales or price cuts.

I am sorry to report that those clothes and those colors are absolutely authentic for circa 1971 fashions. As for the general coloration of the photo; all color prints fade with time to a greater or lesser degree. Usually, the colors take on more of a brown or yellowish cast with time. So the picture could be genuine, though I have no idea if it is or not.

I think I've read that Osama Bin Laden has scores of siblings and half-siblings-- his father did indeed have multiple wives. Osama himself has four wives, I think, which is the maximum any good Muslim (or in his case, maybe I should say a bad but devout Muslim) is allowed.

The one thing that makes me suspicious is the Chrysler Imperial. Back in the 1980s, I traveled all around Sweden, and I don't recall ever seeing a Chrysler, or any other American-made car, in the whole country.

At the very least, this is a colorized b&w photograph. At worst, it's a complete fake.

Look closely at the faces -- all are colored tan, no variation on each face, not even for the eyes. This is a cheap Photoshop painting in "color" mode effect.

I can't tell yet if the black and white photo is a fake too. some of the people look a bit odd, and the perspective seems off on a few of them. Also, it looks like the car has an American license plate on it.

For what its worth, you can clearly see where they've run the Dodge tool over the couple on the left; they have a halo around their heads, most noticeable in the shop window. Note also a young Dustin Hoffman, circa 'Marathon Man', standing on top of the car, next to the kid with the cool sunglasses. Also, if you've seen 'One Day in September', the film about the 1972 Munich Olympic massacre, the chap at the bottom looks a bit like the 'Sly Stone' terrorist with the floppy hat. The clothes are fantastic, though, and have come full-circle in the fashion stakes. I think.

My opinion, for what its worth, is that the photo is real, but colorized. The bin Landin family was and still is, very pro-American, thus the American car. If the family was on a vacation, they might have driven one or more American cars throughout Europe as a show of their affection for America. As for the number of children, I've heard various numbers in the range of 50-65. It seems the old man not only had multiple wives but has lost track of some of the children. Aside from Osama who was disowned. Since I never made it to Sweden while in Europe, I can't say if the sign is fake or not.

The windows look odd since they're NOT colorized. Also, look at the perfectly vertical white line next to the little girl on top of the car -- no way that could occur naturally...

Maybe it's an old publicity picture for a Saudi Arabian sitcom called "Welcome Back Akmed"?

Yeah, those are the Sweatjackals. "I've got a note from Osama's mom, too!"

Until I see it on 60 Minutes, I won't believe it.

As far as I'm aware the photo's genuine and is mentioned in a guardian article here http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,557533,00.html the article says that it was taken in Falun, Sweden for a local newspaper. Casting my mind back I'm pretty sure it's a black and white photo that's been colorized, but I haven't been able to track down the original. Incidentally just after 911 Prince Philip allegedly met with one of the Bin Laden's at a charity fund raising event (no I'm not joking, the Bin Laden's are on a par financially with the British royals)and his first comment was "So how's your brother?" Apparently this didn't go down too well.

There's also an interview with the journalist, Hans Lindquist, who reported the story that the photo accompanied in the 70's here http://media.guardian.co.uk/presspublishing/story/0,,557466,00.html
Apparantly the photo is now owned by the news agency Camera Press, but they're pretty awkward when it comes to getting info out of them.

The pic may have been colorized for effects. It might have been easier to show Osama.

That girl on the left is kinda cute.

Just means more... experience.
Oh yeah.

j/k

I believe this is a real pic. No wonder Osama wants to destroy the western world after he has seen Sweden. 😉
I have seen a better version of this pic, larger res and less color.

"The one thing that makes me suspicious is the Chrysler Imperial. Back in the 1980s, I traveled all around Sweden, and I don't recall ever seeing a Chrysler, or any other American-made car, in the whole country."

That's because Swedish people relized how bad american cars are.

Heres the original image, and yes its an authentic photo. Oh and please dont hate... with money you can get any damn car you want on any part of this globe.. let alone american trash.

His First sister was with Steve Wynn in LV and he sent her to Syria

i think osama sucks

DO THEY ALL FIT IN THAT CAR? 😊

Look at their noses. All the same, clearly not a cut and paste job - and if it is, then I envy that person.
And if someone missed the linkage put up of the original black and white photo, it's below.
http://www.uni-muenster.de/PeaCon/global-texte/g-notes/osama71.htm

case closed. =]

that isnt Osama its a woman

"The one thing that makes me suspicious is the Chrysler Imperial. Back in the 1980s, I traveled all around Sweden, and I don't recall ever seeing a Chrysler, or any other American-made car, in the whole country."


In this particular part of Sweden they happen to love American cars. And fynd is by the way the swedish word for "special offer", has nothing to do with any fire department..

I saw a documentary on BBC where they displayed this very picture.
The narrator said Usama did not want to appear in the picture due to religious reasons. Are you sure this is really him or a brother of his?

It's odd that in the early 70's women of that age would be allowed to dress like they are. And it looks like that mihgt be a mother over the right shoulder of the guy with the hat. Alot of these people look to be 1-2yrs difference in age. Daddy must have had a real busy year LOL

ur such a fat head liar becuz i am his sister.

In her book, Corbin notes that it is not Osama in this picture. Indeed, though the family did often travel outside of the middle east, Osama never joined (p. 5-6). The circled boy is another brother.

Corbin, Jane. (2003). "Al-Qaeda: In Search of the Terror Network that Threatens the World"

Yup, this is obviously a fake photoshop job. No way would a group of people ever conglomerate for a photo like that.

i will like to be a member of the osama bin landen club.

The bin Laden family did in fact go on vacation in Sweden. Not sure if this is the picture though, always thought it was black and white (but I have only seen it in the paper. The father was in construction of real estate and he was in Sweden to check out the prefab houses they sell there (like IKEA furniture you can also buy houses like that). Apparently Osamas older brothers made quite an impression on the local girls, that is why they still remember the visit. Falun is a very small town by the way so they probably would have been remembered just for being foreign.

That is clearly not Osama circled. That person has an earring, woman's shoes on, and woman's pants? Also, he was a bad kind of devout muslim, it's forbidden for muslims to cross-dress. Therefore, this picture is a fake. Oh, and it's also colorized using MS paint.

Health, smoking and genetics can cause a person to look older than they really are. Keep in mind that OBL did fight in wars again the USSR is under stress (poor baby - pop him in the head).

I used to work with a guy from Turkey back when I was 24years old. I though he was 40 years old.

Years later, I find out he was 21yrs old back then!