Al-Qaeda bomb maker-turned MI6 spy described what it was like meeting Osama Bin Laden

Former terrorist turned British spy Aimen Dean explains what it was like to meet Osama Bin Laden.

Dean first met the infamous Al-Qaeda leader in 1996, before he officially swore allegiance to him in 1997.

And his first impression of Bin Laden was of a dishevelled man running for his life.

Check out a clip from the surprising interview below:

We imagine that meeting Bin Laden, who ran Al-Qaeda and evaded capture for years, would be an incredibly intimidating experience.

However, according to the spy, it was somewhat 'unimpressive,' as he told LADBible TV about first meeting him in 1996: "Then I was transported two days later into Afghanistan, three months later when after I spent my time training there Osama Bin Laden arrived from Sudan, running for his life, you know into Afghanistan and started just the embryonic stages of establishing Al-Qaeda so in August of 1996.

"Myself and 13 others and who were mostly from Saudi Arabia and from other Gulf Arab countries, we went to see him."

World History Archive / Alamy Stock Photo

However, Bin Laden wasn't as intimidating as you might imagine: "Goodness, the first time I saw him, I was like, 'Is this the famous Bin Laden?' Because he really looked disheveled, he wasn't well dressed, not the same image that you see always of someone who's well dressed, and nice robes, and you know, and a turban with no crease in it.

"No, no, he was really disheveled and all of the people around him, and that little compound, they looked really as if they are refugees."

Dean described the boxes littered around the place, suitcases everywhere and a general 'disorganised' feel that we might not associate with a man in his position.

LADBible TV

However, these surroundings did little to deter Bin Laden from spreading his message: "Nonetheless, the way he spoke to us, was confident and he spoke to us about what I call 'Islamic eschatology'. You know, he's talking about the prophecies and how he believed that his flight from Sudan to Afghanistan is the beginning of something big.

"Bin Laden might have looked disheveled at the time but actually he gave the impression of being able to read your mind," Dean added.

He went on to say that 'obviously' the leader was a 'very good speaker' and 'could change your mind based on, you know, your initial thoughts of him seeming a little bit unimpressive.'

Dean would go on to meet Bin Laden a few more times, most notable, he explains, was in September 1997 when he 'gave him my oath of allegiance'.

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