Essam al-Ridi

A veteran of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Essam al-Ridi was an American who was tasked to purchase a light aircraft by Osama bin Laden in 1993; but fled after accidentally crashing the plane into a sand dune.

Life Born in Egypt, al-Ridi moved to the United States and settled down in Texas where he took flight lessons. Eventually he became a flight instructor himself, teaching at the Ed Boardman Aviation School.

Later life In 1998, he was called to testify against Wadi el-Hage.