MANILA, Philippines - To many people, he was the leader of the most ruthless terrorist organization in the world.
However, Osama bin Laden was also the son of a billionaire and was well-educated.
A Filipino Muslim historian, Norodin Alonto Lucman, studied with bin Laden in Saudi Arabia.
Lucman now lives a quiet life in Metro Manila.
Noor, as he was called then, was the leader of a Muslim rebel group -- the Black Shirts of Marawi - in Lanao del Sur in the 1980s.
Today, he is busy distributing his book, the "Islam War on Terror."
Noor remembers bin Laden in college.
He said the man who would become leader of al-Qaeda, was a quiet student.
They studied Islamic jurisprudence at the King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah.
Osama, a son of billionaire Mohammed bin Awwad bin Laden, was always well-dressed and drove a Rolls Royce, Noor said.
However, he added that bin Laden had shown interest in fighting for Islam.
Noor said bin Laden was angry at Russia for invading Afghanistan, and set up an office to recruit Saudis and foreign nationals to fight in the country.
He said he did not join those who signed up to fight for Islam.
Noor said he never imagined that from fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan, his classmate would become infamous all over the world.
He regrets that bin Laden chose the path of terrorism and made allies with the Abu Sayyaf.
Noor said he and other Muslims have long abandoned support for the now-dead al-Qaeda leader.
