Al-Qaeda is a militant Islamist organization founded in the late 1980s by Osama bin Laden and others. Its primary goal is to establish a global Islamic caliphate and to oppose Western influence in Muslim countries. The group gained international notoriety for its involvement in various terrorist attacks, most notably the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States. The organization operates through a network of affiliated groups and cells around the world. Al-Qaeda promotes extremist ideologies and has been responsible for numerous attacks on military and civilian targets. In response, many countries have implemented counter-terrorism measures to combat the threat posed by Al-Qaeda and its affiliates.