jeddah was its main door to the west, main port on the red sea and a huge amount of building had taken place. i taught osama bin laden english in saudi arabia from 1968 to 1969. osama sat about two-thirds of the way back on the right by the windows. he was not an outstanding student academically. on the other hand, he was a very bright boy. >> reporter: although arabic and religious instruction took priority, the al fatah school, one of the top schools in the kingdom, was surprisingly progressive. >> the boys had a western uniform. they had trousers, shirts, jackets and shoes. >> reporter: he had taught a number of bin laden's brothers. osama's family was well-known in saudi arabia. his father's career was the stuff of legend. >> the bin ladens were almost a storybook success. >> reporter: in saudi arabia the bin laden name is everywhere. it's a vast empire with humble beginnings. the family patriarch, mohammed, seen here in rare photograph, rose from a menial laborer to head one of the largest and most successful construction companies in the middle east. >> he built the airport, he b