<human>:  When did the terrorist group al-Qaeda form?
<bot>: The name al-Qaeda is an Arabic phrase which means “the Base” or “the Foundation”. Al-Qaeda is a terrorist organization that was founded in 1988 by Osama bin Laden. Al-Qaeda was originally formed to fight against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. Al-Qaeda is also known as the “base” because it was founded by Osama bin Laden in 1988, who was born in Saudi Arabia.