Cairo ( CNN ) -- A documentary filmmaker who followed Osama bin Laden 's jihad against the Soviets in the mountains of Afghanistan during the 1980s said he once warned the world 's most-wanted terrorist against attacking civilians . Esam Daraz 's films and books documented the birth of bin Laden 's al Qaeda terror organization , and they ultimately helped cultivate bin Laden 's international notoriety and inspire the jihadist movement of the 1980s . The former Egyptian Intelligence army officer established himself as an acclaimed filmmaker after producing 30 documentary films in Egypt through his own production company founded in 1978 . `` Afghanistan was the hotspot in 1980s so I decided to document the brutal Soviet attacks on the Muslims . I embedded with many of the leading Arab fighters on the battlefield and they trusted me so they led me to bin Laden . I followed his trail from 1987 until 1991 , `` Daraz explained reminiscing as he went through his archive of footage stored in his Cairo studio . Daraz filmed bin laden and his 120 Arab fighters in the first training camp located amid the rugged terrain of Afghanistan . The men back then came from Saudi Arabia , Yemen and Egypt . He produced three documentaries and five books about the war in Afghanistan , but his film `` Arab Supporters in Afghanistan '' remains his favorite piece of work because it featured bin Laden 's first appearance on video . `` The film was distributed across video stores in the Arabian Gulf . Stores were selling 20 copies at a time and sometimes in the hundreds as I learned when I contacted them anonymously inquiring about the sales . Many wholesale buyers distributed the film for free outside mosques in Saudi Arabia , '' he added . Daraz claims that his film inspired thousands of Arab youth to join bin Laden 's small group of fighters . `` Bin Laden 's office manager in Jeddah , Saudi Arabia , informed me that millions of Saudi Riyals were donated by people and organizations supporting the movement after the release of my film , '' said Daraz . Around 1988 al Qaeda was established and Daraz met Ayman Al Zawahiri , also known on the field as Dr. Abdel Moez or bin Laden 's personal adviser and physician . `` I watched him personally monitor bin Laden 's consistent low blood pressure and give him the required medicine many times on the battlefield , '' said Daraz . Zawhiri 's experience as the leader of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad supported bin Laden 's aspirations calling for global jihad . Bin Laden 's secret of success was his compassion and his humbleness , according to Esam Daraz . Daraz followed his friend bin Laden to Saudi Arabia in 1991 and stayed in his lavish villa housing his four wives and numerous children . Bin Laden was received as a hero who defeated the Soviets in Afghanistan . His public rhetoric against the Saudi government 's cooperation with the U.S. administration got him in big trouble . Daraz warned bin Laden about attacking civilians but the world 's most wanted terrorist did not listen . `` He drove me to the airport , and I sadly returned to Egypt in the winter of 1991 wondering if I would ever see him again , '' said Daraz . Evidently , bin Laden 's family disowned him and he was exiled to Sudan in 1992 . On May 2 , 2011 , bin Laden was shot and killed by U.S. Navy SEALs inside a residential compound in Abbottabad , Pakistan in a covert operation authorized by President Barack Obama . The world awaited the release of images of a dead Bin Laden for proof and closure to the families who lost loved one 's in the September 11 attacks orchestrated by al Qaeda . Bin Laden had claimed responsibility for the attacks in 2004 after years of denial . The White House announced that they it will not release `` trophy '' pictures of Osama Bin Laden 's body . `` You will not see bin Laden walking on this Earth again , '' Obama said . Esam Daraz disagrees with bin Laden and supports Obama 's decision . `` I cried when I saw the twin towers collapsing . I am a military man against the killing of civilians , '' he said . `` Obama is wise . The release of the photos would have provoked people who already disagree with the way he was killed and the disposal of the body at sea , even if those people did not support bin Laden 's views . ''
Esam Daraz followed bin Laden 's jihad against the Soviets . His films helped cultivate bin Laden 's notoriety . He agrees with Obama that photos of bin Laden 's corpse should not be released .