what is the mean "made it " in The death of Osama bin Laden on Sunday has revived interest in the man who had
The death of Osama bin Laden on Sunday has revived interest in the man who had been a scourge of the United States even before he made it on to the FBI's newly minted "Most Wanted Terrorists" list in 2001.

Question

what is the mean  "made it " in The death of Osama bin Laden on Sunday has revived interest in the man who had
The death of Osama bin Laden on Sunday has revived interest in the man who had been a scourge of the United States even before he made it on to the FBI's newly minted "Most Wanted Terrorists" list in 2001.

Answer

to make it on the list = to succeed in getting onto the list
It could be any list. A list of Oscar nominees: to make it on that list is not bad.

Other examples:
make it to the top
make it to the bus on time
make it all the way to the end