Masterminds of Terror: The Truth Behind the Most Devastating Attack The World Has Ever Seen

Rating:
Summary: A unique and fascinating addition to the books on Al Qaeda
Review: Having read much of the literature in English pertaining to the nature and activities of Al Qaeda, I can say that this is one of the few books on the subject worth reading, not only because of the exclusive information available to its authors but also as a result of the unique perspective from which it is written. The book's primary author is Yosri Fouda, a journalist with the Arabic Al Jazeera TV network who was given a unique invitation in April 2002 to spend a weekend interviewing the two men who plotted the September 11 attacks, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and Ramzi Binalshibh. The two had decided that the time had come for them to take credit for what they had done in order to clear up any remaining doubts about their capabilities (the Western world being largely convinced of their responsibility by this point anyway), and in the hope of inspiring others in the Muslim world to follow their example.

The book consists of two elements. The first is the story of how Fouda secretly arranged to meet with the two men in Pakistan, the meeting itself, and his subsequent struggles to acquire the recordings of his interviews, having been forced to leave them in the hands of Al Qaeda for several months to allow them to edit the tapes for security purposes. The second is the details about some of the lesser-known figures of Al Qaeda, including background on the two men Fouda interviewed, and others such as Omar Sheikh, who was responsible for the kidnapping and death of Daniel Pearl. There is also new information on the activities of the Sept. 11 hijackers in the years leading up to the attacks, and an interesting look at the complex connections between Al Qaeda and the Pakistani intelligence service. Most of this is based on many exclusive interviews conducted by Fouda himself. And of course there are the facts gleaned from Fouda's weekend with Binalshibh and Mohammed, in which the two men presented many of the operational details behind their preparations for the attacks. As appendices there are two translated documents issued by Al Qaeda itself which attempt to explain the reasoning they used to justify the attacks, both of which offer a unique insight into the beliefs of the group.

But apart from the new factual information it presents, I also found the book interesting because it is the only book on Al Qaeda that I'm aware of that has been written by someone who is both an Arab and a Muslim. As such, Fouda has some interesting insights into his subjects. For instance, he discusses the differences between the form of Islam upheld by the members of Al Qaeda (which he describes as "almost heretical"), and the Islam practiced by ordinary Muslims. He discusses their obsession with the Islamic world as it existed in the time of the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him), and their view of themselves as virtual reincarnations of ancient Islamic warriors who are fighting to bring the modern Islamic world as a whole back to the conditions of the Seventh Century. Fouda also evaluates his subjects both as men and as Muslims, describing how Khalid Shaikh Mohammed betrayed his lack of knowledge of Islam during his interview, and how all of the Al Qaeda men he encountered were convinced that the many violations of Islamic law they committed in his presence were justified because of the struggle they were engaged in. Having spent an entire weekend in their company and having gained their trust, Fouda is also the only author to describe what these terrorists are like in their everyday lives, being the only Arab journalist to meet with Al Qaeda leaders and then report on his experiences to the English-speaking world.

Considering how much has been published about Al Qaeda recently, there is surprisingly little repetition in this book (although of necessity there is a certain amount) - bin Laden, for example, is only occasionally mentioned, the authors assuming that readers will already be familiar with the known facts about him. It does show signs of having been hastily written, and often repeats itself, but such is to be expected given the speed of the book's publication. I recommend it as an excellent follow-up to the other good books on Al Qaeda: Bergen's "Holy War, Inc." (about bin Laden), Gunaratna's "Inside Al Qaeda" (about the organizational nature of the group), and Miller and Stone's "The Cell" (about the activities of Islamic terrorists on American soil leading up to Sept. 11). The latter book in particular provides much information on Al Qaeda figures and events which are also mentioned in this book.

Rating:
Summary: The most unbiased account of 9-11 you'll read
Review: The information in this book comes straight from the lion's mouth. All the facts of the Al-qaida organization running up to 9-11: names, places, events, funding, coordination. It will open your eyes in many ways, from the simplicity of the organization at that time to which governments where paying for it (one which is currently conseidered an "ally"). This book should be the starting point for anyone interested in the truth behind 9-11.



Rating:
Summary: 9/11 from the perspective of al Jazeera...
Review: This book gives the reader much insight into the leaders of the terrorist organization, al Qaeda, that planned September 11th. Additionally, the information has been gleaned by al Jazeera, and they seem to present information not previously published in the US. Unfortunately, for me at least, the book is tainted by the authors obvious disdain for the US and its politics. Also, he has the tendency to write rather glowingly of the criminals who hijacked the planes on 9/11. If the obvious slant of the book was left out, the book would have been great due to the new information it presented. However, I could never look past the bashing of the US which seems to flavor virtually all of the authors comments.

Rating:
Summary: 9/11 from the perspective of al Jazeera...
Review: This book gives the reader much insight into the leaders of the terrorist organization, al Qaeda, that planned September 11th. Additionally, the information has been gleaned by al Jazeera, and they seem to present information not previously published in the US. Unfortunately, for me at least, the book is tainted by the authors obvious disdain for the US and its politics. Also, he has the tendency to write rather glowingly of the criminals who hijacked the planes on 9/11. If the obvious slant of the book was left out, the book would have been great due to the new information it presented. However, I could never look past the bashing of the US which seems to flavor virtually all of the authors comments.