"Using never-before published material, Arabic language sources, and personal interviews from the Middle East, Schanzer examines affiliates in Egypt, Lebanon, Algeria, Yemen and Iraq. The author also shares research from a fact-finding mission in Iraq, where he interviewed al-Qaeda fighters and one of Saddam Hussein's former intelligence officers."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

The author re-evaluates the threat posed by Al-Qaeda following a decade of war.

How bin Laden and his gang slipped through the noose during fierce Afghan battles

At a critical moment in world history The Longest War provides the definitive account of the ongoing battle against terror. --Book Jacket.

This fascinating reference chronicles the individuals, operations, and events of the War on Terror around the world, exploring its causes and consequences through the lens of policy, doctrine, and tactics of combat. The War on Terror is more than a political movement to identify and prosecute terrorists ... it has become a cornerstone of economic and military importance. This campaign has shaped policy in the Middle East, prompted uprisings of Islamic fundamentalists against the West, and redefined the ideology of warfare. This single-volume encyclopedia provides readers with more than 200 engaging entries on the myriad events, key individuals, and organizations that have played a major role in the War on Terror. The A–Z entries define the policies and doctrines; describe the armies, battlefields, and weapons employed; and profile the figures whose actions and decisions set the course of history. The expert contributors decode military jargon for non-specialist readers and explain the unconventional tactics used in the War on Terror, shedding light on the reason behind the attacks, the political maneuvering of the leaders involved, and the internal conflicts and external clashes that drove terrorists to settle all over the world. The book also includes detailed essays on the impact of the September 11 attacks on U.S. foreign policy, presidential powers, and public opinion.

In May 2000, British investigators searching the apartment of a suspected Al Qaeda terrorist in Manchester discovered a veritable "terrorist cookbook." This revealing document, which later was submitted as evidence in the African embassy bombing trials in the United States, clearly outlines the goals of terrorist cell members and many of their techniques. This edition, translated by the FBI Counterterrorism Division, provides a wide-ranging view of Al Qaeda's ideology and operational philosophy, as well as the kind of hard-headed, practical advice it inculcates in its members. The manual discusses the development of security plans for terrorist acts, including assassinations, establishment and maintenance of safe houses and meeting places, and the use of counterfeit currency, forged identity documents, and codes and ciphers. Other sections deal with weapons training and the manufacture of explosive devices and booby traps. Some sensitive parts of this section have been redacted to allow for public release. In one particularly chilling "lesson," the manual states: "The religious scholars have also permitted the killing of a hostage if he insists on withholding information from Moslems...The scholars have also permitted the exchange of hostages for money, services, and expertise, as well as secrets of the enemy's army, plans, and numbers." Of particular interest are the sections on surveillance detection and evasion, how to maintain cover in foreign lands, and how to deal with arrest and interrogation. Most important, the manual provides insight into the general mindset of radical Islamic terrorists and should prove useful to law enforcement officers involved in counterterrorism investigations, as well as members of the military, scholars researching the theory and practice of contemporary terrorism, and anyone interested in the mentality and operational activities of Al Qaeda and related groups. 182 pages, ill.