Chechen Jihad: Al Qaeda's Training Ground and the Next Wave of Terror

by Yossef Bodansky

In this authoritative look at the roots of modern terrorism, Yossef Bodansky, one of the most respected—and best-informed—experts on radical Islamism in the world today, pinpoints the troubled region of Chechnya as a dangerous and little-understood crucible of terror in the struggle between East and West. In his number one New York Times bestseller, Bin The Man Who Declared War on America , published before 9/11, Bodansky was among the first to introduce American readers to Osama bin Laden. Now in Chechen Jihad he returns to alert American readers to the lessons to be drawn from the terror campaign in Chechnya—and its ramifications for the global war on terrorism. The final years of U.S.-Soviet relations left Chechnya a fertile breeding ground for Islamic terrorism, and in the past decade an uneasy alliance of native Chechen separatists and militant jihadists have joined forces to help al Qaeda and the greater Islamist movement pursue its war against the West. As Bodansky points out, "the Chechens are professional fighters—disciplined and responsible, with a combination of skills, expertise, and character that has made them the most sought-after 'force multipliers' in the jihadist movement." Bodansky traces the secret history of the two Chechen wars, illuminating how the process of "Chechenization" transformed the fight from a secular nationalist struggle into a jihadist holy war against Russia and the secular West. And, in the most instructive message for Western audiences, he reveals how the Chechen rebellion was eventually crippled by a schism between the jihadists and the Chechen people whose nationalist rebellion they had co-opted—an object lesson in the potential vulnerability of Islamist campaigns around the world. Drawing on mountains of previously unseen intelligence from Islamist movements and other military and intelligence sources from throughout the Middle East and Central Asia, as well as senior officials in many of the affected nations, Chechen Jihad offers an intimate and startling portrait of the jihadist movement that is astonishing in its detail and chilling in its implications—but one that points to a new way forward in the struggle to answer the challenges of international Islamist terrorism.

Genres: History, Islam, Military Fiction, Politics, Nonfiction, Terrorism, Russia

464 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Brett C · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gave insight into the ongoing Islamic situation in Chechnya (or all least up until 2007-8). It began with historical figures against Imperial Russia and goes into modern conflicts on the First and Second Chechen Wars. The author also ties Islamist-Jihadist connections to the Arab Middles East and the irreversible Islamicization of the northern Caucasus. This was a good book in my opinion. I recommend this and 'Wolves of Islam' by Paul Murphy to help you for your own opinion about this international issue. Thanks!

[Michael Griswold · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciate what Yossef Bodansky is trying to do in charting the conflict between Russia and Chechnya from over two hundred years ago, to the drive for independence during the free for all that developed when the Soviet Union collapsed, the first nationalist driven war between Russia and Chechnya in the 1990s, and then the Islamic exploitation of the conflict that occurred from 2000 to present. His main point is ultimately that Al Qaeda will seek to use regional conflicts to train and prepare fighters for attacks against Western interests globally. The execution leaves something to be desired.

There is a ton of information in this book largely without analysis. One may come out of the reading experience having been informed on Chechnya or drowning in a sea of dates and events, wishing they had never picked the thing up. Further, in points it reads like we should be terrified of every regional conflict falling into the hands of Al Qaeda. We shouldn’t automatically tie a struggle in one part of the world in with our own, that’s a very dangerous strategy.

A well researched book, but be mindful of the attempt to connect everything together.

[Sean Glover · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book got me wondering about the similarities and differnces between the following issues: the 'strict' islamicization of indigenous cultures practicing elements of sufi mysticism... and the No Child Left Behind Act in American public schools. I can think of at least one similarity among myriad differences. "The Islamist leaders' effort to further the proocess of Islamicization within Chechnya- with its emphasis on the Arabization of society at the expense of the local Sufi-based traditions and heritage- continued on its ruthless and increasingly violent course." -Bodansky
The Rupublibans efforts to increase corporate control of pulic education have come at the expense of de-intellectualization and disinvestment in learning processes. Where in NCLB are the merits of using music to teach... well anything, extolled?

[Mark Sequeira]

I don't agree with him at all but the book was a good read. Be careful, for all his claims that opposing views are slanted, his are very slanted in the opposite direction. If this was the ONLY book to read on Chechnya I would surely give it one star but if you have read a few others on the Chechen wars then this won't mess you up too much and may provide a little perspective if read carefully.

[James Johnson]

There was nothing especially bad about this book. But I struggled to find a context. I didn't know most of the people mentioned in the book and the author seemed to jump around so much that a plotline was all but incoherent.

[Mehmet Koç · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad at all, in particular for following the networks and chronologic order of the process insinde/outside Chechnya and Russia. However, some parts regarding foreign networks aren't clear and persuasive...

[Peter Corrigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Amazon review on August 20, 2017: Good content, poorly executed

As others have noted there is a ton of material in here, much of it extremely valuable and informative. However, it is a complete mess. Was an editor involved at any step in the process? Criticisms: 1) no maps, none; 2) no footnotes or bibliography; 3) no glossary of principals and main players. This is huge given the complexity and difficulty of the cast of characters. 4) Even a timeline would have helped clarify the course events. I am amazed that Harper Collins ever let a book out on the market with these glaring errors. All that said, there is plenty worthwhile about this effort. Takeaways: The Russians have a lot of recent experience fighting radical Islamists. They are and have been on the frontlines of jihadism for several decades now. America and Europe might learn some things from them (and perhaps vice versa) and Europe will increasingly wish they had paid attention better. The sheer scale of the worldwide Salafist movement is repeatedly on display in these pages. For one reviewer to claim that the books feeds 'islamophobia' was perhaps the most inane and ignorant comment I read in all the reviews. If you are non-muslim and are not slightly scared (or worse) then you are simply not paying attention. The worldwide Salafist inspired jihad movement continues to be massively funded by some of the wealthiest nations on earth (abetted by their western 'allies', God only knows why). As this book and numerous others ably attest this is truly the war of our time. It is being waged on a scale that only defies belief only if you choose to remain ignorant of it. This book (though slightly dated at this point) is yet another in the clarion calls to the West to defend its own existence. For that is what is at stake.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise study of the Chechen conflict up until about 2010 or so. It recounts the cycle of the war until that point. For a student of counterinsurgency, the pattern asserts itself of the state playing the breaks and doing everything right, waiting for he insurgent to commit excesses.

[Bryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book, very informative.

[Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Encyclopedic on its moment-to-moment chronology of the events in the Chechen war, but no analysis whatsoever. After reading 600 pages I was hoping to know WHY the Russians didn't pull out of Chechnya. It may seem obvious, and it's the whole reason I was reading the book -- to have some background in it. I got none of that; I just got the details of the war from minute to minute to minute, and how it related to international terrorism and the global jihad.

Interesting stuff, but too much information and not enough analysis. I would probably rather have read a much shorter, more "big picture" kind of book -- this is more for people looking for a tight-in view of specific events, for purposes of further research.

That made it a pretty dull read, but I still give it four stars because of its comprehensiveness and exquisite procedural detail.

[Jackie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a totally boring book. Good on the step-by-step of fighting in Chechnya and who was involved--essentially every country that has a muslim population and a stake in the Islamic Jihad, and the countries that are fighting the Jihadists. Shows how far-reaching the Jihad is. But it has no analysis and nothing pulling you into the substance of the issue and why this book is relevant right now. No "whys" answered.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a great deal about the link between Chechnya and al Qaida - that is to say I learned there was a link. However, the book could have been more than it was. In the end, it was only competently reported.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read.

[Steven]

Very good book. Info on a little known subject.