The Exile: The Flight of Osama bin Laden

by Cathy Scott-Clark, Adrian Levy

The Exile joins Osama bin Laden as he escapes into Pakistan in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, bringing to vivid life the years leading up to his death spent on the run and in exile. It tells the human story, and illuminates the global political workings. It is a tale of evasion, collusion, betrayal and the deep pain of isolation. Staying with a small group of characters throughout, The Exile moves through a series of dramatic set-pieces, from the shocking failure of the Battle of Tora Bora, one of the most significant losses in US strategic history, when, outgunned and outflanked, Osama still managed to give the world's most accomplished trackers the slip, through his covert journey from safe-house to safe-house in Pakistan, to the years spent hiding in the military compound in Abottabad where he was eventually to be killed. Using the contacts built up through years of research, including wives of key players such as Osama bin Laden and his mastermind, Khaled Sheikh Mohammed, the authors have gained extraordinary and intimate insight into Osama bin Laden and those closest to him. Meticulously researched, beautifully written, this is an enthralling and revelatory journey.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Politics, Pakistan, War, Middle East, Terrorism

620 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2017

About the author

Cathy Scott-Clark is a British journalist and author. She has worked with the Sunday Times and The Guardian. She has co-authored six books with Adrian Levy.

Reviews

[Mikey B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This follows Osama bin Laden’s life after the attacks on the World Trade Center of September 11/2001. He was killed almost ten years after in May/2011.

There are a number of interesting points brought up in this book.

The 9/11 attacks were perceived quite differently in some parts of the world than in North America and Europe. This ranged from a vast conspiracy to being elated at the U.S. being attacked. The same could be said for the killing of Osama bin Laden.

I did not know that so many of bin Laden’s wives, children and others in his entourage fled to Iran after the U.S. led invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001. They were all imprisoned under varying circumstances over the years, and after Osama’s death were eventually released.

The portrayal of Pakistan is of a country on the verge of a tremendous nervous breakdown. All is in disarray. The army and government made enormous sums of money from the U.S. for “cooperating in the war against terrorism.” Journalists who do not toe the line are sometimes found mutilated in a ditch. The ISI - Pakistan’s huge secret service - is like a state within a state. The ISI is a “hall of mirrors” supporting both the Americans in their war against Al Qaeda and supporting terrorists in Kashmir and Pakistan’s border areas (Tribal Areas) with Afghanistan. The ISI had direct links with the terrorist group that attacked Mumbai in 2008.

There were atrocious human rights violations on all sides. The U.S. government condoned the use of vicious torture on prisoners by U.S. forces and its many branches in all parts of the world. President Bush lied about this, as well many other things during his eight years in power. Al Qaeda, being a fanatical religious group, disregarded the sanctity of human life. One side used drones to kill, and the other side used martyrs in the name of their religion to kill.

Despite the U.S. killing off dozens of terrorist leaders – this just led to a recruitment tool as others flocked to the cause – producing an endless cycle of dehumanization.

Yes, this book can be exhausting to read, but it can also be like a John le Carré novel. It was fascinating reading of the long and ultimately successful attempt to find out where bin Laden was sequestered. There were multiple layers of sleuthing between several agencies and governmental layers, as well as recruits on the ground.

This book can be overloaded with details. Several names can be introduced on a page that can make the reading tedious and confusing. It became difficult to keep track of who was who in this vast narrative. I also felt that some of the interviews conducted were “after the fact”. Some came off as non-supportive of terrorism, but was this really the case at the time they were surrounded by the Al Qaeda clique? Were they re-constructing their past to be more likeable or even humanitarian? However, we do get an inside view of the squabbles within the large family group of the bin Laden bubble. There were many antagonisms and personality conflicts.

Much of this book made for riveting reading, more so the actual lead-up to determining that the Abbottabad compound was indeed the hideout of the main 9/11 terrorist.

[Alex Linschoten · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is no shortage of books on the September 11 attacks and their aftermath. Some stand back to analyse it in terms of trends and networks, seeking to explain the 'why' through abstractions. Others have written participant accounts or their histories from the sidelines. The Exile offers a fulsome corrective to this trend towards abstraction. Curious what life was like for bin Laden, his commanders and their families? Cathy Scott-Clark and Adrian Levy deliver in spades.

The beating heart of this book are the stories of bin Laden's wives, their children and their life in 'exile'. The authors seem to have managed to achieve as yet unparalleled access to the wives and some other family members of Osama bin Laden, and their tale is both gripping and believable. The second important contribution that the book makes is to reveal Iran's role in hosting the bin Laden families (and commanders) post-2001. The rich detail goes a long way to giving the reader a sense of the day-to-day frustrations of their lives in Tehran (and other places). The book would be worth its price just for these sections alone.

Chapter Eleven tells the story of the night bin Laden died, to a large extent from the perspective of his wives and family members. They also weave in accounts from US soldiers participating in the raid, but this is a perspective we have been denied till now and I think it is an important one. Indeed, the trauma faced by the children on that night (and throughout the years prior, for the most part unable to leave their home) is one of the understated but crucial themes that stand out from 'The Exile'.

Every account of bin Laden's time post-2001 has to grapple with the question of Pakistan's role. The authors take a smart position throughout the book, which is to abstain from abstraction and a strong analytic voice. There are some claims of Pakistani ISI involvement and meetings here and there, but they step back a little before charging the government or senior officials with a state-level conspiracy. Whatever happened, this account holds, was much more an affair of bit players.

The book had the feeling of being rushed to press. It must have cost a lot to research the book, so perhaps the authors simply ran out of funds, but it seemed like there were so many other lines of enquiry that could have been started. The hardcover copy I read still had a fairly large number of typos, and it's a shame that the authors use the word "Afghanis" to refer to Afghans.

The book is extremely readable -- it kept me up until two in the morning as I finished it -- and this is in large part because of the use of dialogue and building up narrative tension through conversations. Unfortunately, the handling of some of these conversations -- reported through interviews with participants -- strains credulity. Study of memory and oral history has shown how these kinds of memories degrade or get reshaped with each telling, and I wish there were more caveats throughout the book that what we're reading is an approximation of what happened in order to better imaginatively enter the situation.

All in all, though, The Exile is an important book, an engrossing read and hopefully the beginning of more enquiries as others follow up on leads and side-stories raised in the telling. It seems that scholars of September 11 and its aftermath are doomed to eternally reading and retelling the same events in slightly different contortions as new facts and witnesses emerge. If all the books were as good as this one, I wouldn't mind so so much.

[Murtaza · Rating 5 out of 5]

In what may be one of the strangest episodes in world history, a small group of poorly-resourced men in a remote area of a devastated country launched an attack against the most powerful empire in the world that succeeded in slowly degrading its institutions and global influence to the point of near collapse. This is the irksome story of al Qaeda and the United States, which is still playing out 16 years after the planes struck the towers in Manhattan. Although many of those who started this battle have now exited the scene, the conflict they triggered continues to rage on with no end of sight.

This book is a recounting of the period of exile that al Qaeda's leadership went into in the years after the attack, but it is also a meticulous and enthralling reconstruction of how we got to this point. Crucially, the book is based on interviews with former al Qaeda members and their families (particularly bin Laden's family), providing a very rare insight into how events were experienced on the other side of this conflict. The most incredible portions in my opinion are those that take place in Iran, where al Qaeda's top military leadership spent a decade living under a type of bizarre house arrest by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps. The reconstruction of the dynamic between al Qaeda figures, their families and their Western adversaries is compellingly done, and while reading you really feel come to feel as though you are perusing an alternate history of a period that we have all lived through.

I made copious notes from the book and will return to it many more times in the future. Its one of the few books that I would describe as an indispensable history of our current era and I recommend it to anyone, though it is mandatory for those with an interest in the "War on Terror," which, frankly, seems to be just getting started.

[Steven Z. · Rating 4 out of 5]

After perpetrating the horror of 9/11 al-Qaeda leadership and its followers scattered with the expectation that they had provoked what would be a massive military response. The path Osama Bin Laden and his family, al-Qaeda officials, and others took to escape the lethal American bombardment has been open to conjecture by historians and journalists for sixteen years. The publication of THE EXILE: THE STUNNING INSIDE STORY OF OSAMA BIN LADEN AND AL QAEDA IN FLIGHT by Cathy Scott- Clark and Adrian Levy goes a long way in filling the gaps in what happened to Bin Laden and his followers, concluding in 2017. The authors employ their investigative journalistic prowess to write the most complete account of the years the United States hunted for Bin Laden, al-Qaeda leadership, and operatives until their final capture or death. What sets their work apart is that they rely on the stories of al-Qaeda leaders, gunmen, planners, spiritual guides, fighters, and family members told to them through countless interviews. We witness the failure of the Bush administration to take out Bin Laden as they immediately pivoted to the invasion of Iraq, the rise of the Islamic State, the truth of what occurred in Abbottabad, Pakistan on May 2, 2011, and the individual stories of countless al-Qaeda and Taliban members as they sought to survive.

The narrative begins with Osama Bin Laden listening to a radio inside a cave north of Khost to what he hoped would be news of a successful attack on the World Trade Center. What is interesting from the outside is that the authors report that the al-Qaeda Shura was actually divided as to the pursuit of the “plane operation” strategy. Mahfouz Ibn El Waleed who Bin Laden relied upon to create religious justifications for his actions led the faction that opposed the attack. El Waleed was also known as the “Mauritanian” served as Bin Laden’s go between with Taliban leader Mullah Omar, and arranging for Bin Laden’s family to seek refuge in Iran. The authors also focus in on Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, a Kuwaiti cleric who prepared Bin Laden’s video reaction to the World Trade Center success and also accompanied the Bin Laden family to Iran. Further, al-Qaeda kept the Taliban leadership in the dark over the 9/11 plan.

The authors present exacting detail in all aspects of the narrative. They even discuss Bin Laden family turmoil involving Osama’s four wives, two of which were extremely religious and committed to their husband’s policy of jihad. The authors discuss Bin Laden’s treatment of his wives and children and he comes across as an insular figure who marries off his daughters to mujahedeen, and educates his children to carry out his jihad. When certain sons and daughters do not measure up he has no problem dispatching them to other family members or acolytes. The family’s plight is based on interviews and we see their terror when exposed to American drones and bombing. The role of Iran in this process is very interesting in that Teheran is willing to provide sanctuary to many family members. At the outset Iran, long disassociated from the United States offers intelligence and other assistance to Washington. However, within the Iranian government there was a split between a reformist faction led by President Mohammad Khatami and Quds Force Leader Qassem Suleimani over whether to turn over Bin Laden family members to the United States. However, President George W. Bush’s “Axis of Evil” speech put an end to any improvement in Iranian-American relations and led to Suleimani’s dominance over policy. Sadly, the Bush administration’s obsession with Iraq led to the lost opportunity of possibly improving relations with Iran as both wanted to destroy al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

The authors review the role of the ISI, Pakistan’s version of the CIA that has been told in a number of places. They reach the same conclusions as previous authors and officials that the Pakistani government was not to be trusted and were in bed with the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and other jihadi elements. Under President Pervez Musharraf and those that succeeded he in office the Islamabad strategy was to milk the United States for as much military and domestic aid as possible, feigning support, which at times did include military operations against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. The lack of Pakistani government control in the border areas of Waziristan allowed al-Qaeda, Taliban and other jihadi groups a sanctuary from American attack. CIA frustration with ISI and Pakistani government duplicity dominate the narrative.

The authors detail Bin Laden’s escape from the Tora Bora caves north of Khost. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his men were also present in the area and along with al-Qaeda militants the authors describe how unnerved they were by the massive US bombing and the hundreds of people that were killed. It appeared to CIA Station Chief Robert Grenier in Islamabad that al-Qaeda and Bin Laden would withdraw into Waziristan, Pakistan’s “no man’s land” and he had no faith that the Pakistani promise to interdict them would take place. In fact the Mumbai attack in India took place at the same time, resulting in Pakistani troops moving to its border with India, a change that seems almost too coincidental. Grenier asked general Tommy Franks for troops to keep al-Qaeda and Bin Laden boxed in, but he refused, almost guaranteeing their escape. Franks’ argument was that he did not want to commit troops and make the same error as the Soviet Union. This may have played a role in his thinking, but Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld had already turned to regime change in Iraq.

The authors dig into the evolution of US interrogation techniques paying special attention to Dr. James Mitchell, a clinical psychologist who had no practical experience with this type of interrogation, i.e., waterboarding, walling, diapers, insects, etc. a policy approved by Attorney General John Ashcroft in July, 2002. The narrative presented is based on the diary prepared by Abu Zubayda, a Saudi born Palestinian logistical expert who sent recruits and funds to jihad training camps in Afghanistan from Peshawar. This diary provides an amazing picture of “ghost detainees” in the CIA’s covert rendition program and was the first to undergo enhanced interrogation techniques. Other sources include Justice Department documents, CIA tapes, and US Senate Reports.

The chronological approach chosen by the authors covers most aspects of the run up to the war in Iraq, the Sunni uprising led by Zarqawi until his death, events in Afghanistan, including the resurgence of the Taliban, the role of Iran, and US strategy to achieve its goals in the region. Integrating the narrative with the plight of the Bin Laden family by concentrating on Osama’s journey that resulted in his five year residence in his compound in Abbottabad is extremely important in terms of the final capture. The American raid is described in detail as is the role played by Bin Laden’s Pakistani allies. Interestingly, according to the authors the Bin Laden family was about to move from the compound and travel to Peshawar. At the time of his death Osama Bin Laden was buoyed by the developing Arab spring, the economic crisis in the United States, and the unrest in Pakistan. His plan was to leave Abbottabad to “reinstate the rule of the Caliphate” in Peshawar. However, differences with Ibrahim, aka Abu Ahmad al-Kuwaiti, assigned to be Osama’s constant companion delayed his departure, resulting in the successful American raid.

Perhaps THE EXILES most important contribution to the growing source material on 9/11 and after is how they took the myriad of interviews of their subjects and formulated a clear and incisive narrative that explains how Osama Bin Laden and his family were able to escape to Pakistan, resulting in their claustrophobic life in Abbottabad as the US continued its search for years. The book fills an important gap in the historiography of its subject, and though at times is very rigid in its reporting, it a major contribution for academics and general readers alike.

[Raghu Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

On September 11, 2001, Osama Bin Laden (OBL) pulled off a horrendous act of terrorism on the US, killing 2977 people. An angry United States went after him and his Al-Qaeda cohorts to exact revenge, killing OBL on May 2, 2011. Osama, his large family and his close associates were on the run all those ten years. They evaded the drones, the satellites, the CIA, the many special forces and hit squads looking for the bounty money on Osama’s head. However, there was little public knowledge of the details of OBL’s exile after 2001. We didn’t know how he survived in the face of formidable odds, what consumed his living hours and who provided cover for him and his family. This book by Adrian Levy and Cathy Scott-Clark fills in those ten years through extraordinary research and investigation. Unlike most accounts, this book presents Osama Bin Laden’s last ten years from the perspective of the people who were with him. They comprise his family members, his spiritual leader, and other close Al-Qaeda associates. It presents an Arab view of Al-Qaeda from its Middle-eastern and North African members. It is a gripping account and a landmark achievement of investigative journalism.

The book chronicles events related to Osama in Pakistan and events related to his family and other Al-Qaeda members who sought refuge in Iran. On the day 9/11 happened, Osama Bin Laden was in his mountain hideout in Afghanistan, impatient to watch the impending disaster live on his television. As luck would have it, the satellite transmission failed, forcing him to listen to it on the radio. His rejoicing was short-lived as retaliatory US strikes almost killed him in Kandahar in October 2001. Osama escaped to the Tora Bora mountains on the Pakistani border and then reached Karachi via Peshawar. But Karachi made him feel insecure, as it was a large, exposed city. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM), the architect of 9/11, steps in and appoints Ibrahim Saeed Ahmed to take care of Osama and be his all-important courier. Ibrahim takes Osama and his young wife Amal and baby-daughter Safiyah to the remote village of Kutkey in northern Pakistan. But the CIA nabs KSM in 2003 with the help of Pakistan, forcing Osama to flee from Kutkey to Kohat in the tribal lands of NW Pakistan. Even this refuge felt insecure to Osama. He needed a lasting solution. The shadowy elements in Pakistan’s Inter-Services-Intelligence’s (ISI) S-wing swing into action and build a house for him in the military town of Abbotabad. Osama and his family move there in late 2004 and Ibrahim’s brother Abrar joins them. Over the next years, more wives and children join Osama, expanding his entourage and inviting scrutiny of the community. All this commotion makes his courier Ibrahim nervous and fearful. He wants out of the whole affair and gives an ultimatum to Osama in late 2010 asking him to move out of Abbotabad within months. In February 2011, Osama’s wife Khairiah joins him from Iran. The US Navy Seals assassinate Osama, Ibrahim, and his brother Abrar soon after.

During the same period, two of Osama’s wives, their children, Osama’s spiritual adviser, Mahfouz Ibn El-Walid, and other senior Al-Qaeda members, escape to Iran. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards, called the Quds Force, provide cover and support for them in return for Al-Qaeda to not attack Shia interests of Iran. Iran’s civilian government, led by the moderate Md. Khatami and military officer General Qasem Soleimani see good political capital hosting Al-Qaeda. Khatami approaches the US for a trade-off. Soleimani uses senior Al-Qaeda leaders like Saif-Al-Adel and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi to advance Iranian interests in Iraq and Syria. Khatami’s overtures fail. In 2010, Iran allows Osama’s wives and children to leave for Pakistan and join Osama in Abbotabad.

The pre-eminent question in the OBL episode has been the complicity of Pakistan in protecting Osama. The world found that Osama had lived for seven years in a house inside a Pakistani Garrison town. It led most people to conclude that the Pakistan government and its Deep State were in collusion with Osama Bin Laden and protected him. However, the authors doubt the Pakistani government or its Army or even the ISI was aware of Osama hiding in Abbotabad. Instead, they point the finger at Hameed Gul. He was the director-general of the ISI from 1987 to 89 and had since retired. He organized Osama’s hideout and protected him through his control and connections in the notorious S-wing of the ISI. Other key figures who knew how to get in touch with Osama were Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Hafeez Saeed and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen’s Fazlur Rehman Khalil. The authors do not believe that Generals Pervez Musharraf or Pervez Kayani of the Army and General Shuja Pasha of the ISI were aware of Osama’s presence in Abbotabad. Having read the book, I could accept Musharraf may not have been aware of Osama’s hideout. The authors say that Musharraf was keen on making money, trading Al-Qaeda suspects for dollars. He would not have passed up the $25 million bounty on Osama’s head. I would rather assume the other Pakistani generals might have suspected what was happening in Abbotabad, but felt better not to investigate. It gives them the benefit of deniability in case Osama was hiding in Abbotabad. Such tactics are consistent with Pakistan’s brilliant manoeuvres in handling the US and its allies in Afghanistan. They wore them out over twenty years and got the Taliban back in power.

The Iranian role is even more fascinating. In the years between 2001 and 2011, the media seldom focused on Iran in relation to Al-Qaeda or 9/11. The accepted wisdom was Iran wouldn’t care for Al-Qaeda because it is a Sunni organization and hostile to Iran’s Shia Islam. But geo-politics makes strange bedfellows. Both Iran and Al-Qaeda were savvy enough to recognize temporary interests in common. The Iranian government made a tantalizing proposal to the US in 2002. It offered to hand over Osama Bin Laden’s family and the senior Al-Qaeda military council who were in their custody. In return, they wanted the US to ease sanctions and restore relations. But rabid hard-liners like Dick Cheney in the Bush administration shot this golden opportunity down. After the US invaded Iraq in 2003, the Pentagon fretted about persistent Al-Qaeda activity in Iraq. Ryan Crocker and Zalmay Khalilzad of the US approached Iran again on its offer. Iran agreed but wanted the leaders of an obscure anti-Iranian, Iraq-based cult, called Mujahideen-e-Khalq, to be handed over to them. The hawkish Bush administration not only rejected the request but called Iran ‘the axis of evil.’ It put paid to the overtures from Iran. Had more sense prevailed in Washington, the US could well have claimed ‘mission accomplished’ with the Al-Qaeda military council and a major part of Osama’s family in their custody. It could then have tried to force Osama to give himself up, as he was quite a family-man. Instead, the US continued the war for seventeen more years. It cost a trillion dollars and a horrendous human toll. Harvard University’s Kennedy School reports the military death toll as 2448 American service members, 66000 Afghan military / police, 1144 other allied service, including NATO, and 51191 Taliban / other fighters. The non-military death toll was 47245 Afghan civilians, 444 Aid workers, and 72 journalists. The US lost the war, and the Taliban returned to power. Even the most patriotic American would agree it was an exorbitant cost to kill one terrorist, however important he may be.

The book throws some beguiling light on Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. When Osama proposed his plan for a massive attack on the US, both the Taliban and Al-Qaeda leaders opposed it. Osama’s spiritual adviser wanted Al-Qaeda to be only an inspiration for jihad without soiling hands in bloodshed. Members of the Al-Qaeda Shura also opposed Osama’s idea. Taliban’s supreme leader, Mullah Omar, did not want Osama engaging in any acts of violence against America from the Afghan soil. The Taliban was keen only on securing its rule of Afghanistan as an Islamic Emirate under the Sharia Law. It was not interested in exporting terrorism in the region. However, we remember the Taliban had members of the Haqqani family in power. This group is indebted to the ISI and engages in terrorism against India and the US on ISI’s behalf. Islamic terrorism has been a complex phenomenon. The Obama administration claimed victory over Al-Qaeda in 2021, saying the US has severely degraded them. This book shows nothing can be farther from the truth. Killing hundreds of terrorists does not kill an idea that inspires many in the Islamic world. As Osama’s spiritual adviser said, Al-Qaeda is an idea, however folkloric we may think it is. So long as it inspires people in the Islamic world, killing of individual terrorists would only be a footnote in the West’s battle against it.

The authors detail one shameful consequence of pursuing OBL and Saddam Hussein. It is the US resorting to torture in places like Bagram, Abu Ghraib, Poland and Guantanamo Bay. The book has disturbing and graphic descriptions of the brutal torture of Abu Zubaydah at the hands of US personnel. Abu Zubaydah had nothing to do with 9/11 and was not part of Al-Qaeda’s acts of terror. The authors dismiss the movie ‘Zero Dark Thirty’, which suggests that much intelligence about Osama’s location came from the torture of Al-Qaeda suspects. On torture, another author, Jane Mayer, says in her book that an audit of 517 Guantanamo Bay detainees showed that only 8% of them could have been Al-Qaeda associates. Fifty-five percent did not engage in any hostile act against the United States at all. The rest got slapped with charges of dubious wrongdoing, including attempting to flee US bombs. The US did not pay the $25 million bounty to anyone saying it was electronic surveillance that exposed Osama’s location. This tallies with Osama’s family members’ belief that the Iranians likely implanted a tracking device in the body of Osama’s wife Khairiah, before letting her join Osama in February 2011. The US killed Osama two months later.

Osama Bin Laden appears a medieval demagogue in the media, which is perhaps accurate. But his wives present a more elevating picture. Osama’s first wife, Najwa, was his first cousin. Najwa is from the cosmopolitan seaside town of Latakia in Syria, where women wore bikinis. Though Osama forced her to wear a chador and the niqab, she wore lipstick and designer clothes underneath. She never wanted to become a jihadi bride. Rather, she wished for a peaceful world. She bore him eleven children. Her fourth son, Omar, rejected his father’s obsession with war and violence. Prior to 9/11, Omar convinced Najwa to return to Syria with him and his two youngest siblings. Osama had three more wives, Khairiah, Seham and Amal, in that order. Khairiah and Seham believed in Osama’s jihad. `Khairiah was seven years older than Osama and bore him a son. She is a child psychologist by profession. Seham claimed direct lineage from the Prophet Mohammed. She holds a Ph.D. and worked as a teacher before marrying Osama. She bore him four children. Amal was his youngest wife, marrying him as a Yemeni teenager, and bore him one child at the time of 9/11. She wanted to be martyred with him but the Navy Seals didn’t kill her.

The book is a spellbinding tale of the post-9/11 saga of Osama Bin Laden and, by far, the most authoritative account of his exile and demise.

[Prabhat Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, what does one say about a book which deserves a book of its own on how it was written? The level of detail, the objectivity, the style of presentation - everything is impeccable. The authors gained access to everyone from some of Osama's wives to the builder of the Abbottabad house in which Osama spent the last six years of his life!

Though some of the things, such as ISI' role in aiding Taliban and Al-qaeda, are well known, the book provides rare insight into how this was done, and shows that the cooperation is so entrenched and off-the-books that not even the heads of army and ISI can do much to end it, though in some cases they act to further it. More importantly, the book establishes the crucial role Iran played in keeping Zarqawi (whose organisation was the precursor to ISIS) and Al-qaeda afloat and strengthening them in Syria and elsewhere, as the disastrous War on Terror dragged on. Here again, though, it's clear that the elected leadership of Iran was powerless. When they did seem to gain the upper hand over the Islamic loonies, the US weakened them through dumb public (axis of evil speech) or private rebuffs. The book also does a great job of laying bare the lies of Zero Dark Thirty, which suggested that CIA torture had led to actionable intelligence. In truth, it had only led to inhumanity and sheer waste of resources. For the Indian readers, it throws up the mouthwatering prospect of whether the Parliament attacks were carried out to facilitate Osama's escape from Tora Bora.

To me, the most fascinating aspect of the book was its deep dive into Osama's vain, apathetic, deeply self-centred personality, and his increasing insecurity, jealousy and paranoia as his once-deputies either disobeyed him or got killed in drone strikes. I also experienced an I-told-you-so moment when, at the very beginning, it becomes clear that Osama's intention behind 9/11 was not not to kill a bunch of civilians, but to have US invade Afghanistan and lose its bearings in the process. This is exactly what I wrote about in a piece, on the 15th anniversary of 9/11. Pardon the self-aggrandizement.

I thought the only weak point of the book was its excessive focus on the plight of Al-qaeda prisoners in Iranian prisons. But anything less than 5 stars for this petty reason would be pedantic.

Though men like Hitler and Osama were great evils, I can't help but feel a tinge of admiration, even envy, at the sheer force of will they possessed. But, as King Carlin once said, "Motivation is bullshit, if you ask me this world could use a little less motivation. The people who are motivated are the ones who are causing all the trouble."

[Asim Qureshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating account of the pre and post 2001 period within al-Qaeda. There are many new vignettes in this book, even for the seasoned reader on the history. Unfortunately, like many such books, there are all manner of Orientalist descriptions that make you cringe out of their lack of understanding or research. Fortunately, they don't distract from the overall narrative. Overall, a very worthwhile read.

[Tariq Mahmood · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book presenting a complete picture of the Al-Qaida years of exile after the infamous 2001 attack on the Twin Towers in New York. The book fills a lot of gaps between the capture of many Al-Qaida leaders but does fail to address two fundamental questions.
Why was Al-Qaida able to command so much loyalty when the booty against its leadership so lucrative?
What were the real reasons why America hasn't chosen indict these horrible terrorists if it has overwhelming evidence against them?

I do agree with the authors that this war against terror is far from over. Revolution is inherent in the genesis of Islam, so as long as there is perceived injustice there will be young men taking up the mantra of jihad sponsored rich older Muslims harbouring a romantic notion of Islamic resurgence.

The book has exonerated Pakistan's role in the whole war to a great degree though. At no stage was the Pakistani army harbouring Osama or any of the other leaders like the Iranian government which housed and feted Osama's family for years. Pakistanis have generally cooperated even when they disliked what they were being asked to do.

The book is a must read for all Pakistanis so that they can understand their country's real role and position in the War against terror.

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Along with The Looming Tower, this is one of the two most essential books on Al-Queda. The Exile traces the fallout from 9-11 on AQ, as it follows their members, and those searching for them over the next ten years. I had a lot of trouble putting this book down, and would recommend it to anyone interested in the subject. The research that went in to this book is simply staggering.

[Praveena D.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best book read in recent times. Well narrated story of Osama Bin Laden and his team. I had already watched the movie "Zero Dark Thirty" so I know how osama life ended. What fascinating for me is how osama survived almost ten years after 9/11 when worlds best men trying to find him.

"Zero Dark Thirty" tells story only from CIA or American Intelligence agencies perspective, so don't skip this book. In this awesome book, Authors tells the story of all persons over the time. Authors follow the timeline so it will be easy to connect the incidents. Authors never tried to pass their judgement instead, they gave persons involved to express their opinion. The book deals with many persons, the way authors handled all the characters without confusing reader is most extraordinary work.

The book is based on many people interviews, dairies, statements. However, author excellantly connected the dots so reading this book is an awesome experience.

Even though, I hate al-qaeda or any terrorist organisation for that matter, some kind of liking started toward some persons like Khadija d/o Seham bin laden, iman bin laden etc. I felt emotional when Khadija die during her delivery of twins. Authors quality of bringing emotional side of notorious family members is outstanding.

I strongly feel OBL went against shura to do suicide mission. I think its too foolish to underestimate USA. Without any army or any kind of preparation to defend them in inevitable war after plane operation, I feel he did nothing in terms of preparing to defend his turf.

I loved the way authors wrote this book so I am going to read all the books wrote by Author Duo.

[Jerome Otte · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting, fast-paced, and very detailed work.

The narrative feels very complete, and the authors do a great job explaining al-Qaeda’s history and all of the things that were done when the US pursued them. The narrative is in chronological order, which requires the reader to keep track of a bunch of different threads at the same time, which may or may not be a problem. For example, the authors look at al-Qaeda’s sanctuary in Iran, and how it eventually detained al-Qaeda members unless they wanted to fight the Americans in Iraq.

Scott-Clark and Levy also look at the question of Pakistani complicity. Bin Laden’s compound, of course, was near a military academy and Pakistan had harbored other terrorists before. The architects of the compound were rumored to have ISI connections. The authors conclude that it is likely that the ISI big shots at the time of the raid were unaware of the occupant, although previous ones might have.

The book does seem to suffer a bit from hindsight bias, and the writing can get a bit novelistic at times. Also, the book relies heavily on firsthand testimony from lots of sources, often from survivors of bin Laden’s inner circle. Since these people are, undoubtedly, trying to influence bin Laden’s legacy, a critical approach is needed, but it seems like the authors often accept them at face value (the narrative and endnotes, for instance, don’t mention potential discrepancies) For example, the authors provide some detail on bin Laden’s alleged trips outside of his Abbottabad compound. He made that many trips and was still able to keep his presence a secret?

There’s also a few errors here and there. They authors write that the 9/11 attacks had “two” military targets, even though the Pentagon was the only obvious one. One of the endnotes cites William Murray, a “former CIA director” (who?) At one point they write that sarin gas was discovered in Jalalabad, a story I’ve never heard of anywhere else. Abu Zubaydah is sometimes called a “planner,” even though he was apparently a manager of safehouses and travel routes for al-Qaeda operatives. Jose Rodriguez is called the CTC “chief of staff,” even though he was the group’s director. There’s also references to Delta Force “operatives” and CIA “agents” and JSOC “officials” and FBI “officers.” They refer to a dead drop as a “cold drop.” They refer to “Northern Alliance” fighters at Tora Bora, although these forces weren't affiliated with them. When describing the use of Daisy Cutters at Tora Bora, the authors say these bombs hadn't been used since Vietnam, although they were used in the Gulf War. The end of the book mentions Navy SEAL Robert O’Neill “leaving the army.”

The authors also credit Robert Grenier, the CIA’s station chief in Islamabad, with designing the war plan for Afghanistan in 2001, which seems like an exaggeration. They also write that Grenier requested a Ranger battalion be deployed in Tora Bora. I’ve read that Gary Berntsen actually made this alleged request; in his memoirs, Grenier nowhere mentions this; he actually states that he wasn't in any meetings where troop requests were rejected or even discussed. The book’s endnotes do not indicate where Scott-Clark and Levy got this version from. Grenier’s book, of course, appears in the bibliography, only adding to the confusion.

The book also includes an account of the capture of KSM that’s probably very different from other accounts you’ve read, and the endnotes don’t really clear up where they got this version from. When describing the bin Laden raid, the authors rely heavily on his wife Amal’s account. The details of this particular account are rather contradictory (understandably for something so traumatic), and the authors don’t try to clarify these. The authors also mention that plans to take bin Laden’s family out of the compound were “abandoned” when the second helicopter crashed inside. Was there such a plan? I’ve never heard of it.

At one point, when covering 9/11, the authors mention the August 6, 2001 briefing to President Bush that al-Qaeda was preparing attacks inside the US. They end this with “He took little action,” but don't cover this episode in any further detail. This paper has since been declassified, and it doesn't mention any details about the locations, timing, or methods of an imminent al-Qaeda attack, making you wonder what “action” the authors have in mind. In his memoir, Michael Morell, Bush’s CIA briefer at the time, states that neither he nor Bush viewed this paper as an “action-forcing brief.” Strangely, Morell 's book appears in the bibliography, but they don't note Morell’s own recollection of this incident.

A well-researched and engaging work.

[Sameer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is a good insight of the Al-Qaeda's network, leader, family and specially interesting facts about what happened after him. I am amazed at the amount of details been put and considering that the events just unfolded in the way it is written, this is something anyone interested in knowing should read.

Overall I find this much better than Omar Laden's book itself.

[Emmanuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The research undertaken to make this book must have been staggering; the ass of the book is plumped with notes and reference numbers in the hundreds for each chapter. The result is an in-depth narrative of the hunt for OBL from 2001-11 from multiple perspective points. Very insightful and thrilling at times.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written and engaging history of the bin Laden family’s escape from Afghanistan after 2001 and their life in hiding in Iran and Pakistan in the years following the 9/11 attacks. It draws on a lot of sources, including interviews with family members or surviving Al Qaeda operatives, as well as portions of Osama’s correspondence that the U.S. has declassified in the time since the Abbottabad raid. If you are a reader who has followed these subjects closely, this may all be familiar stuff, but I found it to be a solid synthesis history.

There’s a good amount of detail about how the Al Qaeda organization struggled to survive and continue its operations after 9/11 - among other things, the book pretty clearly shows how devastating the U.S. covert drone strike program (which the authors make clear was carried out with the permission of the Pakistani security services, their protests notwithstanding) was on Al Qaeda’s ability to maintain command and control. But the book is less concerned with Al Qaeda's organizational activities and continued covert terrorism efforts and more with the impact of the American counterterrorism campaign on AQ members, including Osama’s children and wives and those of his aides. The book in many ways offers an extension and coda to Steve Coll’s book on the bin Laden family; although Osama himself is still a rather remote figure throughout, the authors manage to evoke some sympathy for the family members who found themselves swept along, effectively imprisoned by his ambitions and actions, as Osama himself also appears to have been for several years before the end. The book is also quite explicit about the brutalities of the CIA torture program against some of the Al Qaeda operatives who failed to escape capture. While Osama and his followers are guilty of horrible crimes, it will be a lasting shame of the Bush administration, those individuals involved, and our country as a whole that these abuses were committed, violating the tenets of professional interrogation and the rule of law. A lot of it may ultimately be authorial flourishes, but the sense of isolation, paranoia, and fear of Osama and his entourage comes through quite clearly, even if you do not find these people to be especially sympathetic in the end.

A major chunk of the book, and probably the part involving the most original interview material, involves the detention of a portion of the bin Laden clan in Iran by the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. (The bulk of this account appears to have come through interviews with Mahfouz Ibn El Waleed, a Mauritanian religious scholar who previously chaired the Al Qaeda sharia committee and who spent a chunk of time imprisoned along with the family. He appears to have subsequently split with Osama, but I would say his motivations for cooperating with this project are not fully scrutinized.) Iran held on to the bin Laden family for several years as a possible bargaining chip -- either for encouraging Al Qaeda attacks in Iraq to destabilize US efforts there (Iran is described as facilitating Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s entry and attacks into the country, and some degree of communication by members of the former Al Qaeda military committee imprisoned in Iran, although if that's the case it certainly seems to have backfired) or in negotiations with the United States to secure cooperation. The book strongly implies but does not quite explicitly confirm that members of the bin Laden family were released (or perhaps allowed to escape) by Iran in order to allow for their being traced by the United States back to bin Laden’s ultimate hiding place, something he evidently feared but was unable to resist. I am not an Iran watcher and won’t pretend to be able to parse their interests in this episode. Generally speaking, as Alex Strick van Linschoten flagged in his review, there’s a considerable degree of reconstruction involved in these accounts, and like some of the authors’ previous books I would be cautious about relying wholly on their explanations.

On the question of the awareness of the Pakistani security services regarding Osama’s hiding place in Abbottabad, the book takes a rather mixed approach. Although the accounts of the establishment of the Abbottabad hiding place offer a fairly plausible case through which Osama would have evaded detection (I don't think I've seen it reported previously that that the ISI had no detachment in Abbottabad prior to the 2005 earthquake) the book also cites claims that former ISI chief Hamid Gul (who is described as leading the “S-Wing”, seen here as an independent and deniable faction of the ISI) and Harakat-ul-Mujahadeen leader Fazlur Rehman Khalil (a frequent go-between for the ISI with militant groups) were aware of his presence or somehow facilitated his hiding. (Lashkar-e-Taiba also, briefly, gets blamed for somehow facilitating the purchase of the land, but not at length or with much source material to back that claim up.) Subsequently declassified seized internal Al Qaeda correspondence did describe an indirect outreach attempt by ISI Chief Ahmad Shuja Pasha to Al Qaeda through militant intermediaries, so it seems reasonable to assume that (denials aside) Pakistani intelligence services knew of his presence in the country, if not necessarily his exact whereabouts. The book also notes multiple efforts by the CIA to infiltrate Al Qaeda through the return of former AQ detainees, so one hypothesis at least would be to interpret the attempted ISI outreach in that same category. (At the senior levels at least, the book suggests Pakistani unhappiness with the US raid and surprise at Osama’s presence was genuine, even if official Pakistani introspection on the issue proved to be pro forma and hidden in secrecy.) For the most part, the book avoids sensationalism on this and other points despite the obviously sensational nature of the story (I found their book on Pakistan’s nuclear program more egregious in that regard), but as always, would recommend careful and critical reading.

While really not the focus of the book, I found the brief discussions of Zarqawi in Iraq and the foundation of the Islamic State useful as a simple introduction to that organizational transformation. The book notes the debates over Al Qaeda’s enduring strength or lack thereof in the wake of bin Laden’s death, but doesn’t really resolve the question or shed new light on the degree of his operational influence.

There is a lot of thought-provoking and interesting material in here, and the book offers an important account of post 9/11 history. Definitely recommended.

[Somay Munde · Rating 4 out of 5]

*The Exile* is a powerful and thoroughly researched account of Osama bin Laden’s life following the September 11 attacks. The book meticulously traces bin Laden’s escape from Tora Bora, his years in hiding, and the survival of Al Qaeda as a global threat. Through a wealth of sources, including interviews with intelligence officials and Al Qaeda insiders, Scott-Clark and Levy uncover the intricate details of how bin Laden and his closest associates evaded capture while continuing to influence jihadist movements.

The narrative is both informative and engaging, often reading like a high-stakes thriller. The authors provide deep insights into the psychological and emotional toll of life in exile on bin Laden’s family and followers, without ever losing sight of the larger geopolitical implications. The book excels at humanizing its subjects without excusing their actions, offering a nuanced portrait of bin Laden as both a leader and a man deeply entangled in his own ideological web.

While densely packed with detail, *The Exile* remains accessible, making it a must-read for those interested in the post-9/11 world, the War on Terror, and the continued impact of Al Qaeda. It's an essential contribution to understanding one of the most significant figures in recent history.

[Sukanto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally finished this book which seemed to be never ending. But was worth it I think.

[Steven H · Rating 3 out of 5]

A FINE HISTORY OF BIN LADEN AND AL QAEDA

The authors wrote in the Preface to this 2017 book, “[The film] ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ was materially wrong in many ways, perhaps none more important than its claim that torture unearthed vital knowledge leading to Osama’s capture. In truth, the real trail had been pieced together through dogged detective work, good luck, and well-crafted interrogations conducted well before the beatings and mock executions… All of which made it more essential than ever to get behind the history that was being told. We need more detail and not less… if we are to ever tamp down a bloody conflict that threatens the globe. And it is from this place---a desire for a contemporary, complex… verbal history... that this book begins.” (Pg. xvii) They add, “[This book] dives deep inside this world, recounting for the first time the stories of Al Qaeda’s leaders, gunmen, planners, and their spiritual guides, fighters made outlaws by their brutal acts. Through them, we meet their wives and children, who as a result of their affiliations and blood---marriages and births---also became fugitives.” (Pg. xx)

They point out in the first chapter, “Until recently Osama had lived with four wives and more than a dozen children and grandchildren… The family was a font of pride that spoke of his virility, and demonstrated his power. But his fourth son, Omar, and his senior wife, Najwa, had both walked out on him---unexpected acts of desertion that had sent him into a spiral of rage… Omar [was] a teenager who Osama had been training as his heir… But Omar never shared his father’s obsession with was. ‘I want to leave this place…’ the teen had sobbed, after he learned of the coming Planes Operation [i.e., 9/11]. PLEASE could his father stop? Osama… shouted back, ‘Omar, I will fight until my dying day… I will never stop this jihad!’ Realizing that his rather was beyond reach, Omar went to his mother, Najwa, pleading for her to leave with him.” (Pg. 2)

Osama married a girl “who was younger than many of his children… A man who had once railed against the sleaziness of President Bill Clinton’s indiscretions with Monica Lewinsky, and so described polygamy as like ‘riding a bicycle, fast but a little unstable,’ was having sex with a child.” (Pg. 28)

The doctor “who had run the first-aid post on the mountaintop [where bin Laden was hiding after 9/11],” complained, “‘Osama didn’t care about anyone but himself…’ explaining how he had tried to escape down the mountain in a large group of fleeing fighters but had been attacked from the air, with more than forty of his party killed. Forced to return to Tora Bora, the doctor had discovered that Osama, who had insisted that everyone remain, had himself disappeared… it was a disturbingly familiar story of personal cowardice.” (Pg. 94)

They state, “the CIA was also to blame. More than six months had passed since 9/11 and [the] agency was still not geared up to the scale of the task at hand, having insufficient linguists, targeters, analysts, interrogators, of even counterterrorism experts to ask smart questions in the right languages.” (Pg. 137)

After the rise of ISIS, they recount, “From the letters flowing to Osama it was clear that Al Qaeda supporters around the world were confused. Was the new Islamic State in Iraq part of Al Qaeda or something different? Was it a caliphate or an emirate?... Was it Islamic State OF Iraq or IN Iraq?” (Pg. 275) They add, “Frustrated at his inability to influence Islamic State in Iraq, Osama turned his attention to something he could control, his wives and children… Much of the time Osama complained of feeling ill, describing his symptoms as dehydration and a lack of energy. He spent hours sitting cross-legged on the floor wrapped in a woolen shawl and watching reruns of the 9/11 footage, saved programs about the ongoing search for him, and daily news…” (Pg. 276-277)

When his location was pretty certain, “the focus switched to ground operation. A bunker-buster strike would make it almost impossible to verify that they had hit the main target… and collateral damage to women and children in the compound as well as those living in neighboring houses would probably be substantial, causing aftershocks, real and psychological, that the United States might not be able to contain or ride out. Besides, there was no way of knowing whether the surgical strike had hit or missed its target, meaning Osama, and if he survived, he could go to ground, possibly forever. They had to go in person to kill or capture him.” (Pg. 379-380)

As the raiders entered the compound, “After six years of total isolation, the children having constantly been berated for making the smallest noise or complaining… the Americans were swarming in their home… and there was no emergency procedure … Their safe hose was a death trap.” (Pg. 414) Osama was killed, and “A volley of muffled shots rang out as commemorative, vengeful rounds were pumped into the body, everyone wanting to take a shot.” (Pg. 417)

They summarize, “countless official briefings presented bin Laden as having spent his last years pacing in his courtyard, watching television, and dictating messages to people who no longer listened. A giant of a man had become a frustrated introvert who frittered away his time on domestic dramas, watched porn, dyed his hair and beard back to black, and recorded faltering video statements that were never aired… he had lost his momentum, and he had lost Al Qaeda too. He had spent the days before his death in bitter reflection.” (Pg. 451)

This book will be “must reading” for those wanting to know the story of bin Laden, and his actions.

[Atar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost every book I have read has been about Al Qaeda, the Taliban, the Afghan war, Pakistan, the Iraq war, the Central Asian countries, and U.S. military & intelligence Agency's role leading to 9/11 and the subsequent turmoil in the Middle East and Central Asia but this book is different. This is what happened to Al Qaeda and Usama Bin Laden and family from the insiders perspective. Their perspective. Fabulously researched and written. It will be in my top 5 books and one I will likely re-read. If you want to know how they got away, this is the book for you.

[Surabhi Nijhawan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a great piece of investigative journalism. What I liked the most about it was that it not only had the details of Bin Laden's exile and raid at Abbottabad, but several other issues, such as the Arab Spring, making of IS etc. The only problem with the book is that it has too many people and often gets confusing to remember who did what. Nevertheless, informative and objective account. It's a must read for those who want to read about modern war history.

[Divakar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adrain Levy and Catherine Scott-Clark are past masters on South and West Asian terror. They wrote an interesting book on Kashmir (The Meadow) and more recently the eminently readable

SEIGE….which was on the terror attack on the Taj Hotel…now more famously referred to us 26/11.
We’ve plenty of books on 9/11 and more on the Navy Seals attack on Abbottabad where they flushed out Osama Bin laden but hardly any one on what happened to Osama Bi laden post 9/11 till his assassination. The Exile traverses this journey of roughly ten years and what you have is a very readable book….painstaking research, interviews with surviving members of the extended bin laden family, CIA spooks and case officers, multiple tribal leaders , on the ground trips to Pakistan and Afghanistan…and what finally comes out is a book rich in detail, with an ear to the ground and with an air of authenticity….that you rarely find when you are reconstructing recent history…finally giving it the favor of a Le Carre thriller.

The book avoids the beaten path of the conversion of the uber rich bin Laden into a self-styled messiah…possibly it assumes that the reader would have read about this part elsewhere….and focuses on the issues post 9/11 and the fractious relationships of Osama Bin laden…with Mullah Omar…his sponsor in Afghanistan, with his core team, his religious advisors ; his struggle for survival with Tom Hawks and laser guided missiles after him in the Tora Bora caves, his providential escape from Tora Bora and his arrival in Pakistan ( some interesting sidelights on the how the terror attacks on the Indian parliament actually aided his smooth passage into Pakistan ),his frequent shifting of his ever growing caravan, his worries and anxieties about his multiple wives and his brood of children, the unexplained and at times unfathomable relationship with the Shia government of Iran…which provides asylum to a large part of his brood……the slow retreat of Al Qaeda…..defanging of all its bluff and bluster….and the emergence of its Version: 2….the ISIS…same objectives but more brutal and ruthless methods…and surprisingly more successful in terms of its ability to attract lost people looking for a cause.

Perhaps this is the first book which has a detailed personal history of Osama. His half a dozen wives…(actually 4 as two of them ended in quick divorces) and the way he manages the relationships, his multiple children with different levels of ability and ambitions, his love for his mentally challenged son…Saad who finally got killed in a drone attack, his day to day issues with his hosts of Kuwaiti origin in Abbotabad…..the book gives you a personalised account… …at the end of it…you feel that the Osama who terrorized the West….finally has issues that any lower middle class family man has.
Some never before published facts…actually startle you…like the hand of Al Qaeda in the 26/11 attacks.
The family obsessed Osama preoccupied with family issues, working thru primitive methods of hand-couriers since he did not want to be located and with a obsession to mount something more dramatic than the ‘planes operation’ (this is Qaeda speak for 26/11) who is finally holed up in Abbotabad…..is unable to keep up with the rising expectations of the Jihad world…and its need for action…..and how parts of the Al Qaeda morphs into ISIL…ISIS…and now just called IS…and its Caliphate in Iraq is very well brought out.

The wheels within the wheels of Shia-Sunni issues also finds mention. Strangely, the senior most wife of the Sunni Osama and a dozen other children….were housed in the Iran, a Shia country. Why did they provide asylum to a Sunni terrorist’s family ?....Was this an insurance against any attacks on their country or were they bargaining tools to be leveraged in the future….the book touches on these issues but does not provide conclusive answers.

It is quite ironical that Osama shuns all technology to stay under the radar of the hi-tech gizmo wielding world of the CIA as he was paranoid of phones being tapped, mails being intercepted and lived an almost cave like existence in Abbotabad. One really cannot rule out a little bit of help of the ISI for him to stay underground for so many years as he leads a leisurely life, a couple of 100s of metres from the Pakistan Military Training academy in Abbotabad.

Overall an interesting book….read it before it is done to death in book reviews in the Indian press.

[Joe Silber · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Exile is an amazingly detailed book that, while structured like a Tom Clancy novel, struggled a bit to hold my interest. After an unbelievable amount of research by the authors, including interviews with Bin Laden family members, Pakistani and US officials, and more, the book pieces together a nearly week by week timeline of what happened to Osama Bin Laden, his family, and other high-ranking Al-Qaeda members following the 9/11 attacks up through the raid on Abbotabad and its aftermath. Along the way, we get glimpses into the conflicting political forces at play in Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and the US.

This is a long book. You really feel the length. There's a lot of good material in here, but it's a big of a slog at times. The chapters are divided into relatively short segments by time/location, but there are a lot of these segments, and there are not really transitions, so you have to keep a lot in your head at once. The Arabic names were very challenging for me to keep straight (the authors do bestow some nicknames, like "The Mauritanian" but I still had to refer to the bios at the end of the volume a lot, and I still mixed people up constantly). Most frustratingly (perhaps trying to avoid making a long book even longer) the authors spend almost no time at any point providing a bigger picture. The reader is left to put together any larger takeaways themselves, which was challenging, given that it took me over a month and a half to read the book.

This is still a fascinating book, and worth reading. You get a clear idea of what it was like to be part of Bin Laden's family, and what things were like to be in hiding from the US and its drone attacks. You learn about the Pakistan deep state within their intelligence service, and how it's often at odds with the rest of the government. You learn about all that Iran did to keep parts of the Bin Laden family and members of Al Qaeda safe yet confined (partly as hostages to prevent Al Qaeda attacks on Iran, partly because they were angry at Bush's axis of evil speech, partly because Ahmadinejad rose to power and was strongly anti-Western, among other possible reasons). You learn how close the US came to taking out Bin Laden in Tora Bora. You learn a lot about the US torture program. So go ahead and read the Exile, but be prepared for a long haul.

[Zizi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dang. Believe the hype: this book is fantastic. Scott-Clark and Levy are masterful storytellers, and the entire story just flows perfectly and keeps you engrossed the whole time. The book is meticulously researched and based on interviews with nearly every key player who is neither dead nor still an active member of Al Qaeda.

The book's stars are Bin Laden's family members, his wives and their children. They are, for the most part, depicted sympathetically but not without flaws. (Bin Laden himself is not depicted sympathetically at all, so don't be worried about that. Not only did he fail to see America's response to 9/11, but he was also a terrible father, a bad husband, and spent the last decade of his life mostly isolated and on his computer.) Each wife is explored in detail, and the lives of several of their children are fleshed out as well as they possibly could be. Some are tragic (a daughter, married off young, dies of childbirth-related complications), others are frustrating (Bin Laden's favorite son is still alive and aspires to be his mini-me), others are pitiful (several of his older sons had developmental issues, possibly related to inbreeding). The authors never try to make you forget that at least two of his wives and a few of his children were true believers in his terrorism, but even so they are presented as women who have found themselves in a situation they never signed up for.

The B-plot of the book involves other Al Qaeda members, who found themselves completely unprepared for American retribution and the chaos that would ensue after 9/11. They're shuffled around through Afghanistan and Pakistan, some find their way to the custody of the Iranians (an odd arrangement that changes as the years pass by, disrupting the popular idea of the two groups never interacting due to ideological and religious differences), others head for the Gulf, many die. Most are terrible, violent people and are presented as such, but their stories are still gripping.

The authors don't seek to spin some moral tale or explain how 9/11 impacted the entire world. The focus here is very narrow, and the cast quite small, and the story is much better for that. Highly recommended.

[Hadi Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished The Exile by Cathy Scott-Clark and Adrian Levy. It’s about Usama Bin Ladan’s years from just before 9/11 to his death in Abbott Abad Pakistan in 2011. After his death, the book covers Al-Qaida’s resurgence amid the chaos brought about by Islamic State in the region, ending with the pronouncement about one of his son as being listed a global terrorist by the USA.

There is hardly any character in this theatre of violence that could draw one’s sympathy except for kids and some women. It’s also the world of men serving men’s ambitions. Most of them appear as zealots, lunatics and often incompetent pawns in the hands of bigger players, who are in turn controlled by even bigger players. How the bigger players behave towards each other resembles a game of chess with an ever growing number of players playing on the same board, each aiming to win. They form allies in one moment and turn on each other in the next (US with and against Iran, Pakistan with and against Taliban and Al-Qaeda, Iran with and against Al-Qaeda etc). As this is happening, in the backdrop, a child dies here and a woman drops there with no end in sight. What most of the world in the end see is a dumbing down and adulterated version of the story in the form of something like the Zero Dark Thirty which make them believe that the good guys won and all is good now. When in fact, by US State Department representative’s own admittance, it’s only the “end of the beginning”.

The books also confirms my long held foreboding that the butchering of minorities in the region isn’t going to stop anytime soon, as the shepherds are often in bed with wolves. When in Quetta, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi killed more than a 100 members of Hazara minority in 2013 in one single attack, the perpetrators mass celebrated the “century” (a term borrowed from cricket) with the protection of the people in power who were entrusted to protect the citizens.

Anyone interested in South Asian or Middle Eastern affairs should get their hands on this book.

[Dhaval Pandya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant account of Osama's life post September 11 Attacks, and weaves together Al-Qaeda leadership's situation throughout and until 2016. So much informative, and history presented here. The terror felt by AQ of Americans coming for them and drones into the skies threatening to unleash Hellfire missiles at any time is palpable through their internal communication. The CIA's inhuman torture of several of them is difficult to read.

Osama's traits of micromanaging were incredible and despite exhorting others to die in name of Islam, he feared his death when Americans inevitably came for him that day. Also highlighted is dangerous role of S-Wing of ISI, which has notoriously nurtured terror networks and overall Pakistan Army duplicity in War on Terror. There is no such thing as freedom of expression in Pakistan, and it is very much clear here.

More interesting stuff was related to IRGC harbouring AQ leadership and their continuing support to Al-Zawahiri by hosting him in Iran, and the tussle between reformists and those loyal to Supreme Leader.

For any of those interested in the region, it is a must read book.

[Mubeen Irfan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you know Osama carried out 9/11 despite not having a go ahead from his Al-Qaeda shura?

Did you know Al-Qaeda major lieutenants escaped Tora Bora and subsequently fled to Iran where they were knowingly & willingly given refuge by Iran's Revolutionary guard so that they can be used later as baits with the USA?

Did you know the infamous Abu Musab Zarqavi actually used Iran's network of funds and passage to escape and later carried out carnage against Shias in Iraq?

The above are those startling revelations given in this book which, like all their past books, is a gripping thriller tale that can easily pass on as fiction if you replace characters by fictitious names. Adrian Levy & Catherine Scott Clark have used inside accounts based on their sources in the governments of Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Al-Qaeda. It is a must read book to find out how Osama's story came full circle.

PS. I would suggest reading Steve Coll's Ghost wars & this book as two parts of same man's story, one written how he came to be and the other telling how he met his end.

[Kursad Albayraktaroglu · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are several excellent books on how September 11, the most heinous terrorist attack in history, was planned and executed. After the CIA tracked down and killed bin Laden, these were joined by a few well-written books about the operation; some written by members of the SEAL team that carried it out.

However, how bin Laden was able to escape Afghanistan and evade capture until he was killed in Abbottabad had largely been a mystery. Thanks to "The Exile", there is now a detailed and accurate record of this period. This impressive book is based on meticulous research and personal interviews of many of the people involved (including bin Laden's wives and other family members) and should answer most of the questions you might have about how the most wanted terrorist in the world was able to escape to Pakistan and live undetected for several years.

Of course, there are still quite a few questions that the book can not answer (was bin Laden really betrayed by one of his wives? To what extent was the Pakistani intelligence agency aware of his presence in the country?) - but these are not likely to be answered any time soon -if ever.

Highly recommended.

[Karen Gleister · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hooked by a review and a podcast, I've just finished this long read, and I just could not put it down. Ultimately this is a retelling of a story that we think we know but peopled by facts and figures who are so completely different.
They've taken the period and flipped it on its head and result is gripping, stupefying and occasionally astounding.
I read one review that said this book had been constructed with the benefit of hindsight and was therefore a loose draft of history. But actually its strength is that it is had found new sources, no one has bothered to talk to or been gutsy enough to, and recorded their stories.
This is so far from a hindsight driven read - it is a radical retelling, and I am sure will become the go-to book for some time to come - if you want to understand what we have all lived through since 9/11. And, as importantly, why the U.S and Iran fueled the crisis.
This is not a book for military historians. It's a book for people who read.

[Lyle Nicholson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, however, found too many references to just about everybody Osama Bin Laden had ever dealt with. There was the detailed background on his wives, his children, including brothers in law and just about everyone else he'd ever dealt with.

Trying to keep all of the numerous figures in my head as I read became exhaustive. I found I needed to skim and then skip ahead to where the action was of them actually finding Bin Laden. The details of the torture or as they called "interrogation techniques," were fascinating. I had no idea the US Military practiced such things on other human beings.

The book makes you wonder how far we as humans will go in our need to protect ourselves. The writing is exceptional in this book. These are two excellent authors who have researched this topic extremely well. I applaud them for their efforts, they were, as mentioned too detailed for my reading taste.

[Raju · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strats with 9/11 and ends with the infight of Al Qaeda in Iraq, the book mainly runs like a diary relating to the events happened on the life of people associated with 9/11 operation. Extensively researched with authentic information, covers the family life of Osama Bin Laden.

Book Portrays Osama as staunch Mujahideen and head of Al Qaeda and also a father who wants his children both sons and daughters to be part of the Jihadi Movement. Marrying his daughters to Mujahideens and sending the sons to the war front shows how OBL was convinced that his mission was right.

Osama's stay in Pakistan for nearly more than 10 years shows how strongly the nexus is present between Pakistani establishment and Al Qaeda.

OBL hand on Mumbai Blasts makes the matter more confusing.

Overall, this book gives the detailed account of Al Qaeda life post 9/11 which most of the news channels fail to give.

[Rick · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Exile is a book that should have quit while it was ahead. The first part of the book, while often slow, was also engaging and gave a great review of the history of Al Qadea. The involvement of Iran is new and very intense. Levy leaves it to the reader to decide if they were prisoners or were kept in country club settings that allowed them to regroup. The part that follows the tracking of Al Qaeda is interesting but could use a bit more context and fewer names. Her fascination with multiple, sometimes very similar, names results in a muddied view of who was who and what they did. The final killing of Bin Laden seems to be a recap of Zero Dark Thirty. The follow up chapters provide us with information but don't provide much context to allow the reader to make an informed conclusion.

Really long, often dull and often confusing! I'd say pass