The New Jackals: Ramzi Yousef, Osama bin Laden, and the Future of Terrorism

by Simon Reeve

An analysis of suicidal terrorism draws on previously unpublished documents, interviews with FBI agents, and other sources to trace the careers of Ramzi Yousef and Osama bin Laden, examining their close ties with each other and their relationship with Saddam Hussein, and providing in a new epilogue an assessment of the al Qaeda network. Original.

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

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 7, 1999

About the author

Simon Reeve is an English author and broadcaster. In recent years he's been travelling around little-known regions of the world for a series of BBC television documentaries.

Reviews

[Martha Chappin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for my EPQ

very factual book that focuses on the 1993 WTC bombing. What makes it so interesting is the fact that it was written before 9/11 so, reading it with hindsight of what’s to come, was very interesting . The middle dragged on quiet a bit, and i think could have been condensed down.

[Jeane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luckily this book wasn't written as a he is such a bad guy, whatever his reasons.
I didn't realize first that the book was written before the airplanes destroyed the Twin Towers, so was waiting until that would be described. As it was written before, it was kind of fun to see how Reeves wrote about thinks and knowing what really happened afterwards. Spooky sometimes, but also making you feel sometimes like it couldn't be true they managed to do this stuff.

I guess Americans will feel different reading this book, but I liked the way Reeves wrote. Yes, what happened is bad. But the book shows you also the other side and makes you think about what the other side says. Their reasons, their background and what has happened in their countries, now and a long time ago.
It isn't a book about the terrorists are wrong and the countries they harm or complete victims.
I don't support them, but certain things they say I don't disagree with either.
The review Fiona wrote about this book which she gave to me, explains very well what the book is about. So I would advise to read that one too!

So my conclusion is that just as with his other book that I read, I thought it would be so so, but again it was interesting to read and well writen.

[Gary Varga · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb piece of work. Nothing created. Just a joining of the factual dots gained through investigative journalism. It reads so well 20 years on as when you interpolate the facts with the predictions you actually arrive in our terrorism reality today.

If you are looking for a religion, particularly Muslim, bashing diatribe then you will be disappointed. This isn't prose turning reality into a pantomime. There are some home truths for us in the West to take in. Historical misjudgements that we are still suffering from today. And by us I mean everyone.

I was told that it accurately predicted a particular terrorist action that did occur years after this book was published. It didn't. But what it did predict, which included acts like that particular terrorist action, is a change in what terrorism is and why the easiest way to reduce terrorism is the hard negotiated resolutions of complex issues. An example of one that has been eased this way already is Northern Ireland. It isn't solved but enough comprises have occurred to seriously reduce atrocities committed.

Finally, it reads well. Whilst not glamorising anything, it is a page turner nonetheless.

[Red Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting that this book was published in 1999, but of course few people, to include me, read it until after Sept. 11th.

The FBI was able to infiltrate Sheikh Omar's group, which prevented bridge and tunnel bombings

Ramzi Yousef was not an observant Muslim - he just used Islam to further his cause.

Bhutto supported the US move to seize Yousef in Pakistan.

Reeve foresees the fall of the Egyptian govt.

[Vivek Gaurav · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very must interesting read to comprehend the rise of new brand of Islamic terrorism of 1990s which is sponsored and manned by sophisticated young evil geniuses. The world is at greater danger now than ever...

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another small fry ready to use whatever to sell the fear that gets him paid.

[Maddy Forrester-Muir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written and digestible.

[Matthew Griffiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

This work has obviously lost some of its punch since publication but had I read this prior to 9/11 then this certainly would have got a five star rating. New Jackals is an excellent analysis of the career of one terrorist in particular and through his investigation of Yousef's career, Reeve demonstrates the complexity and reach of international terrorism in the early 1990s and how it was poised to strike internationally. Many of the predictions about terrorist attacks or the direction terrorism would follow are remarkably accurate and credit is due. The flaws in the predictions made were that terrorism would increasingly take place in the west with the wars in the Middle East proving that terrorism has mostly been used as a weapon against the near enemy not the far one and the other predictions that missed were that fundamentalist terrorists were eagerly seeking access to wmd's as it seems that bombings have proven effective enough for them.

I would happily re-read this if a new edition was released to incorporate developments in terrorism since publication as while this is certainly not the most scholarly discussion of the topic, Reeve writes with a verve that makes some of the more technical or repetitive aspects of the story just as interesting as the most engrossing aspects of the narrative.

Would highly recommend this to anyone interested in similar topics

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I will hold my hand up and say I had absolutely no recollection of an attack on the twin towers in 1993. To read this book and understand what happened and the knowledge and insights gained on Ramzi Youself and Osama bin Laden following the attacks, knowing what would come later - quite frankly it's astounding.

Knowing what we knew, and reading articles about the attack written at the time (http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/da...) - I don't know what to make of it all. Could we really not have put all the knowledge to good use to try to prevent the atrocity that was to come?
It's particularly harrowing to read in the article the experiences of those in the towers on the day of the 1993 attack - in particular the quote "it felt like an airplane hit the building". Absolutely chilling.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for informational purposes only. It was interesting enough on its own but its importance I think lies in understanding the development of the terrorist cells we see today and how they operate and recruit.

[Bryan White · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good background to the precursors of 9/11, other than that it's a pretty hard read.

[SoAmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

in depth and detailed. fascinating.