What do you think?
Rate this book
Disruption: Inside the Largest Counterterrorism Investigation in History
A Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of the Year
A Christian Science Monitor Best Read of 2021
Neave Book Prize shortlist
Al Qaeda did not stop after 9/11. Its reign of terror continued with bombings and mayhem across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. But its frustration grew as the group failed to fundamentally undermine America and its allies.
Five years later the time was ripe for another spectacular mega-plot. Fresh from masterminding the London Underground carnage, one veteran operative set in motion a new operation to destroy passenger aircraft over the Atlantic Ocean—and kill thousands of people in the process.
Disruption tells the story of that conspiracy and the heroic efforts by the intelligence services of the United States, Great Britain, and Pakistan to uncover and crush it. From the streets of London to the training camps of Pakistan to the corridors of power in Washington DC, the story unfolds with murders, double-crosses, probes, jailbreaks, and explosions.
Former counterterrorism analyst Aki J. Peritz brings the story to life with vivid imagery, interviews with top intelligence officials, and never-before-seen declassified documents. Disruption is the not-to-be-missed account of the race to stop a terrorist conspiracy that would have remade our world—forever.
A Christian Science Monitor Best Read of 2021
Neave Book Prize shortlist
Al Qaeda did not stop after 9/11. Its reign of terror continued with bombings and mayhem across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. But its frustration grew as the group failed to fundamentally undermine America and its allies.
Five years later the time was ripe for another spectacular mega-plot. Fresh from masterminding the London Underground carnage, one veteran operative set in motion a new operation to destroy passenger aircraft over the Atlantic Ocean—and kill thousands of people in the process.
Disruption tells the story of that conspiracy and the heroic efforts by the intelligence services of the United States, Great Britain, and Pakistan to uncover and crush it. From the streets of London to the training camps of Pakistan to the corridors of power in Washington DC, the story unfolds with murders, double-crosses, probes, jailbreaks, and explosions.
Former counterterrorism analyst Aki J. Peritz brings the story to life with vivid imagery, interviews with top intelligence officials, and never-before-seen declassified documents. Disruption is the not-to-be-missed account of the race to stop a terrorist conspiracy that would have remade our world—forever.
408 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2021
19 people are currently reading
278 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 18, 2022
DNF. This was the most pro government accounting of a 'counterterrorism' investigation where the focus was on purchasing products and lacked an essential critical thinking/investigation lens. Awful writing and narration. Overall... don't bother.
January 8, 2022
Ever wonder why, exactly, you can't take that Diet Coke through security at the airport? Ever marveled at the fact that al Qaeda has failed to do any catastrophic damage to the US in 20 years, despite obviously trying?
Neither of those things are an accident. Both are the result of meticulous planning, the first on the part of terrorist bomb-makers and the second on the part of both intelligence and police officials, many of them unarmed British cops.
This is the story of how the Brits and Americans - but mostly the Brits - stopped a massive al Qaeda attack on jetliners a few years after 9/11. It tells the tale from both sides, richly unpacking the radicalization of groups of men living in Britain and dreaming of murdering their countrymen and obtaining their 72 virgins. It's an incredible story, skillfully told. I powered through it in two long sitting.
Full disclosure: Aki is a friend and former colleague. That said, I recommend this book unreservedly.
Neither of those things are an accident. Both are the result of meticulous planning, the first on the part of terrorist bomb-makers and the second on the part of both intelligence and police officials, many of them unarmed British cops.
This is the story of how the Brits and Americans - but mostly the Brits - stopped a massive al Qaeda attack on jetliners a few years after 9/11. It tells the tale from both sides, richly unpacking the radicalization of groups of men living in Britain and dreaming of murdering their countrymen and obtaining their 72 virgins. It's an incredible story, skillfully told. I powered through it in two long sitting.
Full disclosure: Aki is a friend and former colleague. That said, I recommend this book unreservedly.
December 4, 2022
The good was that I finally understand why I can't take a liquid on a plane, and I also have a better understanding of some of the terror acts that the U.K. has suffered through. I also thought the wrap up and discussion on societal perceptions was well done. But the organization is poor, the opening "dream" sequence was off-putting, and the throwing in every single bit of evidence (at 7:09 he went into the building, at 7:11 he did something else...) was just poor writing.
February 24, 2022
Why We Can’t Bring Bottles in a Plane
The author states that the book started as an article and grew to be a book. It feels that way. I grew to be confused or wait for a payoff much earlier than it occurs. I would have recommended restructuring the story to make it more into a nonfiction book rather than a magazine article.
The author states that the book started as an article and grew to be a book. It feels that way. I grew to be confused or wait for a payoff much earlier than it occurs. I would have recommended restructuring the story to make it more into a nonfiction book rather than a magazine article.
March 19, 2022
Despite the ambitious title, I was very underwhelmed by this book. The book was written chronologically and would have benefitted from having a taste of the end at the beginning. I was left trying to figure out the significance of people and events throughout the book.
February 17, 2022
DNF thought it was going to be about the investigation, but it got bogged down in the details of the plotters purchases.
April 9, 2022
Very good ....a must read
April 25, 2022
The book masterfully weaves together the various threads of a complex terror plot and the law enforcement investigation and response. The result is an entertaining and thoughtful read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews