The Man Who Warned America: The Life and Death of John O'Neill, the FBI's Embattled Counterterror Warrior

by Murray Weiss

Traces the career of the FBI counter-terrorism expert who lost his life on September 11 days after beginning his job as chief of security for the World Trade Center, noting his role in the investigations of the Oklahoma City bombing and the attack on the U.S.S. Cole, and citing his warnings prior to September 11 on the possibility of a large-scale terrorist strike. Reprint.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, American History, Politics, Terrorism

464 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2003

Reviews

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book when it first came out for a number of reasons: I was able to see smoke from the Twin Towers from my office in Stamford Ct. I also was able to see the second plane crash into the second tower on live TV. Like most American's that day we were mesmerized by the horrific and infamous acts of these religious zealots; I worked with John O'Neil and knew him while we were both executives at FBIHQ and had just recently attended a lecture/presentation he gave on the attack of the USS Cole with input from the agents who worked the case amid the obstructions of our own State Department and a wrong headed ambassador.

While John O'Neill was a strong headed and complex personality, he was a good FBI Agent who grew up like most of us. He was an Irish Catholic with humble beginnings and exposure to life in the streets. He was a tough, opinionated guy who would come at you with every fibre of his being. His morality was very complex but his devotion to his job and to his country were without comparison.

He made more friends than enemies and these were because of his head strong beliefs and fearless ability to take control.

I was keenly aware of the administrative issues he had with the lose of Bureau property and of his overwhelming persona when he entered a room. He was a snappy dresser and. A man devoted to his beliefs, even with the paradoxes in his being.

That he died trying to save people in the collapsing towers was predictable. That his messages and warnings were not always acted upon with the dispatch seen from looking back, was also predictable given our politically correct mind fixation.

Even given the personal conduct and cotradictory actions, I am convinced he is now in Gods embrace and among the unheralded saints of man in heaven.

This was a great read and I enjoyed it !ht

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of "the man who warned America",a man who died for what he believed in. John O'Neil valiantly and tirelessly fought for our national security by warning his office and our government about Bin Laden's impending threats. His warnings which may have enabled us to protect our country against 9/11 fell on the deaf ears of the FBI, CIA, Clinton and Bush. On September 11, 2001, John O'Neill ran into the burning twin towers to help save lives. He lost his. He was a brave soul and a true hero! This is a MUST READ.

[Jerome Otte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad. I first read about O'Neill in Lawrence Wright's The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11. This is an excellent companion to Wright's book, but it is very old (2003). The book doesn't mention Ali Soufan by name. The author hates Clinton's guts and asserts that the Monica Lewinsky affair distracted him from bin Laden. That's debatable.
The book details O'Neill's FBI career. The main story is his job as section chief for counterterrorism and his role in various pre-9/11 al-Qaeda investigations such as the first WTC bombing, Khobar Towers, and the USS Cole. He also headed the investigation that led to in laden's indictment by the Southern District of New York.
The book explores enigma and duality that is O'Neill's personal and professional life. As an FBI agent, O'Neill was second to no one. If it weren't for two indiscretions (one accidental, one the type of thing probably everyone does anyway), O'Neill might have made it to the top spot in the FBI. The book also tells a different side of O'Neill, a womanizer, a chronic liar, and a person who seemingly had no regard for his financial future. Yet, he was a caring father, an insecure mate, and a typical fun-loving American.
Very unbalanced, though. The US ambassador to Yemen is portrayed as a complete idiot just because she didn't like O'Neill, which I found a little infuriating. I also rolled my eyes as Weiss ranted and ranted at how "stupid" Clinton's response to the 1998 US embassy bombings were. See At the Center of the Storm: My Years at the CIA and Against All Enemies for a better account of that operation.
There's a photo in the book of a FBI Graduation Class Photo which says it's John O'Neil's 1976 Graduation Class Photo, and it also says that in 1976, J. Edgar Hoover was the director of the FBI, and in the photograph you can see Hoover standing in the front row. HOOVER DIED in 1972, he can't be director of anything, let alone the FBI in 1976. The guy identified in the photograph as John O'Neil is hard to see, he's in the back row, and is really just a blur. So my guess is, that this isn't John O'Neil FBI Class Photo.

[Mike S · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a biography of John O'Neill, who was basically the FBI's head of counterterrorism in the New York office until 2001, when he retired and went to work as the head of security at the World Trade Center, where he was about two weeks into the job when he was killed in the September 11th terrorist attacks.

The book details O'Neill's life from his time growing up in New Jersey, dreaming of becoming an FBI agent, to his death in 2001. The book focuses on how he was one of the first people to recognize and warn government officials of the threat of Al-Qaeda and worked to build a case against Osama Bin Ladin so the FBI could go into Afghanistan and grab him. It also detailed the way he butted heads with people in the FBI and how his penchant for bending the rules, and his personal life caused him to be passed over for promotions and ultimately forced out of the FBI. The book portrays O'Neill as really being married to his work, and being someone who rarely slept and was obsessive about getting everything perfect.

The book is a bit incomplete (e.g., it mostly glosses over how the CIA and FBI were fighting about sharing information), and gets some things about what happened on September 11th itself wrong. The book was published in 2002, so certainly not all of the information that has been revealed since it was written was widely known when it was being written, but some of the mistakes could have been avoided with a little research and better editing.

Overall, the book is a good look at a man with a complex life. The book is about 400 pages of substantive text, and then about 30 pages of notes. It is not an easy read, but it is not extremely difficult to get through either. People who read quickly should be able to get through it in a week or less, depending on how much time they have to read. I definitely recommend it.

[Sven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written biography of one of the most fascinating man, that ever fought against international terrorism.
The book gives a lot of inside into his life and career. Even the morally reprehensible parts of his life are mentioned and make the book more than just a simple praise.
Not much is missing to a five star review, but the author should have given more details about certain events, beyond the interviews of many people in O'Neil's life. The author also missed to mention Ali Soufan and brought in a little too much of his personal political views on the Clinton and Bush administrations.
Despite that it's still a good read and worth the time.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a story! I first learned about John O'Neill through a documentary—the man who foresaw Bin Laden’s attack on America but tragically lost his life in the World Trade Center on 9/11. His warnings to the U.S. government went unheeded, leading to his frustration, resignation from the FBI, and eventual role as Director of Security at the Twin Towers.

I picked up this book to learn more about O'Neill’s fascinating story, and it did not disappoint. It explores his early life, shaping the man who became a top anti-terrorism investigator. The storytelling is clear and engaging, making it an effortless yet compelling read.

[Ben Schmidt · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the crazier true stories I’ve ever heard. Almost to the extent that’s it’s hard to believe the story wasn’t embellished or adjusted. How is this not a major Hollywood movie? I think the book is hugely overshadowed by the in depth look at his bizarre personal life. But I guess this is a biography so I shouldn’t complain. Definitely worth a read regardless

[Bronwync · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read... If only he had been taken more seriously, the course of history could literally have been changed... Incredible man, and this book is a real tribute to him. Well done Murray Weiss.

[Dan Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book about a man who fought and loved his country, but the country did not love him back, he warned everyone that Bin Laden was planning an attack on America, nobody listened to him.

[Citri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really engaging read about a fascinatingly complex and brilliant man.

[Steve Bouthillette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very detailed telling of the events leading up to the 911 attack in NYC and the people involved from the perspective of John O'neill, of the FBI.

Details the the life of an FBI agent who, while not necessarily a sympathetic figure in all of this, was an American Patriot who made it his mission to prevent the eventual attack that took all those American's lives in 2001.

O'Neill was the lead agent investigating many major events in the days leading up to the twin towers including the attack in Yemen on the USS Cole and the bombing of our embassies in Tanzania and Kenya.

Book is very detailed and uses interviews with O'Neill's fellow colleagues to paint a picture of the man who made it his mission to stop Osama Bin Laden, but failed and his failure in this eventually cost im his life.

Lots of blame to go around, but the details of his life and the investigations and actions taken in those days in the war on terror seemed to teach us some lessons on just how much the government can, or cannot, protect us from those that wish death upon us. Very unsettling read in that context.

This quote from a book that O'Neill read over and over again by constitutional scholar Walter Berns in this book, "Making Patriots", I believe, sums up the American Patriot that John O'Neill tried to be.

"Patriotism means love of country and implies a readiness to sacrifice for it, to fight for it, perhaps even to give one's life for it"

THAT he did.

[s · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Man Who Warned America
Murray Weiss
ReganBooks
$22.95 CDN (Softcover)
****

For anyone older than an infant on Sept. 11, 2001, the spectacle and horror of that day's events will remain burned in their memory.

But despite the volumes of information collected about the chain of circumstances that led to 9/11, comparatively few people are aware of John O'Neill, the man who led the FBI's counterterrorism fight before he was pushed out of the Bureau, his warnings about Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda largely falling on deaf ears.

Award-winning New York Post investigative journalist Mark Weiss spins a painstakingly researched and compelling tale of the driven, working-class son of Atlantic City cab drivers who employed his sharp intellect and dogged determination to fulfill his boyhood dream of becoming a top FBI agent.

He paints a vivid portrait of a fiercely patriotic, loyal, grand and flawed figure who loved the finer things in life and loved women even more, seeking out the simultaneous attentions and approval of a string of women although he was married with two children.

But his personal foibles never interfered with his work, which came before all else, those who knew him said -- a fact demonstrated by his long hours, relentless pursuit of truth when others were ready to close a case, and his pioneering use of many investigative techniques that are today standard FBI procedure.

Despite all of the charisma, charm and wit that served him so well in his work, he was unable to convince his superiors and senior U.S. administration officials to truly understand the threat posed by bin Laden and al Qaeda, and avert the disaster to come.

In an ironic twist of fate, O'Neill would prove to his naysayers that he was right -- at the cost of his life. He had earlier predicted an attack on the World Trade Center would occur, and died as the second tower collapsed little more than a week after he had left the Bureau to start a new job as head of security at the doomed structure.

Saleem Khan

[Saleem Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

** spoiler alert **
My review, published in Metro, September 2004.

The Man Who Warned America
Murray Weiss
ReganBooks
$22.95 CDN (Softcover)
****

For anyone older than an infant on Sept. 11, 2001, the spectacle and horror of that day's events will remain burned in their memory.

But despite the volumes of information collected about the chain of circumstances that led to 9/11, comparatively few people are aware of John O'Neill, the man who led the FBI's counterterrorism fight before he was pushed out of the Bureau, his warnings about Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda largely falling on deaf ears.

Award-winning New York Post investigative journalist Mark Weiss spins a painstakingly researched and compelling tale of the driven, working-class son of Atlantic City cab drivers who employed his sharp intellect and dogged determination to fulfill his boyhood dream of becoming a top FBI agent.

He paints a vivid portrait of a fiercely patriotic, loyal, grand and flawed figure who loved the finer things in life and loved women even more, seeking out the simultaneous attentions and approval of a string of women although he was married with two children.

But his personal foibles never interfered with his work, which came before all else, those who knew him said -- a fact demonstrated by his long hours, relentless pursuit of truth when others were ready to close a case, and his pioneering use of many investigative techniques that are today standard FBI procedure.

Despite all of the charisma, charm and wit that served him so well in his work, he was unable to convince his superiors and senior U.S. administration officials to truly understand the threat posed by bin Laden and al Qaeda, and avert the disaster to come.

In an ironic twist of fate, O'Neill would prove to his naysayers that he was right -- at the cost of his life. He had earlier predicted an attack on the World Trade Center would occur, and died as the second tower collapsed little more than a week after he had left the Bureau to start a new job as head of security at the doomed structure.

Saleem Khan

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book by Murray Weiss is essentially a biography of retired FBI agent John O'Neill. It covers in great detail the rise of O'Neill through the ranks of the FBI and how he became the most knowledgeable and dedicated expert in the field of international terrorism and its threat to the United States. Murray spells out how Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda became an obsession for O'Neill and eventually how that obsession saved lives in the United States and throughout the world.

The book details how politics, bureaucracy and egos hindered the efforts of counterterrorism experts like O'Neill. Murray stays refreshingly clear of picking a political side of the aisle from which to tout. Instead, he shows how politics and the press can easily distract us from an important issue, like the threat of Al Qaeda.

Beyond the fascinating story of John O'Neill, the exhaustive research that Murray Weiss did in order to write this book is impressive. He was able to secure comments and "war stories" from many of the people who knew O'Neill best. This work represents the efforts of a true professional investigative journalist.

And while this book clearly, and correctly, portrays O'Neill as an American hero, Weiss' research showed that even heroes have faults and he was not shy about revealing them. For all of O'Neill's dedication to his country, he seemed to have little regard for many of those closest to him. Picking the rules of the Catholic faith that were convenient and discarding those that got in his way. O'Neill seemed to be building a "pyramid scheme" in his romantic life that was as sure to crumble as the Twin Towers were after being struck by bin Laden's cowards.

Ultimately, I found this book and the life of John O'Neill fascinating.

[Lesli · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was interesting and informative. My one complain was he author did not separate the difference from Osama bin Laden and the bin Laden family, he seemed to make in all in the same, which from what I've read in other sources is wrong since the bin Laden family does not agree with Osama. Other than that if it was good, if the reader is interested in the US's response to jihad terrorism. The book is about John O'Neill so it goes into his personal life. He has a whole string of mistresses, so some might not like that part of the book, but nonetheless it was a biography. It was interesting though, because it chronicles the government's response from when bin Laden first started causing problems internationally for our nation. I found the book interesting mostly because of other bestsellers about terrorism I had to read for my political science major.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all now know the United States intelligence "community" completely missed it when it comes to 9/11. John O'Neill didn't. He saw it coming like a freight train on fire. O'Neill was one of those deeply flawed visionaries... driven to the point of excess yet possessing that rare ability to connect even the faintest of dots. He tried to save his country from the devastation. Sometimes the most important prophets are ignored. If you want to know why the warnings were ignored, this is the book to read. More than a decade after his death, O'Neill isn't recognized as a hero. And that, folks... is a damned shame.

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

A personal and professional biography of FBI agent John O'Neill from the point of view of an obvious admirer. Short shrift given to his agents - for instance despite extensive descriptions of the women in his life the case agents in Yemen, including Ali Soufan. after the USS Cole bombing aren't even mentioned though he was one of O'Neill's devotees. Still though incomplete it's a fair attempt at a look at the man himself in context of his work.

[Liz Ludens · Rating 2 out of 5]

I though from the cover that this would be a conspir. book, but it really was a step by step of this guy's life. There are things in this book that i didn't realize that happened in our counrty, but other than that it's just ok.

[Derek · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good read. This is a good companion piece to "The Looming Tower" A lot of the material in this book is covered in depth, but this work puts a human face on the pursuit of Bin Laden.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting book!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book.

[Jamees · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but could have been written better.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book.

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good writing and good story but wouldn’t read again

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

John O'Neill is my hero!

[Bethany Stevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating but the writing knocked it down to 3 (maybe 2.5) stars. A book that should have been riveting dragged at times.