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Kasab: The Face of 26/11
On 26 November 2008 ten heavily armed terrorists entered Mumbai. They headed for the city's iconic landmarks and the mayhem they unleashed lasted nearly 60 hours.
The audacious terror attacks jolted Mumbai like never before. Even as they mourned, the residents of Maximum City demanded answers. But the information they got in return???accounts of the investigation, government rhetoric, newspaper reports, television features, books and even a film???was sketchy at best. Meanwhile, the courts continued with their prosecution of Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving 26/11 gunman.
The broad picture available to the public is of the Pakistan-based terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba and its ringleaders such as Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi training, arming and dispatching ten young men in a boat to attack India???s commercial capital. All we have been told about Kasab is that he was just another recruit brainwashed into carrying out the plot against Mumbai.
Kasab: The Face of 26/11 breaks new ground by painstakingly piecing together Kasab???s terror trail. The narrative follows Kasab through the bylanes of Pakistani villages and cities as he made his way towards PoK; the dense forests where the terrorist-training camps are situated; the trains, buses and jeeps he boarded; the Indian vessel he and the others hijacked en route to Mumbai???s shores; Kasab???s capture and incarceration.
Rommel Rodrigues??? path-breaking investigative journalism fleshes out for the first time the well thought-out planning and organization that lay behind the attacks of 26/11.
The audacious terror attacks jolted Mumbai like never before. Even as they mourned, the residents of Maximum City demanded answers. But the information they got in return???accounts of the investigation, government rhetoric, newspaper reports, television features, books and even a film???was sketchy at best. Meanwhile, the courts continued with their prosecution of Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving 26/11 gunman.
The broad picture available to the public is of the Pakistan-based terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba and its ringleaders such as Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi training, arming and dispatching ten young men in a boat to attack India???s commercial capital. All we have been told about Kasab is that he was just another recruit brainwashed into carrying out the plot against Mumbai.
Kasab: The Face of 26/11 breaks new ground by painstakingly piecing together Kasab???s terror trail. The narrative follows Kasab through the bylanes of Pakistani villages and cities as he made his way towards PoK; the dense forests where the terrorist-training camps are situated; the trains, buses and jeeps he boarded; the Indian vessel he and the others hijacked en route to Mumbai???s shores; Kasab???s capture and incarceration.
Rommel Rodrigues??? path-breaking investigative journalism fleshes out for the first time the well thought-out planning and organization that lay behind the attacks of 26/11.
- GenresBiography
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 20, 2018
Although it has been written with great details, one some time feels that details are not required. End was abrupt.....
March 18, 2013
RESEARCH: 5/5
LANGUAGE: 4/5
EASE OF UNDERSTANDING: 4/5
It's a well researched book on the life of India's most hated man - Ajmal Kasab. A complete story of his childhood, his life in Islamabad, his militant training in the Madrasas & PoK.
It also peeps into the plans and people behind 26/11, the details of 26/11 night, first-hand accounts of the victims and also about the martyrs.
To describe it in just two words - "READ IT"
LANGUAGE: 4/5
EASE OF UNDERSTANDING: 4/5
It's a well researched book on the life of India's most hated man - Ajmal Kasab. A complete story of his childhood, his life in Islamabad, his militant training in the Madrasas & PoK.
It also peeps into the plans and people behind 26/11, the details of 26/11 night, first-hand accounts of the victims and also about the martyrs.
To describe it in just two words - "READ IT"
March 18, 2014
I took like a very long time reading the book, so much that it’s totally worn out, for the simple reason that the detailing in this book is simply indescribable - it’s really mind boggling, seldom have I come across a book which so vividly transports you to the scene of action as if you have actually walked all those streets where the events have taken place. Some chapters describing the human emotions of victims & policemen are simply captivating. In my opinion only a green-eyed chap would decry this book.
March 21, 2013
Originally reviewed at - http://www.bookgeeks.in/
The book describes each aspect of Kasab’s life in the most detailed manner, right from his birth to his re-location to Lahore, and then back to Faridkot, and from his joining Lashkar-e-Taiba to the finality of all events which took place in Mumbai. It is written in an interesting yet factual style; Rommel has kept the narration realistic by underplaying the emotions as much as possible and has managed to keep the book interesting by narrating events in a story-like manner. Thus, the book, though realistic, is anything but far from boring.
Find the full review here -
http://www.bookgeeks.in/entries/histo...
The book describes each aspect of Kasab’s life in the most detailed manner, right from his birth to his re-location to Lahore, and then back to Faridkot, and from his joining Lashkar-e-Taiba to the finality of all events which took place in Mumbai. It is written in an interesting yet factual style; Rommel has kept the narration realistic by underplaying the emotions as much as possible and has managed to keep the book interesting by narrating events in a story-like manner. Thus, the book, though realistic, is anything but far from boring.
Find the full review here -
http://www.bookgeeks.in/entries/histo...
March 18, 2014
Simply astounding…Kasab is hanged and we have put the tragedy behind us, but never knew the harrowing truth behind the terror factories till I read this book. Cannot say how much those minute details of various places are authenticated, nevertheless it felt like I was treading those paths.
March 13, 2019
Kasab- this book is a detailed account of the life of the baby faced ruthless terrorist called Ajmal Kasab. The details are described in a chronological manner and with Kasab’s life in Lahore, Faridakot, joining the notorious Lashkar – e- Taiba and a very detailed account of his firing spree in Mumbai’s CST, death of the senior police stalwarts together, his arrest and finally his judgment. The book also gives you a detailed picture about how big and wide-ranging the training camps Lashkar had in Pakistan.
In my opinion the first part of the book gives lot of detail into Kasab’s life and I did feel it was a bit slow then but once they reach the shores of Mumbai, the whole reading experience changes. I could actually feel myself standing there on the platforms of the Chatrapati Shivaji terminus and then trying to flee to the Cama Hospital when Ajmal Kasab and his buddy Ismail were killing humans for Jihad!
This is a good read for non-fiction readers and for those who have already read “The Siege: 68 Hours Inside The Taj Hotel (by Adrian Levy, Cathy Scott-Clark)” it is a MUST read. With the Siege, one knew totally about what was going inside the Taj Hotel and with Kasab one will experience what happened at CST!
In my opinion the first part of the book gives lot of detail into Kasab’s life and I did feel it was a bit slow then but once they reach the shores of Mumbai, the whole reading experience changes. I could actually feel myself standing there on the platforms of the Chatrapati Shivaji terminus and then trying to flee to the Cama Hospital when Ajmal Kasab and his buddy Ismail were killing humans for Jihad!
This is a good read for non-fiction readers and for those who have already read “The Siege: 68 Hours Inside The Taj Hotel (by Adrian Levy, Cathy Scott-Clark)” it is a MUST read. With the Siege, one knew totally about what was going inside the Taj Hotel and with Kasab one will experience what happened at CST!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2019
This book is a very detailed account starting the procurments of arms from Pakistan to journey in the sea to enter India. Then it describes the individual account of each incident took place in that fatefull night to the next day. While reading the book, one will surprise that how the author created such detailed writings of each horrific incident like the Cama Hospital incident.
I throughly enjoyed the book. One should read this book to get a detailed account of how, Pakistan ISI and other blacklisted organisation are creating terror incidents inside our soil.
I throughly enjoyed the book. One should read this book to get a detailed account of how, Pakistan ISI and other blacklisted organisation are creating terror incidents inside our soil.
June 26, 2018
Accurate account of 26/11. It was difficult to put it down once I started. Finished half of it in one day.
July 14, 2020
Very detailed. Thoroughly researched.
Ending was quite abrupt. At some places it was overly detailed which was unnecessary
Ending was quite abrupt. At some places it was overly detailed which was unnecessary
November 5, 2024
A comprehensive, well-researched account, but certain sections seem exaggerated, which somewhat undermines its overall authenticity.
May 5, 2016
Never before I read words penned down so accurately,
I am impressed by the level of intricate details and the thorough research carried out by the author, and how the story unfolds from the distant village of Faridkot, Okara, Pakistan and dramatically ends it in Yerwada Central Jail, Maharashtra, India.
Starting chronologically through Ajmal's life the author narrates every major and minor aspect of his life and how he started his journey and ended up in hands of LeT, The book gives a brief insight upon the vast complex matrices of extremist organizations in Pakistan, their covert networks, fund sources, training camps and recruitment processes. Taking the readers across the length and breadth of Pakistan the book set sails in the Arabian Ocean to finally dock at Mumbai.
Whether it's the shooting terrorists, the fleeing innocent civilians, The bullet-riddled blood oozing falling victims, the retaliating brave officers of the Maharashtra police, the bloody corridors of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the blazing rooftop of Cama Hospital or Arthur Road Jail the narrates in a fashion that the reader feels present in the shoes of all the characters at once.
None could have written a better narration of the horrific event of 26/11 which claimed the lives of 166 innocent civilians.
I highly recommend this book to all the non-fiction readers.
I am impressed by the level of intricate details and the thorough research carried out by the author, and how the story unfolds from the distant village of Faridkot, Okara, Pakistan and dramatically ends it in Yerwada Central Jail, Maharashtra, India.
Starting chronologically through Ajmal's life the author narrates every major and minor aspect of his life and how he started his journey and ended up in hands of LeT, The book gives a brief insight upon the vast complex matrices of extremist organizations in Pakistan, their covert networks, fund sources, training camps and recruitment processes. Taking the readers across the length and breadth of Pakistan the book set sails in the Arabian Ocean to finally dock at Mumbai.
Whether it's the shooting terrorists, the fleeing innocent civilians, The bullet-riddled blood oozing falling victims, the retaliating brave officers of the Maharashtra police, the bloody corridors of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the blazing rooftop of Cama Hospital or Arthur Road Jail the narrates in a fashion that the reader feels present in the shoes of all the characters at once.
None could have written a better narration of the horrific event of 26/11 which claimed the lives of 166 innocent civilians.
I highly recommend this book to all the non-fiction readers.
January 4, 2012
The book reads like a long newspaper column enumerating the chronology of events of Ajmal Kasab as he grows in his tiny village and joins the Lashker e Toiba. Trouble is that there are far too many real names and facts to make the plot dramatic enough. The book should. E interesting for all fact seeking individuals. For people wanting a quick and dramatic story, I would highly recommend watching the Channel 4 dispatches documentary instead.
April 30, 2016
An insightful read about the life of the terrorist from Pakistan (yes, this needs to be repeated loud and clear till the so-called peaceful nation accepts its harbouring terrorists in its midst). I am amazed and very impressed by the level of detailing and the presentation of facts in an effective reporting narrative. No undue adjectives, no nonsense, just plan simple bone chilling facts and a gripping story.
November 16, 2012
This book is simply amazing, wonder how it did not catch attention earlier, i just bought this one after i read that the author is writing a movie based on his experience of this book...well i found the narrative too good..
February 4, 2013
Good book.it gave you gist how Kasab became terrorist and how the meaning of religion mould to motivate people for jihad. The scenario of 26/11 and how this operation conducted by terrorist is explained in a nice way
September 9, 2012
Heard a movie being made, so I picked this, it's just superb..
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews