Inside the Jihad: My Life with Al Qaeda

Inside the Jihad: My Life with Al Qaeda
by Omar Nasiri

Inside the Jihad: My Life with Al Qaeda
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Book Summary Information

Author: Omar Nasiri
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-01-08
ISBN: 0465023894
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: Basic Books

Book Reviews of Inside the Jihad: My Life with Al Qaeda

Book Review: Bk points out errors in "War on Terror"
Summary: 5 Stars

I thought the book was pretty incredible, quite a bit like the Reluctant Fundamentalist. This might be strange to say but I was amazed watching Omar move between cultures ( in Belgium, in France, back in Morrocco, among the Spanish, French and other tourists, in English in the UK ).

A few caveats, people truly bilingual who have a cultural foundation(s) for both languages, can easily pick up 3rd and 4th languages and most importantly for conducting business of any sort, the mentalite or POV behind each culture. Omar brilliantly showed this to be true. Bicultural people and their cultural IQ is not simply limited to 100%; no they can be 100% Belgium and at the same time 100% Morrocan. Plus they understand how to move in and out of each mindset. This is rarely recognized because too often in the UK or US, we have only one group working top jobs, top management, in the diplomatic core, the intelligence community. While the US is at least 40% minorities and London or Londonistan is 40% minorities as well.

People like Omar are a bridge to the Arab world in the war on terror. Ones who grew up isolated in non urban areas and had to fully assimilate, typically their loyalties lie in the West. Yet, the hierarchy or fundamental structure in intelligence between case officer and field agent is almost always ( in the case of UK, France, Germany ) white-caucasian, who is mono or bilingual ( but the 2nd language is typically very book learned with little more than 2-3 years overseas work, very few have full immersion skills where they could pass as a native ) and field agent who is ethnic from that area or with ties to that area.

This intelligence equation must be changed. These countries are simply wasting their ethnic and cultural resources but you can't tell them that. Look at Londonistan, 40% minorities, 5% minorities in professional jobs, hence Omar talked about it, the "European dissonance" between democracy and real life. Individually for most ethnic minorities, when we hear democracy, we think, of jobs, security through jobs, social mobility that is much more important int he 21st century and the term democracy. At the very least, most people equate "individual democracy" with jobs, job security, social mobility. Most lower middle class couldn't give a hoot about "Oh wow, multiparty elections, referendums, etc." At least the theoretical side.

For Arabs in Europe, there is a total disconnect between for example, France's "Liberte, reason, brotherhood ( of human, of thought) and democracy." Arab French are discriminated even with college degrees. Very few are in professional jobs or state jobs. UK is a very similar situation.
Many of the brightest in uni are Indian-Brits, yet when hiring time comes ( outside of the medical professions--this is the one exception ) they get short shrift. Hence, the dissonance and loss of faith in Western "democracy."

So the intelligence equation of white monolingual raised, 2nd language at university, never can fully immerse oneself outside of home country-- case officer and native field agents, this must be changed if we are going to win the war on terror. It is a complete waste of resources and people who simply possess more cultural capital in the areas of 21st century terror, war, infiltration. The American intelligence equation is hardly better, maybe 80% white, wasp, Mormon, Jewish ), 20-25% ethnic minority-- very few Arabs or Persians. A better equation might be 33-40% Arabs or Persians, Afghans, Pakistani-American(s) since the war(s) are going to be waged there ( where the oil and gas are) for several generations.

The St. Andrews (posh) case officer who handled Omar in the UK hardly had a clue and it would have taken him 150 years to get even close to have the instincts of Omar.


My Two Cents

Summary of Inside the Jihad: My Life with Al Qaeda

Between 1994 and 2000, Omar Nasiri worked as a secret agent for Europe?s top foreign intelligence services-including France?s DGSE (Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure), and Britain?s MI5 and MI6. From the netherworld of Islamist cells in Belgium, to the training camps of Afghanistan, to the radical mosques of London, he risked his life to defeat the emerging global network that the West would come to know as Al Qaeda. Now, for the first time, Nasiri shares the story of his life-a life balanced precariously between the world of Islamic jihadists and the spies who pursue them. As an Arab and a Muslim, he was able to infiltrate the rigidly controlled Afghan training camps, where he encountered men who would later be known as the most-wanted terrorists on earth: Ibn al-Sheikh al-Libi, Abu Zubayda, and Abu Khabab al-Masri. Sent back to Europe with instructions to form a sleeper cell, Nasiri became a conduit for messages going back and forth between Al Qaeda?s top recruiter in Pakistan and London?s radical cleric Abu Qatada.

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