Inside the Jihad: My Life with Al Qaeda

Omar Nasiri's "Inside the Jihad" covers terrorism during the nineties in Brussels, London, and Afghanistan. Nasiri (not his real name) a Moroccan who became a spy for French intelligence, DGSE, after being recruited into a terrorist cell by his brother. He discusses the ammunition trade he did for his brother's "friends" or supplying the jihad. Nasiri never seems too concerned about the fight in Algeria between the GIA and the secularist regime. Nasiri's recollections should be taken with a grain of salt. There is no way to know his true intentions for writing the book. The reason I put this disclaimer in is the last sentence of his book is pretty straightforward on his feelings toward outsiders.Nasiri describes nerve wracking missions such as crossing heavily armed borders, Afghani terrorist camps, and mosque infiltration. The insider account he is able to publish at a great risk to his life should be read by all who want to further understand terrorism. Nasiri is eloquent in his manners and blunt with his stories and views. Us in the West will never truly understand how people kill in the name of religion, yet Nasiri clues us into some of the reasons terrorists kill innocents and foes alike. He does not agree with the killing of innocent lives, but does believe any force from a foreign force on Muslim land is a rational call for "jihad" in the name of Allah.He describes things that I had not heard about the Taliban and Al Qaeda. He does make clear the jihad started way before Osama Bin Laden showed his face to the world in the nineties. The loose structure of terrorism can be clearly seen throughout the book. Only cells know their actual job and not anyone else. He showed the cells to be living independent organisms. The description of Chechens, Saudis, and others at the camps training together affirms the loose connections between cells and brothers; the silence of the brothers' past and future also showed the independence of each person and group in the camps.Nasiri's account should be read by those wanting to understand the history of the nineties from the inside. He was never a high ranking member with knowledge of attacks and other plans; however, he did meet many of the players that would later raises their heads in the attacks against the West. Many of the main players of terrorism will be quickly recognized by readers of terrorism and the Middle East. This is not a hard book to approach by newcomers studying terrorism because Nasiri does a great job introducing the reader to the characters in his book. Nasiri does end the book on a grim note stating that he would be open to fighting anyone that invades "his" land. So his accounts should be

I've read criticisms here and elsewhere questioning the validity or authenticity of this book. I kept that in mind when I started Inside the Jihad, but any doubts I had quickly disappeared. For a book that reads more like a spy thriller novel than anything else, Nasiri is too familiar with the subject matter to have made this up. Put simply, if this is a fake, then it is a grade A fake. In any case, it's a fantastic book that's incredibly hard to put down.Nasiri takes the reader through his career as a spy which begins after his betrayal of Islamic militants in Europe. He started out not as a militant himself, but rather as a weapons supplier. After stealing from his clients, Nasiri is forced to seek protection from French intelligence services and his career as a spy begins. His work keeps him in Europe for many months, but after his clients are arrested, Nasiri finds himself on the way to Afghanistan. This occurs in the post-soviet era of the country as Islamic militants began using the country as a base for global operations. After completing his training, Nasiri is sent back to Europe by his trainers to form a sleeper cell, which never happens.Nasiri comes across as a fascinating figure who constantly walks a moral tightrope, but his story is the perfect example of a slippery slope when one bad decision puts you in an even worse situation. Many readers will undoubtedly come away with a bad impression of Nasiri...as an extremist who facilitated the murder of innocent people. This is not an altogether unfair characterization, but in the end, I think he comes out ahead on the moral spreadsheet.Inside the Jihad isn't a theoretical or academic exploration of Islamic terrorism. Rather it's one man's (extraordinary) experience on the ground witnessing the fallout from the U.S. turning a blind eye toward Afghanistan after the Soviets withdrew. Nasiri's experience also demonstrates the West's inability to fully understand the forces gathering against it. Anyone even remotely interested in the subject matter should thoroughly enjoy the book. My only complaint is that I'm sure there's a wealth of information that was left out...for obvious reasons...but that fact in no way takes away from the overall experience.

Can't put it down. Its one of those books that makes you think its so ridiculous it must be true. Take a copy and see for yourself.

Elucidates a complex and ongoing threat. The book could appeal to those just looking at the matter for the first time (the narrative is enjoyable as a story), but also provides a unique perspective from a “civilian” and does not represent the common perspective of North American soldier types - which could be of value for experienced topic readers.This book definitely adds to a more complete picture of the pre-911 timeline.

Hate to sound cliche put literally COULD NOT PUT DOWN. This book took over my life for a few days, amazing read for anyone who just enjoys a good 'True (ish?) story', especially if your into military, espionage or physical fitness and training.

Livre arrivé rapidement et conforme à la description !

This book couldn't be more timely today. Simply written but well detailed , providing the reader with a completely different perspective of the threat we face. Humanity, wake up finally!