The Holy War, Inc : Inside the Secret World of Osma Bin Laden - Softcover

Peter L Bergen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0753816687 ISBN 13: 9780753816684

Publisher: Phoenix Paperbacks, 2002

Synopsis

Peter Bergen conducted the first TV interview with Osama bin Laden, 'the most significant financial sponsor of Islamic extremist activity in the world today', after the US government had accused him of running terrorist training camps in Afghanistan and Sudan. In August 1996 bin Laden issued his first call to Muslims to attack US targets. Since then his name has been linked to every major anti-American terrorist act by Muslims. For this book Bergen draws on ten years of 'bin Laden watching' to reveal the Islamist militant's unsuspected previous links with the West, and why he has proved such a force throughout the Muslim world. Bergen's personal experience of bin Laden and his secret world helps make this such a powerful and well-informed book that is unrivalled by any other book on the subject. The paperback contains a full consideration of the events of 11 September 2001,

About this title

About the Author:

Peter Bergen, CNN's terrorism analyst, with CNN since 1990. In 1983 he researched a documentary about Afghan refugees living in Pakistan for Britain's Channel 4. In March 1997 Osama bin Laden agreed to meet with him and he travelled to Afghanistan to produce the first television interview with him and members of his organisation. He has reported intensively on bin Laden for the last five years since conducting the first bin Laden TV interview in 1997. He is a winner of the Edward R Murrow Award for best documentary on foreign affairs. An American by birth, Peter Bergen grew up in UK and graduated from Oxford University in 1984. He lives in Washington, D.C.

Review:

Peter Bergen came to the UK from Washington, USA, in time for the press datewhich we set two months after the publication date to allow it to coincide with the world events to mark September 11th. Following a mailout to all key and specialist media in late July, Peter featured in featured in four articles(two on 20th August 2002, one on 4th September and one on 5th September) in the GUARDIAN and also in the OBSERVER (8th September 2003). An LWT TV documentary for CHANNEL 4, "The War on Terror on Trial", which was filmed whilst he was in the UK featured an interview with Peter Bergen and this ran the weekend before September 11th 2002. Peter Bergen was also interviewed live in the studio on NEWSNIGHT (BBC2) on 2nd September 2002, where he featured as an expert on terrorism and on bin Laden. Holy War, Inc was both mentioned by the presenter and captioned under Peter Bergen's name when it appeared on screen. This was followed up by interviews on GMTV (for broadcast on September 11th), NEWS OF THE WORLD (pub date tbc), OUTLOOK (BBC World Service), FI GLOVER SHOW (Radio 5 Live), ONE WORD RADIO, BRITISH FORCES BROADCASTING SERVICE (BFBS) and he was interviewed live on LBC on the evening of Saturday 7th September 2003. He was also interviewed in TRIBUNE magazine, ARIEL - BBC's Staff magazine (10 September), SOLDIER magazine (November), and EYESPY magazine. A review featured in THE WORLD TODAY's August-September 2002 edition saying Holy War, Inc is "one of the most comprehensive explorations of the Bin Laden phenomenon.Bergen's research is impressive. As an insight into the daily functions of the Al Qaeda network, Holy War, Inc ... is hard to beat ... highly informativeand dispassionate ... unlike others, Bergen does not make the mistake of equating the Taliban with Al Qaeda." Peter wrote an article about his research and the writing of Holy War, Inc for the 'Paperback Writer' slot in the GUARDIAN REVIEW and has also written a lengthy article for the TELEGRAPH (date of publication tbc). A comment piece by Peter Bergen featured in the TELEGRAPH on27th January 2003 and the FINANCIAL TIMES featured an review of Holy War, Inc in their 'Other New Titles' section on 27-28th July 2002 saying "This book ... sheds important new light on the intellectual and religious influences onbin Laden and the reach of his terrorist multinational" Whilst in the UK, Peter did a television interview for 2VAANDAG (a daily television news and current affairs program broadcast in the Netherlands). We also managed to schedule Peter to be interviewed on THE TODAY PROGRAMME (BBC Radio 4, Monday 2), andTHE WORLD TONIGHT (BBC Radio 4, for broadcast on September 11th) but sadly they both had to drop the interviews from their running order at the last minute due to world events. We had also lined up BBC BREAKFAST for the morning ofSeptember 11th, but Peter had to attend the Emmys(!) as he was nominated forhis journalism (specifically on subjects Holy War, Inc also features). Sincehis return to Washington, USA, we managed to secure an overseas link-up on THE TODAY PROGRAMME for Peter Bergen on 4th February 2003. He also appeared onBBC WORLD SERVICE on 4th February 2003 to discuss the putative Iraq - Al Qaeda connection. An article by Peter Bergen mentioning Holy War, Inc appeared in the GUARDIAN on 29th January 2003 and he was interviewed on BBC RADIO 5 on Wednesday 5th February 2003 The LA TIMES' Calandar Weekend section saw (unlikely fan) rock singer Alice Cooper plugging Holy War, Inc: "We all see this guy as one thing. The thing about this book is that you learn the history of this power mongerer and where his insanity comes from." Local radio interviews included those with BBC Radio Northampton, BBC Hereford and Worcester, BBC Radio Norfolk, BBC Radio Wiltshire Sound, BBC Radio Shropshire, BBC Radio Nottin

About this edition

• Publisher: Phoenix Paperbacks
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0753816687
• ISBN 13: 9780753816684
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320