Al-Qaeda: The True Story of Radical Islam

The book gives an insight into the teachings of the Qu'ran and the Hadith and how it's words and teachings have harnessed the minds of men throughout the years. I found it fascinating and provides some insight into the minds of people who commit terrorist acts. The book is also an excellent chronological account of the lives of various key figures in 'Al-Qaeda'(including bin Laden and al-Zawihri) and Islamic militancy in general. The author's obvious wealth of knowledge is clear, having visited many of the places and met many of the key figures himself.

Many English readers may find the numerous lengthy names confusing at times (I confess to being lost on more than one occasion) but this minor criticism is answered by a useful glossary of the key figures at the back.

The book ends with a picture of the true and worrying state of militancy today and the threat facing the West, seen as spreaders of 'kufr' (unbelief). 'Al-Qaeda', whatever it was and is today, has captured the imaginations and minds of many angry individuals whose anger, in a worrying departure from being turned to matters in their own states, is now directed at the West and America in particular. I recommend it as required reading - it takes large steps towards helping understand what motivates terrorist actions against the West and just what people are prepared to sacrifice for their greater vision...Only by first understanding can we start to work towards a lasting global peace.


Thorough, thoughtful and well argued   November 28, 2004
Mr. O. Buxton (Highgate, UK)
9 out of 11 found this review helpful

Observer Chief Reporter Jason Burke was featured in the recent BBC2 documentary "The Power of Nightmares" which compared the rise of Islamic militancy with the corresponding (and equally unnerving) rise of the religious right in US politics. The rather silly cover of his book on the subject belies what is in fact a thorough, erudite, dispassionate and compelling account of the rise of Radical Islam, of which "Al Qaeda" - in its strict sense - is really only a small part.

Burke has spent a number of years in various Islamic hot spots (Saudi, Afghanistan, Kurdish Iraq) and has apparently the spent the most of the last four years doing his homework. The account he sets out (which really ought not to be a surprise to anyone but the Neo-Conservatives) is that Islamic militancy is not centrally controlled; there is no "head of the snake" except the one Western foreign policy has created in Osama Bin Laden. For nothing has assisted fundamentalism as a rallying point for (the in reality mostly social and political) discontent in the Islamic word than his vilification by Messrs Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and their friends. Indeed, Burke's case is that before the Western Hawks began targeting it, Islamic militancy was, amongst its own constituents, all but dead in the water.

Burke is convincing in his arguments that Al-Qaeda *the actual organisation* was never more than a hard-core of twenty or thirty militants, was not more than indirectly associated with many of the terrorist acts attributed to them, and was dispersed, incapacitated and in large part eliminated after the war in Afghanistan. But Al Qaeda *the idea* - which is the creation of western conservative political classes - has spread virus-like amongst the Islamic world, and is a much more threatening spectacle. Ideas are a whole lot harder to kill off than individuals.

In laying the groundwork for his thesis Burke is obliged to engage with a lot of minutiae of the history of Islamic dissent (every bit-player in the last twenty years gets a mention), and this part of the book is somewhat heavy going, though it certainly leads gravitas: without it, Burke would be open to criticism for a lack of thoroughness. But otherwise, this is a stimulating and important book.

Olly Buxton


Exceptional understanding and explanation   December 20, 2004
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

After reading this exceptionally good investigation into radical Islam, it is clear that Burke knows his subject. After spending the past decade covering some of the most troubled areas in the world (now for London broadsheet paper The Observer - i.e. one of the serious ones), he applies his encyclopaedic knowledge to examining and explaining the rise of militant and radical Islam. To anyone who has read anything about the background to the formation of these radical groups, the main aspects are already known (US, Saudi, Pakistani and Iranian funds pouring into Soviet occupied Afghanistan to fund a multitude of conflicting proxy mujahideen groups and causes).

What Burke adds (and adds very well) is an examination of the ideology of al-Qaeda, outlining in great detail how it links to aspects of Islamic history and (some) religious verse. This is coupled with in-depth reporting and investigation into the formation and continuation of militant Islamic networks across the world, which are supported at best only partially by al-Qaeda, but actually run on the links "forged from the decade long conflict in Afghanistan." However, the schemes that Western and Middle Eastern regimes have (and still do operate) impact on the development of these groups (worryingly, mostly in an expansionist sense).

Burke also points out that secular Muslim groups (sic) are either crushed or passed over by regimes and funders, who are desperate to either appear to be leaders in supporting the Muslim world (e.g. Saudi Arabia or Iran) or are out to develop much more overtly domestic concerns (e.g. Pakistan v. India). The short-sightedness of these policies are now only too evident.

This book is written by a respected reporter who has spent many years of his life talking directly to people who live, work (and die) in these countries. There are not many people who have Burke's level of understanding and experience of the region.

For those who have read it, this book was comparable for me to reading Ahmed Rashid's, 'Taliban: Islam, Oil and the New Great Game in Central Asia'. For those who don't know what I mean, buy both and prepare for an intellectual tour de force. As another reviewer has said: "If only all journalism was this good."