Customer Reviews

Inside the Jihad: My Life with Al Qaeda

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Inside the Jihad is a thrilling read from start to finish. Omar Nasiri didn't start out in the radical Islamic movement as a spy at all. He also didn't become a spy because he felt it was the right thing to do, he did it to save his life.

Omar's life wasn't normal for anyone, European or Arab. He was born in Morocco and when he was 5 his family moved to be with their father who had been working in Belgium for two years. However Omar had TB and was placed in a sanitarium. A sanitarium ran by Catholic nuns. Then at ten he went to live in a castle with 25 other foster boys. He did see his family rarely but he grew up westernized, having implications later on. The man who ran the castle, Edourd, took Omar under his wing. This included allowing Omar to shoot guns in the range provided he does his homework. However the one time he lied about completing his homework so he could shoot, Edourd found out, and said something to Omar he never forgot. Edourd said in anger that he would never amount to anything and Omar vowed to prove him wrong. He vowed to prove anyone wrong who ever underestimated him.


Omar then moved in with his family who by then returned to Morocco. He wasn't close to his family but then did something a good Muslim son shouldn't do. He stood up and assaulted his father after he gave one too many beatings to his mother. His mother then divorced and moved with the family back to Belgium. Omar stayed in Morocco.

Soon enough he was making money as the go-between for hashish dealers and the tourists. He learned the skills necessary to avoid arrest and spot buyers and sellers. These skills would eventually allow him entry to the camps.

After his brother brought him back to Belgium he soon learned that his mother's house was the hub for the GIA in Europe. This is where Al Ansar was published and spread around the world. He soon put his skills to use in obtaining bullets for the GIA members and soon enough was buying weapons, detonators, and even explosives. After discovering to his horror that the arsenals he was buying were being kept in his house he made a mistake that sent him into the arms of the DGSE (French Secret Service). After helping the DGSE he was almost sent to jail with the rest the GIA cell, but by his wits he managed to stay out of jail. By way of another mistake he also wanted out of Europe. Soon enough we was sent to Turkey, alone, to somehow find his way into Afghanistan. The DGSE had little hope of seeing Omar again. Omar would prove them wrong as well.

Before a flight to Pakistan, he used his skills to identify a Jihadist and made a connection that within weeks would allow Omar to enter the training camps.

Once at the camps the training was physically exhausting and thoroughly extensive. Weapons training involved pistols, surface to air missiles, tanks, explosives, mortars and everything in between. Everything was drilling into the trainee's heads. The scariest part was the do-it yourself explosives recipes and detonators. The manual Omar gave to MI5 taught the intelligence explosives "experts" a thing or two. When it came to religious instruction the splitting of hairs was absurd to the extreme. The Koran says you can't kill innocents. But let's say, for example, that that innocent was helping a crusader kill Muslims, fair game. Even if that innocent is a child PRAYS for his crusader father! This absurd contradiction is what kept Omar from falling into the lure of the brotherhood of the camps. The lure of the camps was so strong that Omar wanted to go to Chechnya to fulfill his "Jihad". Thankfully the terrorists saw that Omar's westernized behavior was perfect to send him to Europe. Then he was on his way to England. A trained killer, a Jihadist sent to kill and main innocents, but this Jihadist was "our" Jihadist, one whose knowledge would soon help send some of the top Al-Qaeda members to jail.

Omar spent two years in "Londonistan" and was mishandled by MI5. British intelligence was concerned with possible attacks in the UK. At that time London was the hub of Islamic Extremism with no part on MI5's part to do much of anything. Admittedly this did change but not for years. This allowed the extremists to meet, recruit, and plan attacks, but as long as the attacks weren't in the UK, no problem from a British intelligence perspective. In London Omar Nasiri became a go-between for messages from Al-Qaeda's top recruiter in Pakistan and the racial cleric, Abu Qatada. However he was soon told to forget about Abu Qatada and focus on the Finsbury Park mosque with its firebrand cleric, Abu Hamza. Abu Qatada was by far the more dangerous (and smart) but Abu Hamza was a "barking dog" (Omar's words) and was thought more of a threat. History would prove Omar was right as Abu Qatada is now in British prison awaiting extradition to Jordon where he was convicted in absentia of terrorist attacks. Omar also told MI5 of a big fish he saw with Abu Qatada named Ali Touchent, one of the most wanted men in France for masterminding attacks there. But British "intelligence" lost him in a café, months later a bomb tore though a Paris metro with all the hallmarks of Ali Touchent. His 2 years in London abruptly ended when a mistake from his past caught up to him.
Omar was then sent to Germany. He was then caught in political infighting within Germany's intelligence services. The Germans gave him a passport in his original name with no way of starting a new, safe, life. But he was also not given papers that would allow him to work legally. Omar was soon demoralized and fed up after months with little money and a wife to support so he quit. Omar currently works in dead-end jobs with little money to help his family.

He risked his life to write this book, but he did. He did it to help his fellow Muslims realize the dangers of extremism and to stop them becoming like us. Omar meant that if they fight like us they will become like us, and then there will be nothing left worth fighting for. That is his Jihad. He has no sympathies for us whatsoever.

Omar Nasiri has written a fast-paced book on the inner workings of Islamic Extremism and the intelligence services who *try* to stop them.
A book you can't put down!

Nasiri has definitely lived an amazing life as a spy for European anti-terrorism groups. He is also amazingly lucky. Everything seems to go his way, from being able to get into an Afghanistan jihadist camp by a chance encounter at an airport (after a pitstop in Pakistan). He blows his cover to two major people in the Islamic underground (and who happen to be later thrown in jail), but no one ever connects him to it (despite using their name to help him get close to some major people in the movement).

What strikes me the most about Nasiri is his own narcissism. He constantly argues with his handlers for not treating him with respect-by doing things such as asking too many questions. He gives out information that is very beneficial, but at the same time delivers a car bomb, but does not give out the name of the elderly man he gives it to because he is worried about his well-being. The car bomb kills people in Morocco and while Nasiri expresses guilt about the incident-he seems to miss the point that he could have stopped it from happening all along.

While I think Nasiri is telling the truth for the most part and his story is intriguing, in the back of my mind I keep on wondering how much of his story is true.

and I will leave with this one final thought. He talks about how when captured, a jihadist should always embellish the infomation to scare the opposition. He gives the example of Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi giving false info about the Hussein-Al Qaeda connection. While Nasiri is not technically captured, he does feel that the West has captured the Muslim world and culture and has hurt it more then helped it. Nasiri might not be the best Muslim in the world, but it is what he believes and does want to defend it if it is attacked....could Nasiri be doing the same in his story?

This is not the strategic analysis of Jihad, not a religious text, but it is a great story about one man's life inside and outside of Jihad over the years. I found it exciting to read and actually felt the author's discomforts and risks.

If you are interested in learning a high level analysis of modern Jihad, militant Islam, read Imperial Hubris. This book partners well with that backdrop and steps inside the actual world of the training camps and breathes life into the personal struggles faced by many young Muslims.

This is kind of a middle-of-the-road book. Is it a thriller, a biography, or a serious examination of Islamic fundamentalism? In the end, it's almost like the book's three complete titles represent different conceptions about what the book is supposed to be about.

I was expecting a bit more insight into Islamic extremism when I picked the book up. Infiltration of "Al Qaeda" (a name "Nasiri" barely uses) is apparently rare, and provides an opportunity for truly unusual insight. The book certainly provides an interesting perspective from one unusual and fascinating individual, but doesn't provide much that's new to anyone who's read much on the subject, though for those who haven't, it's certainly a painless primer.

The personal narrative is probably the book's stronger point. It feels truthful and authentic; if "Nasiri" were going to embellish on the story, I'm sure it wouldn't end with his career as a spy petering out in such an undramatic fashion. There are plenty of entertaining anecdotes, and it's a very quick read, thanks in part to the very straight-forward writing. I read most of it in half a day of air travel.

There's a bit of a problem with the personal stuff, though- Nasiri can be awfully hard to sympathize with- and it's not because of who he is or what he does. His motives seem largely selfish, and while some of the intelligence people he deals with were no doubt unpleasant, he himself often comes off as arrogant and unwilling to compromise with handlers who have limited leeway in dealing with him. And worst of all is the slap-in-the-face last two pages, in which Nasiri self-righteously declares that his main interest in fighting extremism was to see that Islam does not sink to the level of the west. It might make you think- for a couple seconds- but when you think back on what a lousy Muslim Nasiri has seemed to be throughout most of the book, his holier-than-thou closing rings awfully hollow, to say nothing of the other objections one might have to his pat statements about western atrocities. In the end, I can still give it 3 1/2 stars since it was a quick and easy read, (and there IS a good bit of interesting stuff in there) but if I'd slogged through something heavier to be slapped in the face at the end, I'd be pretty annoyed.

This is an excellent book that really draws you into it. Its one of the few books that I find that are hard to set down. It really helps you see into the mind of Jihadist and understand where they are coming from. The author is frank and honest which helps you see his motives even though they are usually selfish. The only thing I would debate is that he seemed more of an informant than a spy. I highly recommend this book.

I have finished most of this book, and as soon as I get off-line I'm going to read the rest. This book is absolutely amazing. This should be mandatory reading for anyone who wishes to fully understand the events leading up to 9/11 and what we are now facing in Iraq, all from the point of view of someone who attended the infamous terrorist training camps in Afganistan. As the author explains, we are now engaged with a people who are not only fighting amongst themselves for dominance of their individual Islamic sect, but who are quite used to fighting world superpowers and have been doing so with increasing success since the days of the Cold War. The training they receive in the terrorist camps in some ways rivals that of our own military, especially since they have no use for our self-imposed 'rules of engagement'. What makes this book so attractive and easy to read is that is a first-person account of a spy working for France who infiltrated the terrorist network that would later come to be known as Al Qaeda, as well as attended the training camps. He trained alongside Chechens who were hoping to use their training against the Russians, Palestinians, and other European and Middle-eastern radicals. He explains the mind-set of the radicals, the infighting between the Taliban, Al Qaeda, Iran, and various "puppet-governments" in "Muslim-lands". He also explains a little of the history of it all, and the networking that goes on across the globe. Perhaps what was most stunning for me was the description of the camps and level of technology they have access to, as well as the level of training received there. I also must mention the resolve. The shear dedication to God and the belief they are doing His Will in fighting the infidels, Israel and its allies in whatever way, shape, or form they can. Through it all the author manages to get across the humanity of the people he is speaking of, you can really grasp where they are coming from. I highly advise anyone and everyone who wants to understand the situation in the middle-east to read this book. I love this book.

A terrific book! Omar Nasiri(pseudonym) writes his personal story beginning with his youth selling drugs and then guns in Belgium. He is street-smart, bright and a proud Muslim. His gun/ammo sales are going to Islamic fundamentalists but Mr. Nasiri does it to make money. He sees that killing innocent people, often Muslims, in the name of Islam, is abhorrent. Through a twist of fate, he comes to work for French Intelligence who send him on an open-ended trip to the tribal areas of Pakistan and then into the terrorist training camps of Afghanistan. He thrives in the camps and feels great bonds of brotherhood while being trained as an an Islamic killer and working for the West. This is the unique perspective of this book--Mr. Nasiri is a Muslim at his core who describes a common feeling of Muslim humiliation ("we even have to buy Uzis from the Israelis") but who has nothing but contempt for Muslim extremists. Watching him be "handled" by English Intelligence would be comical if it wasn't so serious--it is like watching two Mid-Western farmers run a black agent in Harlem. Unfortunately, we are the farmers.
Mr. Nasiri appears to represent an understandable view-point of ordinary Muslims. This is a powerful thought.

This book was both disturbing and very interesting. The author was clearly dealt a bad hand however it appeared to me that he spent the entire book speaking from both sides of his mouth. He loves the freedoms and way of life in the West but hates the policies and tough things we have to do to keep those freedoms. He wants us to stay out the Muslim world and yet he scorns us for sitting back in instances like Algeria. He thinks anyone who interprets his religion differently than he does is wrong yet he smokes, drinks and feels killing Russians, Jews, etc is ok. In my opinion this book shows that radical extremist come in many forms, however they do share some things; they all hate anyone who shows any deviation from their particular way of thinking and they all feel killing is there duty, who they kill is the only variation. When I read the reviews it seems that others may not have found this book as controversial and eye opening as I do. This is not fiction, but rather an insight into the mind of people who feel it is their duty to kill anyone who believes in freedom.

Another thing that really struck me was the hate between groups and different factions of Muslims. The author describes innovators, conservative and peace loving groups of Muslims as worthy of death. He then continues on to say that everything would be fine if the West would just stay out of the way of the Muslims and allow them to be governed by theocracy.... What form of theocracy... if they feel it is a worthy jihad to kill other Muslims who see the Islamic religion different then they do then the killing would continue even in a theocracy (ie: The Taliban rule of Afghanistan). If the West stepped aside there would still be widespread killing and probable genocide by these savage radical extremist.

I do recommend this book. It helped me understand that this war will never be over because as Americans we will never give up all of our freedoms and liberties. As long as we continue to enjoy the fruits of our labor extremist will continue to hate us and plot to kill us. Our ability to accept people as different then us, our ability to allow religious freedom, our desire to help the oppressed throughout the world and our need to defend our interest will always put us at odds with these awful factions of an otherwise peaceful religion/people.

I first picked up this book b/c I noticed the review by Michael Scheuer on the back sleeve. The book itself is an excellent account of Nasiri's life inside of radical Islam while serving as a spy for the DGSE (French security service). He takes you through his journey from Europe to Afghanistan's and finally back to London. It reads like the best Clancy novel and it times you are forced to pinch yourself as a reminder that this is nonfiction. I'm still not clear on what drove Nasiri to spy for the DGSE but his account is exception. He is by no means pro-Western, and concludes the book with a damning account of our interference in the affairs of the Muslim world. He reiterates the fact that he remains a devout Muslim and, to this day, would go to war for his faith. A great read.

In my opinion, Inside The Jihad was a great book. It read like a good spy novel. I could not put it down. In addition, the book provided great insight into the minds of the Jihadist and the newtorks in which they operate. Moreover, I was shocked at the amount, and quality, of training the author mentions. As a former soldier, I was amazed at the vast topics of training these "soldiers" receive: weapons, documents tampering, infantry tactics, ect. Overall, a great book. I would, and have, recommended it to others.