Customer Reviews

Relentless Pursuit: The DSS and the Manhunt for the Al-Qaeda Terrorists

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Samuel Katz is already well-known by those of us who admire his depth and detail, but this book tops anything else out there about the war against terror and the people who really wage it. "Relentless Pursuit" is not only timely, but courageous, taking readers into the world of the Diplomatic Secuirity Service, a law enforcement arm of the federal government that deserves much more recognition than it gets. Long before the average American had ever heard of Al-Qaeda, DSS agents were waging a determined campaign in the far reachess of Pakistan, searching for the perpetrators of the first attack on the World Trade Center. Katz takes us right down into this gritty and dangerous world, making his book a true-life thriller about unsung and anonymous heroes. You can forget about all those "terrorism experts" popping up on your TV. Katz - and this book - are the real thing.

I picked this book after seeing the back cover and a photo of a DSS agent in tactical gear firing an M4--not knowing who or what DSS was, I thought that this was interesting and starting thumbing through the pages of the book. The text was fascinating. The author, in a fast-paced provocative narrative, provides a blueprint for how terrorists have been plotting against the US for over a decade, and how much of the grueling work to bring them to justice has fallen upon the shoulders of DSS--the Diplomatic Security Service (although other agencies, most notably the FBI, has often taken the credit). This book is a long overdue testament to the Diplomatic Security Service and the fine work they do. A great read.

This is the first book to truly talk of the efforts of DSS, the State Department's little known yet all-important law enforcement entity. While other books about America's war against terrorism have focused on the shortcomings of the CIA and FBI in stopping al-Qaeda in its tracks, this book focuses on America's first true victory in this bloody struggle--the capture of World Trade Center bombing mastermind Ramzi Yousef--and how the handwriting for attacks such as 9/11 had been on the wall for years.

Other accounts might pick and steal from this book's true stories of the federal agents who serve this nation in some of the most distant global outposts in the world, but Katz's amazing book remains an original and an American classic.

The Diplomatic Security Service is most probably one of the newest federal law enforcement agencies in the United States.
So almost nobody know nothing about it.
But Mr. Katz do know these guys. Almost an insider look.
In a way the book is a companion to the documentary Badges without borders. Explain in great detail their work fighting terrorism and have a brief explanation about their role protecting U.S: diplomats all around the world and foreign ambassadors and representatives in U.S. soil. These are the guys behind Secretary of State Colin Powell.
The book is well written and in no way is boring. Pay the money without doubt.

What makes this book so unique is the fact that it was a work in progress long before 9-11. It appears as if the author had been writing the story of the one federal law enforcement agency to take al-Qaeda seriously for years before the horrific attacks of September 11. The book is not a finger-pointing I told you so look at 9-11, but rather a beautifully-constructed profile of the Diplomatic Security Service and its global war against terrorists. The DSS are heroes--and it is about time people learned about what they did. I hope that the author is working on a sequel. I'll bet, after reading this book, that DSS, will be in the forefront of bringing bin Laden and his lieutenants to justice.

This book blew me away. I had never heard of DSS, never knew the State Department had a force of special agents keeping diplomats safe, embassies secure, and investigating passport and visa fraud. Never knew that these men and women have tracked down some of the world's most dangerous terrorists at outposts all over the planet.

This book is written like a spy novel in setting mood, tension, danger and thrills. The narrative is crisp and enlightening, from the story of al-Qaeda's first batch of visitors to the US to the hunt for fugitives in Southeast Asia, Pakistan, Yemen and beyond. The chapters on the arrest of Ramzi Yousef are page-turners that will keep you at the edge of your seat. The chapters on the embassy bombings are sad and frightening.

I couldn't put this book down. I look forward to Katz's next book. Buy this book immediately!

The Diplomatic Security Service is an amazing law enforcement body that, by design and determination, thinks outside the box.

This book is one [great] ride with a group of American heroes that didn't let Beltway Bureaucracy keep them from snaring some of the first al-Qaeda terrorists to strike at this country.

The author has painted a dramatic portrait of what counterterrorism overseas is like for US federal agents.

The men and women of DSS are the real operators in America's War on Terrorism. They are the experts in the field, who have experienced it all, yet remain, until now, a well kept secret in America's anti-terrorist arsenal. While the FBI gets the glory, it is obvious that DSS gets their man with little flourish and fanfare. Action is louder than words! Sam Katz rightfully has put these folks on the map, and their efforts are worthy of the accolades that Katz provides the reader. 9/11 brought new meaning to DSS, and the men and women of DSS have become this country's 911 in time of crisis.

Extraordinary page-turner...I would like to register my demand that a sequel be written immediately about the Diplomatic Security Service! The people of DSS are clearly heroes who do not get the credit that they so richly deserve for their incredible valor and sacrifice.

This is an extraordinary book on a number of levels. As someone who has worked with DSS agents in the past, I had a good idea of what to expect when I picked it up, but I was still stunned and moved by the quality of Samuel Katz's writing. He has a real flair for personalizing the stories of these men and women who give up so much that we take for granted to serve their country and protect its citizens overseas.

Believe me, the special agents that Katz is profiling are even greater heroes than he describes. They're story deserves to be heard. Thanks to Mr. Katz, it should no longer be understandable for Americans to not recognize the role the DSS plays in protecting them. If you're reading this review, you must have some interest in the subject matter, so go ahead and buy this book. You won't be disappointed.