- Hardcover: 550 pages
- Publisher: C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd (1 Oct 2007)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1850658560
- ISBN-13: 978-1850658566
- Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 14.6 x 3.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,476,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Review
'Architect of the Global Jihad is a compelling and meticulously researched biography of one of the most influential strategists and thinkers in Islamist circles. Abu Mus'ab al-Suri may not be a household name in the West, but his importance as a theorist, organizer and ideologue is difficult to overstate. For those seeking to understand Al-Qaeda and its affiliates, author Brynjar Lia's work is critical reading and highly illuminating.' -Craig Whitlock, Berlin Bureau Chief, The Washington Post'A groundbreaking analysis of the militant trajectory of one of the most important -albeit little known-jihadist ideologues of the post 9/11 era. It provides essential reading for any one eager to penetrate in-depth the intellectual environment and logics of radical islamist terrorist doctrine, thanks to Lia's remarkable mastery of Arabic language and Islamic culture.' -Giles Keppel, Professor and chair, Middle East Studies, Sciences-Po, Paris'Brynjar Lia's masterfully researched work remains the only known contribution to the terrorism studies field that parses the history and thought of al-Suri. Far beyond its utility as an historical analysis, Lia's work is extraordinarily timely as he extracts the finer points of al-Suri's now widely circulated theories that may have informed the conduct of the London and Madrid attacks.'-Jeffrey Cozzens, Intelligence and Terrorism Analysis Group at Applied Marine Technology, Inc.
London Review of Books, March 2008
'The Global Islamic Resistance Call is a military manual written in a strikingly secular - at times even avant-garde - idiom.'
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
`Lia's masterfully-researched work remains the only known contribution to the terrorism studies field that parses the history and thought of al-Suri, a formidable ideologue by virtue of his pragmatism, rational approach to history and realistic, "egalitarian" view of the future of jihad (al-Suri is now apparently in US custody). Far beyond its utility as an historical analysis, Lia's work is extraodinarily timely as he extracts the finer points of al-Suri's now widely-circulated theories that may have informed the conduct of the London and Madrid attacks.'
- Jeffrey B. Cozzens, research associate at the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence (CSTPV), University of St Andrews and contributing expert for Counterterrorism Blog
- Jeffrey B. Cozzens, research associate at the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence (CSTPV), University of St Andrews and contributing expert for Counterterrorism Blog
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Al-Suri is (was?)a Syrian opponent of the Assad regime. Going into exile he began a journey that saw him with the Afghan-Arabs in Peshawar in the 1980s, in Madrid and London in the 1990s back to Afghanistan in the years before 2001. Reported to have been arrested in Pakistan in 2005 with $5m bounty on his head. Although some have accused him of being behind the Madrid bombings his significance is primarily as a writer and theorist. In voluminous writings and lectures he unsparingly analysed the failures of jihadi groups and sought to develop strategies to overcome these failings.
Lia's book traces Al-Suri's journey and ideas based on his own writings, court documents and media reports. The book includes a 150 page extract from Al Suri's magnum opus The Global Islamic Resistance Call.
In the last couple of years Al Suri has attracted a lot of attention in the US counterterrorism/security/strategy community because his ideas about successful strategy for jihadis fit with the kind of model that Marc Sageman writes about in Leaderless Jihad - that is small groups operating autonomously. The extent to which the Al Suri model is actually being consciously applied to open to question.
One of the most interesting things about this book is that it gives a picture of the jihadi movement in the 1990s that isn't focused on Bin Laden. To an extent the story of the exiles is reminiscent of communist groups before the Russian Revolution with their personal feuds, factional differences and conflicting strategies. Interestingly Al Suri was one of those who was against 9/11 because he felt that Afghanistan was a good approximation of an Islamic state that would be threatened by the American response
Lia's book traces Al-Suri's journey and ideas based on his own writings, court documents and media reports. The book includes a 150 page extract from Al Suri's magnum opus The Global Islamic Resistance Call.
In the last couple of years Al Suri has attracted a lot of attention in the US counterterrorism/security/strategy community because his ideas about successful strategy for jihadis fit with the kind of model that Marc Sageman writes about in Leaderless Jihad - that is small groups operating autonomously. The extent to which the Al Suri model is actually being consciously applied to open to question.
One of the most interesting things about this book is that it gives a picture of the jihadi movement in the 1990s that isn't focused on Bin Laden. To an extent the story of the exiles is reminiscent of communist groups before the Russian Revolution with their personal feuds, factional differences and conflicting strategies. Interestingly Al Suri was one of those who was against 9/11 because he felt that Afghanistan was a good approximation of an Islamic state that would be threatened by the American response
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Must read
2 Feb 2008
Format:Hardcover
In a fascinating tale of a fascinating individual this book delves deep into the soul of the Jihadist, learning about him, showing us his seminal work, which was 1,600 pages, and shedding lihgt on the man who theorized the global Jihad that threatens so many people today. This was not the Marx of Islamism or the Lenin. This was the Trotsky, the man who understood 'War Islamism' and how individualized Islamic cells of only a few men could spread havoc and take the war to the enemy on ground of the Islamists own choosing. Although Abu Mus'ab al-Suri, whose middle name was Sethmarriam, was not a latter day Sun Tzu or Clauswitz, her might have been. Alleged to have been killed in the snowy hills of the Pashtun, his wareabouts are actually unknown.
A fascinating book about Islamist history, about the birth and making of the Islamist and the strategy of Islamism. He was truly an architect of the international terrorist revolution.
Seth J. Frantzman
A fascinating book about Islamist history, about the birth and making of the Islamist and the strategy of Islamism. He was truly an architect of the international terrorist revolution.
Seth J. Frantzman
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Key insights
14 Feb 2008
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Required reading for anyone wanting to better understand the past organizations and efforts of the jihadists and an insight into possible future organizational structure for the terrorist networks. The translations of key sections of the "Global Islamic Resistance Call" of Al-Suri's 1,600 page book shows his well thought out, objective case for his idea of a global Islamic resistance design, or for that matter anyone wishing to cause chaos in today's world. You have to understand the enemy to defeat him because a leaderless resistance would be one of the longest, hardest battle this nation, or any others confronted with this threat, will have to fight. A fight that will take an unfailing determination and focus. A fight of generations to discredit the jihadist propaganda and let the true voices of the areas afflicted with this disease to be heard.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Blueprint of a Terrorist Organization
20 July 2008
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
A well-written, finely researched book on a critical but otherwise unnoticed player in international terrorism. What is most interesting is Al-Suri's diverse history of terror cell membership and the resulting network of international links he maintained. This book is more than a biography. By reviewing Al-Suri's life, from his ideology, travel and marital choice, the book outlines a blueprint of "serious" terrorists that has been closely mirrored by many other hardcore jihadists in Al-Qa'ida and other groups. Most interesting is Al-Suri's shift from gun-toting combatant to ideological propagandist and his lasting influences. Though Bin Laden is "the face" of modern terrorism, this book leads the reader to question if the most dangerous players have yet to be identified.
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