Terror Base UK: Inside a Secret War (Paperback)

Terror Tracker, the author's first book, delved into cyberterrorism and showed how terrorists are using the internet to distribute information to publicise and promote their 'cause'. The author and a colleague tracked down a variety of videos, tapes and documents which have contributed to the arrest and ongoing trial of Abu Hamza. The information uncovered by the author makes Hamza's pleas of innocence laughable.

Terror Base UK delves even deeper into the horrors of cyberterrorism, uncovering a growing network of sleeper cells and activists awaiting instructions to carry out atrocities. The author shows how this country, despite warnings and pleas from other countries, allowed known terrorists to settle here and develop their abhorrent networks. To all intents and purposes the UK could be seen to be Al Qaeda's biggest recruiter, assisting hundreds, if not thousands, of young, British born dissidents to Afghanistan, Chechnya and Iraq to fight western forces. London plays host to many senior and/or notorious Al Qaeda supporters with seemingly little interest from the security forces or the Government. Indeed, one of the most sickening revelations in the whole book was that 3 of the terrorists involved in Beslan spent time living in London attending a certain notorious mosque.

Throughout the book the UK security forces and Government are shown to be weak and indicisive, allowing websites, bookshops, publications, videos and tapes which spout death and destruction to flourish. Individuals and groups who spout hatred and incitements to murder are left in peace. Protagonists are arrested and released without charge, despite overwhelming evidence of involvement in and/or knowledge of potential atrocities.

All of which explains the title of the book: that the UK is the headquarters of Al Qaeda Europe, which is why until July 7 2005 the UK had escaped the horrors unleashed on the rest of the world due to a 'covenant of security'. Since the revocation of that covenant July 7th is only one of a bewildering variety of outrageous and horrific attempts on the lives of British citizens. Chemical attacks, crashing planes into Big Ben, Canary Wharf and Heathrow Airport and flooding the London Underground are amongst some of the more spectacular plans that were prevented due to what sometimes appears to be blind luck and coincidence. Nuclear, biological and chemical death are all planned for the UK and US. Schools, hospitals, government buildings, financial institutions and public transport networks are all authorised targets for physical attack, and financial institutions, power grids, hospitals and a wealth of other mainframe/network based services and institutions are at threat of massive cyber attacks. As one quote chillingly reveals, "the UK is four meals away from anarchy".

Don't expect to get much sleep whilst reading this book. You'll be kept awake into the wee hours either through fear, frustration, anger, an inability to put the book down or through conducting your own research via the internet. As well as opening your eyes to the modern fifth columnists of jihad you'll be overwhelmed with the feeling of needing to do 'something', whether that be passing on your knowledge to friends and colleagues, pressuring the Government or becoming a part time investigator and activist in your own right.

What you won't come away with from this book is the feeling that all muslims are terrorists and murderers, unlike many publications and websites proliferating today propogating that school of thought. And for that I think Mr Doyle needs to be applauded.

If you never buy another book this year, make sure you buy this one. Before it's too late.