• Inside the Jihad

  • My Life With Al Qaeda, A Spy's Story
  • By: Omar Nasiri
  • Narrated by: Lloyd James
  • Length: 14 hrs and 25 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (237 ratings)

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Inside the Jihad  By  cover art

Inside the Jihad

By: Omar Nasiri
Narrated by: Lloyd James
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Editorial reviews

Why You Should Download This Audiobook: Many are the listens that examine Al Qaeda from the outside. Now, for the first time, comes a voice from the inside�a man who met Osama bin Laden and his top operatives. One expects that accounts of this kind will provide fascinating insight into an alien place; however, one cannot be certain the writing quality will live up to the excitment of the narrative. In this case, it does. Don't miss this one.

Publisher's summary

For the first time, here's a first-person account of life inside the Jihad.

This is a detailed portrait of a complex man who fought on both sides. From Europe's burgeoning terrorist underground in the 1990s, to the training camps of Afghanistan, to the radical mosques of London, Omar Nasiri offers a unique and chilling perspective, on both the rise of Al Qaeda and the intelligence services that struggled to contain it.

Inside the Jihad is the story of a double agent operative working for UK and French intelligence by infiltrating Al Qaeda training camps. During his time in the camps, Nasiri met all of the top terrorist leaders, including Osama bin Laden, and engaged in a wide range of illegal activities. Strikingly well-written and gripping, Inside the Jihad is a terrifying, suspenseful read.

©2006 Omar Nasiri (P)2006 Tantor Media, Inc.

What listeners say about Inside the Jihad

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Waste of time

I found this book mildly interesting throughout the read. However, it was very repetitive and seemed to lack a cohesive thought. The ending was extremely disappointing. I would say that there really wasn't an ending; the author just stopped writing.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Inside the Jihad

Totally disappointed in the ending. A shame such an interesting listen ended with such abruptness. The total length is 45 minutes short of the 14.5 hours advertised.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Eye opening for an American

This book as opened a new look at the Muslim religion and the people of this religion. It allows me to better understand many of happenings that have taken place for many years and the war we now find ourselves in. A War that may never end as long as both sides have the goals we have set before us. We will never get the other to blink long enough to stop these maddening battles we wage against each other . We will just continue to drag the innocent into this death we wage on each other. Thank you for such a enlightening book and look into your story and the story of this war, this Jihad.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Insightful, even if a bit Neurotic

The book is an easy read--more exciting than many novels I have read. Omar recalls his spying adventures vividly and offers tremendous insights into his feelings and his assessment of the psychology of those around him. You do have to wade through his neuroticism, paranoia, and blind hypocrisy, but in the end the gain is more valuable than being perturbed by the author's personal shortcomings.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Radical extremist come in many forms

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

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Rare inside account

Excellent read. The author does a wonderful job of telling his story. The details of what he went through and the interactions with others gave an exposure to terrorism that is not easy for someone on the outside to see.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    out of 5 stars

Inside the Jihad

Powerful. Clearly articulates the challenges.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Layman smooth

Easy listening presenting factual account. Book and reader make understanding some background of the Taliban, Al Quaida and Afganistan rather clear and concise.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Ho Hum

This book had the potential to really shine a light on the mind set and MO of people involved in the Jihad movement. It falls far short of that and rambles on and on in an almost fictional novel format. The best parts for me were when the author falls in love with Fatima (his wife) and at the end when he almost rants and raves in his summary in his views of an "us verses them" mentality.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

The author has Fascist beliefs, more than religion

I agree with reader Jeremy's assessment - "This book is both disturbing and interesting." Although I would not say it is "very" interesting due to the excessive rambling and wishy washy nature of the authors situational ethics. On one hand he loves the excesses of the western world, while at the same time he hates the people and culture that create all of them. On one hand he loves and marries a woman from a western country, yet deep down he will not even admit it to himself he hates what she and everyone from her culture represents. In the end it becomes clear that Omar is in reality a Fascist due to his criminal "us against them" beliefs that go to the extreme of - do as we say or we have the right to kill you. In the end it became clear to me this work is nothing more than Jihadi propaganda supporting the belief that a Caliphate under Sharia Law is the best course for the planet.

And Yes, dear readers Fascist is an accurate term when it comes to the level of intolerance this writer exhibits from behind false pretense of him being a long suffering agent just trying to do the right thing - just trying to stop the extremists. In the end you learn he is just a blood thirsty as any radical Jihadist. When killing your opponent is the best solution because; they do not practice the same rituals as you do when they worship, or they do not agree with your personal beliefs, or they trespass on your land with or without cause (in your opinion) what else would you call it? These folks would much rather live a tribal existence in the middle ages and not become productive members of civilized society. That message came through loud and clear in this reading. And the Jihaddis cannot be "left alone" as long as they insist on exporting this hatred beyond their current bounds. The Western world may be "the Great Satan" but they do not have a plan, policy, or faith that insists on eliminating all non-believers in the great western way. My question is, where will the great mujahideen get their advanced weapons and high tech tools to carry on the struggle once "The Great Satan" is eliminated? There will still be battles to fight, starting with the "innovators" inside their faith. These are questions the book does not begin to address but presents........All in all I think the author is very immature and has serious anger issues that go well beyond religion or national origin. He states that he does not have much of a life and he really only has one person to blame for that outcome.

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1 person found this helpful