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The Siege of Mecca: The Forgotten Uprising in Islam's Holiest Shrine & the Birth of Al-Qaeda | [Yaroslav Trofimov]
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  • LENGTH
    8 hrs and 11 mins
  • AUDIBLE RELEASE DATE
    10-19-07
  • AUDIO FORMATS
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Publisher's Summary

On November 20, 1979, worldwide attention was focused on Tehran, where the Iranian hostage crisis was entering its third week. The same morning, the first of a new Muslim century, hundreds of gunmen stunned the world by seizing Islam's holiest shrine, the Grand Mosque in Mecca. Armed with rifles that they had smuggled inside coffins, these men came from more than a dozen countries, launching the first operation of global jihad in modern times. Led by a Saudi preacher named Juhayman al Uteybi, they believed that the Saudi royal family had become a craven servant of American infidels and sought a return to the glory of uncompromising Islam. With nearly 100,000 worshippers trapped inside the holy compound, Mecca's bloody siege lasted two weeks, inflaming Muslim rage against the United States and causing hundreds of deaths.

Despite U.S. assistance, the Saudi royal family proved haplessly incapable of dislodging the occupier, whose ranks included American converts to Islam. In Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini blamed the "Great Satan", the United States, for defiling the shrine, prompting mobs to storm and torch American embassies in Pakistan and Libya.

The desperate Saudis finally enlisted the help of French commandos led by Captain Paul Barril, who prepared the final assault and supplied the poison gas that knocked out the insurgents. Though most captured gunmen were quickly beheaded, the Saudi royal family responded to this unprecedented challenge by compromising with the rebels' supporters among the kingdom's most senior clerics, helping them nurture and export Juhayman's violent brand of Islam around the world.

Written with the pacing, detail, and suspense of a real-life thriller, The Siege of Mecca reveals how Saudi reaction to the uprising in Mecca set free the forces that produced the attacks of 9/11 and the harrowing circumstances that surround us today.

©2007 Yaroslav Trofimov; (P)2007 Tantor Media Inc.

What the Critics Say

"Solid journalistic and storytelling skills....Trofimov does excellent work in narrating [these events]." (Kirkus)
"A compelling historical narrative....Casual readers will be well served by this introduction to Muslim fundamentalist terrorism." (Publishers Weekly)

Customer Reviews

Showing: 1-6 of 6 results
  • 3 of 3 people found this review helpful.
    "An essential book"
    By Philip (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Nov 2, 2007
    I was thoroughly enthralled listening to this untold story of an event that was somewhat overshadowed at the time and which turns out to have been something of a turning point in the radicalization of Islam.
  • 2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
    ""The Siege" - A Review"
    By Mitch (Alexandria, VA, USA) May 31, 2008
    If you enjoy connecting the dots of past incidents in the Middle East and seeing their impact on today's world...A MUST "READ"! Fast paced, easily understood. Doesn't get into mundane minutia but flies at 30,000 feet. Fanatic zealots think their guy is the Machti (the prophet the returns to save the world and purge all infidels from the lands of Islam).

    To prove their point they seize the grand temple in Mecca and kill hundreds of innocents. This causes the entangling of the House of Saud, the US, other Islamic countries, and France's elite anti-terrorism squadron.

    CAUTION: you may miss work sitting in the parking lot, while waiting for the end!
  • 2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
    "Absolutely excellent"
    By Eunice (Harrodsburg, KY, United States) Nov 30, 2007
    This is a wonderful history of an event little known, yet so important to our world situation today. Trofimov did an excellent job of writing in a way that is both informative and gripping. The narration was excellent overall. In listening, I finally understood who the Islamic extremists are; their personalities, beliefs, and extremes to which they will go to deal with those they consider infidels.
    Absolutely recommended!!!! Listen when you have plenty of time. I had a hard time switching it off!
  • 1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
    "Superb insight for Muslims and Non-Muslims."
    By Charles (Lititz, PA, United States) Aug 2, 2009
    Most "experts on Islam" from the west these days impress me mostly as crack pots with an axe to grind against Islam. At best most are those who may possess a dangerous thing: a little bit of knowledge. I must say though Trofimov demonstrates a fairly comprehensive understanding of the basics of Islam and a profound command of the historical events he writes on in this text. His style is lively and animated yet he is comprehensive and therefore satisfying. The Siege of Mecca is an important work which should be read by Muslims and non-Muslims alike. It is very very well done.
  • 0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
    "Provides a better understanding"
    By Jane (Sylvania, OH, USA) Jul 3, 2010
    The events chronicled in this book helps one better understand the mind-set of radical Islam and how those thought processes influenced the relationships the US now has with various Middle Eastern countries. Having lived and worked in the Middle East for a year and a half, and getting some insight into the culture, I had the advantage of being able to read between the lines for even greater understanding. I believe the author was very objective in his analysis of the events leading up to the crisis, and those resulting from it. This is a good book for anyone who wants a clearer understanding of US/Middle Eastern politics.
  • 0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
    "Just Excellent"
    By Jeanie (Brookings, OR, USA) Nov 6, 2009
    Complete and balanced. An essential read (Step NO. One in a process) for anyone really wanting to understand the relationship between the Saudi Arabia's leadership and U.S.A., between Al Qida and other Sunni Arabs; where America (and Russia) went wrong.

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Showing: 1-6 of 6 results