Jihad in Brooklyn : The NYPD Raid That Stopped America's First Suicide Bombers

Rating:
Summary: Egyptian immigrant saves New York
Review: For those who think all Middle Eastern immigrants are terrorists, this book has some sobering lessons. The only reason NYPD figured out this plot in advance --and saved New York-- was because a newly arrived Egyptian immigrant decided to put his life and future on the line for America by telling police about the plot. This guy didn't even speak English very well, and coming from Egypt, was terrified of police. The Palestinian bombers told him about their plot, thinking he would never dare to tell anyone, but he immediately went to the nearest police officer and persisted in telling the story, despite the initial skepticism with which the cops greeted him. This story affirms that "intel" is the way to disrupt terrorist plots, not blind antagonism towards immigrants. Without this immigrant from Egypt, NYPD would never have known about the plot. The next time Colorado Representative Tom Tancredo starts ranting about how all the immigrants are terrorists, you can counter with this story. This immigrant really saved the day.

Rating:
Summary: An Awe-Inspiring Account of Courage
Review: I must confess that when I first saw this book, I thought that it was novel, and not an actual account. I had never heard of the plot when, in July 1997, two Palestinian suicide bombers intended on blowing themselves up on a subway train in Brooklyn. This story should have been on the front page of every newspaper in America, but instead it was wiped under the rug for reasons, inexplicable reasons of ego, that are, in the wake of 9/11, unimaganible.

Most importantly, this is a book about courage and of some brave New York City cops who put their lives on the line to keep others safe. Reading about the bravery the men from the Emergency Services Unit exhibited in stopping the bombers, was inspirational. The author does a remarkable job in bringing us into the world of the Palestinian bombers as well as into the world of the cops. It all comes together in an explosive confrontation that could have been tragic.

This is a great book.