Who Killed Daniel Pearl?

Rating:
Summary: a must-read on the politics of the Islamic world
Review: As mentioned below, this book certainly doesn't paint a flattering portrait of the political and spiritual state of Pakistan, and not many of its neighbors sound so great either. I've never been to Pakistan, but if Levy's assessment is close to the mark, I hope the folks at the State Department, the CIA and the Pentagon are keeping a sharp lookout over their shoulders. The book's conclusions as to the threat posed to the non-Muslim world by these people are chilling.

While Levy's being described as "surprisingly pro-American for a Frenchman," he's not entirely complimentary about the US and in fact mildly derides the invasion of Iraq. Even while stating his support for Israel, he directs a few sensible criticisms at their policies as well. But boy does Pakistan sound like a living nightmare in this book! If there are, in fact, some well-intentioned Pakistanis out there (and I'm sure there are), if everything in this book is accurate, I beg you to have the good grace to be ashamed for your countrymen rather than to condemn writers like Pearl and Levy for their honesty.

Sometimes the book is a bit melodramatic in its approach, and Levy rarely affects an objective style. He admittedly interprets events from a personal perspective, which is part of why the book can be so absorbing, even if it sometimes seems a little messy and self-involved. It's nonetheless extremely informative, and if you can get past the unavoidably revolting description of Pearl's murder in the early pages, you'll be well rewarded if you take any serious interest in the current calamitous state of the world.

Rating:
Summary: Ego, ego, ego
Review: I find it creepily voyeuristic for BHL to consistently conflate his own experiences into the tragedy of Daniel Pearl's death.

This book is a vehicle for BHL to tell the world about... himself.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent critical Analysis
Review: I first heard of the book when I chanced to see a CSPAN inteview wiht the Author.
The interview had me glued for the better part of an hour, after which I got the book.
It is an excellent read, though I recommend maintaining a cheat-sheet of all the characters and aliases, as you run through the book.
The important conclusion is that Saddam Hussain is not the threat, fundamentalist groups sponsored by Rogue states is the actual threat.

Rating:
Summary: a difficult but essential book
Review: I must echo much of what has been said above... the translation is awful... it desperately needs a good editor and there are few references to anyone else's work or ideas but the author's. However, Levy has done a tremendous job of trying to feret out connections between the PAkisatani intelligence service and al-Quida, and is especcialy scary depicting the connections between al-Quida and the nuclear scientists in Pakistan. In light of recent announcements about their chief scientist selling nuclear technology to the Koreans, you must wonder that th3ese allegations are founded on a rela issue.

The book is written in a conversationist tone with frequent asides and digressions that make it hard to follow the names of the various people Levy meets, interviews and quotes. It would have been far more compelling if he had used a straight forward investigatory style. Nevertheless, there is enough here to scare me and I am glad I read the book. On the other hand, books like this are difficult to know what to do with.... if accurate, our entire policy and intelligence structure in the area is seriously flawed... but if a French citizen could develop this thesis in a few months, surely our governmenthas far better resources and can do a far better job.

Rating:
Summary: It is a must read
Review: Other reviews have mentioned Henri-Levy's factual errors and his self-centered approach to the Daniel Pearl case (see the review by William Dalrymple in the New York Review of Books, at http://www.nybooks.com/articles/16823), but not many mention the fact that this book is written in terrible, fractured English. I don't know if the translation was rushed or what, but it proved a major headache just following Henri-Levy's clauses back to their sources.

On top of this, the book is disorganized and meandering and relies on supposition to an alarming extent. Whoo-boy is it bad.

Rating:
Summary: Shocker: Pakistanis who haven't read the book don't like it
Review: Readers criticizing Bernard-Henri Levy for espousing ideas similar to those of Samuel Huntington clearly haven't read the book. Levy goes to great lengths to disagree with Huntington. Saying he disparages all Pakistanis is equally revealing of someone with an agenda that doesn't involve reading the book. The last chapter of the "Who Killed Daniel Pearl?", in fact, is called "Gentle Islam" and discusses how Muslim terrorists are not representative of Muslims in general. He also goes to great lengths to point out that not all Pearl's killers were even from Pakistan ... the ring leader was from England! And excuse me, but Levy isn't supposed to talk about anti-Semitism when he's writing about a man who, before he was killed, was forced to say, "I am Jewish"? This book is a fearless, compassionate and insightful piece of journalism, and the dishonest and ignorant attacks give you some little idea of what the author was up against. Bravo to him, from a "peep" in Iowa.

Rating:
Summary: A complicated web of alliance,politics,and murder.
Review: There is no doubt the U.S. has picked unsavory friends. This book explores the connectivity between the Pakistani ISI, Al Qaeda, and other Jihadist groups through the ghastly murder of a Wall Street Journal Reporter. Bernard Henri Levy has presented his material in a sensitive exploratory fashion, inviting the reader on the journey and leaving them with as many questions as there are answers.

Rating:
Summary: Something is Rotten....
Review: There is perhaps no better example of the extreme brutality inherently tied to the worldwide War on Terror than the final images of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. Pearl was the lead story all around the world when, on assignment in Pakistan, he was kidnapped by Islamic militants. Despite appeals by various international groups and a nationwide search carried about he Pakistani authorities, Pearl was found dead, cut to pieces. The gruesome video of Pearl being decapitated was also found on the internet, a trophy of victory for his killers. On the face of it, the death of Daniel Pearl seems to be a fairly easy case. Pearl, an American Jews, was sucked into a web of lies constructed by Islamic fanatic Omar Sheikh. Because of his nationality and religion, Pearl was the perfect target. Indeed, famously, Pearl died with the words "I am a Jew" on his lips. What seemed like a simple violent murder is complicated by this intriguing new book, written by Bernard Henri Levy. Levy writes of a far more shadowy storyline, in which Pearl's death was a result of a complex and wide ranging conspiracy. Who Killed Daniel Pearl presents a challenging case to a story once thought so simple and understandable.

Levy begins his book with a well detailed description of the crime as we know it. To his credit, Levy has done a wonderful job piecing together the often fragmented time line. While he describes the crime, he raises structural questions. These questions such as times and phone calls, have been covered over by the Pakistani investigators, who seem comfortable with their incomplete order of events. Levy uses this description in order to segue to our two principals. Daniel Pearl is described as a loving, caring man who had a deep seated loyalty to his profession and his paper. He was willing to take foreboding risks in order to pursue the story. Supposedly, he traveled to Pakistan in order to track down a shadowy Pakistani militant, tied to various Kashmiri paramilitaries and Al Qaeda. Pearl met, instead, with Omar Sheikh, a young jihadist with an interesting past, outlined by Levy. Born and raised in London, Omar seemed to be the perfect Westernized Muslim, living in harmony with his English friends. He attended the prestigious London School of Economics, cementing his reputation as a brilliant student. Form there, what we know about Omar is veiled in mystery. He apparently became obsessed with the light of Muslims in Bosnia, a warzone to which he traveled to in order to fight. Omar apparently became part of the militant Muslim underground which was gaining power worldwide. He appears here and there, around the world, an elusive man who was also in an out of various prisons. Levy questions many of the suppositions people have concerning Omar and his profile, painting a more complicated figure, who may have been chosen because of intelligence by a "hidden hand."

The hidden hand is presumably the ISI, Pakistan's feared and powerful internal and external security service. As Levy travels to Pakistan, his pursuit of the Pearl story brings him to the attention of the ISI. When ISI gets in your way, you are on to something. What is Levy on to, is it something similar to Pearl's line of research? That is hard to say, and I found the explanation a bit hazy. Apparently, Pearl may have been investigating the strange connections between ISI and various terrorist groups, such as the Taliban and Al Qaeda. This investigation takes on a further importance when one realizes that Pakistan is a nuclear power. This possible nuclear-terrorist-ISI connection is very relevant because of the recent revelations about the Dr. Khan nuclear network.

Others have complained of a bad translation but I found the story lucid and intriguing. Levy is an excellent story teller, and I loved how the tale is woven together. One must also admire the globe hopping journeys of Levy himself, which brings a definite real world flavor to the story. His descriptions of life in Pakistan and the insanely complicated and dangerous political situation there made for great reading. I wish the case had been a bit more concise, but Levy does a great job raising relevant questions with what he had. Very good reading on an extremely important topic.

Rating:
Summary: Something is Rotten....
Review: There is perhaps no better example of the extreme brutality inherently tied to the worldwide War on Terror than the final images of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. Pearl was the lead story all around the world when, on assignment in Pakistan, he was kidnapped by Islamic militants. Despite appeals by various international groups and a nationwide search carried about he Pakistani authorities, Pearl was found dead, cut to pieces. The gruesome video of Pearl being decapitated was also found on the internet, a trophy of victory for his killers. On the face of it, the death of Daniel Pearl seems to be a fairly easy case. Pearl, an American Jews, was sucked into a web of lies constructed by Islamic fanatic Omar Sheikh. Because of his nationality and religion, Pearl was the perfect target. Indeed, famously, Pearl died with the words "I am a Jew" on his lips. What seemed like a simple violent murder is complicated by this intriguing new book, written by Bernard Henri Levy. Levy writes of a far more shadowy storyline, in which Pearl's death was a result of a complex and wide ranging conspiracy. Who Killed Daniel Pearl presents a challenging case to a story once thought so simple and understandable.

Levy begins his book with a well detailed description of the crime as we know it. To his credit, Levy has done a wonderful job piecing together the often fragmented time line. While he describes the crime, he raises structural questions. These questions such as times and phone calls, have been covered over by the Pakistani investigators, who seem comfortable with their incomplete order of events. Levy uses this description in order to segue to our two principals. Daniel Pearl is described as a loving, caring man who had a deep seated loyalty to his profession and his paper. He was willing to take foreboding risks in order to pursue the story. Supposedly, he traveled to Pakistan in order to track down a shadowy Pakistani militant, tied to various Kashmiri paramilitaries and Al Qaeda. Pearl met, instead, with Omar Sheikh, a young jihadist with an interesting past, outlined by Levy. Born and raised in London, Omar seemed to be the perfect Westernized Muslim, living in harmony with his English friends. He attended the prestigious London School of Economics, cementing his reputation as a brilliant student. Form there, what we know about Omar is veiled in mystery. He apparently became obsessed with the light of Muslims in Bosnia, a warzone to which he traveled to in order to fight. Omar apparently became part of the militant Muslim underground which was gaining power worldwide. He appears here and there, around the world, an elusive man who was also in an out of various prisons. Levy questions many of the suppositions people have concerning Omar and his profile, painting a more complicated figure, who may have been chosen because of intelligence by a "hidden hand."

The hidden hand is presumably the ISI, Pakistan's feared and powerful internal and external security service. As Levy travels to Pakistan, his pursuit of the Pearl story brings him to the attention of the ISI. When ISI gets in your way, you are on to something. What is Levy on to, is it something similar to Pearl's line of research? That is hard to say, and I found the explanation a bit hazy. Apparently, Pearl may have been investigating the strange connections between ISI and various terrorist groups, such as the Taliban and Al Qaeda. This investigation takes on a further importance when one realizes that Pakistan is a nuclear power. This possible nuclear-terrorist-ISI connection is very relevant because of the recent revelations about the Dr. Khan nuclear network.

Others have complained of a bad translation but I found the story lucid and intriguing. Levy is an excellent story teller, and I loved how the tale is woven together. One must also admire the globe hopping journeys of Levy himself, which brings a definite real world flavor to the story. His descriptions of life in Pakistan and the insanely complicated and dangerous political situation there made for great reading. I wish the case had been a bit more concise, but Levy does a great job raising relevant questions with what he had. Very good reading on an extremely important topic.

Rating:
Summary: Who Killed Daniel Pearl?
Review: WHO KILLED DANIEL PEARL?
Bernard-Henri Levy
[Melville House Publishing, Hoboken, NJ, 2003]

Seeking the truth embodied in the cadaver of the crime itself, Bernard-Henri Levy has scrupulously developed a superb and on-site forensic profile of the events, the actors, and the intrigues in the fateful five-days, in January 2002, encompassing the kidnapping, torture, and decapitation of the American journalist, Daniel Pearl. "What had Danny discovered, or what was he in the process of discovering, that condemned him to death?"

Levy, author of thirty books, and one of France's most celebrated intellectuals, admits that some of this profile is calculated fiction, but adamantly, the heart and soul of the work is carefully complemented with keen investigative journalism and embedded in a vivid and compelling reconstitution of the deadly maze uniting the perpetrator(s) and the victim. This book is a marvel of esoteric knowledge of the inner workings of terror groups, especially the ones operating in Pakistan.

London born, Omar Sheikh, "is the front figure in a crime syndicate united around Pearl's body in life, and then his cadaver in death...a matchless alignment for a murder that is decidedly one of a kind" involving the arcane militant sect Al Fuqrah, the Muslims of America, the other International Quranic Open University operating under the absolute control of the fundamentalist and radical emir, Pir Murbarak Shah Gilani, Daniel Pearl's last known contact, his last appointment before the kidnapping.

"This crime was not petty, a murder for nothing, an uncontrolled act of fundamentalist fanatics: it's a crime of state, intended and authorized, whether we like it or not, by the state of Pakistan. And that is the fact that we must accept: Daniel Pearl was tortured and murdered in a house belonging to a fake charity organization that serves as a mask for Ormar bin Laden....The paradox, of course, is that it implicates a country, which is a full-fledge member of the antiterrorist coalition." (p273)

The unsaid in this dark diplomacy of death is profoundly highlighted by recent events (January 2004): Pakistan's President Musharraf narrowly escaping spiraling assassination attempts; and, the arrest of several Pakastani nuclear scientists involved in the illicit marketing of weapons of mass destruction.

Levy's illation of these facts indicates a wider curve to the Daniel Pearl murder encompassing terrorist organizations in New York City and the heartland of the United States, as well as an astounding link to the sniper, John Allen Williams aka John Mohammad, that terrorized the Washington, D.C. area in 2002. A convert, who left, the Nation of Islam, John Mohammad assumed the life of a desperado of unbridled hate and nefarious connections of whom the FBI suspect had recruited him in joining not only Al-Fuqrah, but also the Muslims of America.

"Was Daniel Pearl investigating the American branches of al-Qaida? Is the key to the mystery of his death also in the closets on the hard disks of the intelligence agencies of Washington? We're still waiting for a clear and public admission, by those responsible, of this extraordinary historical error in which the leaders of the free world welcomed to their breast and sometimes generated the Golem that we must now drive out from one end of the planet to the other. Perhaps that is what Daniel Pearl was waiting for-perhaps that's what he wanted to provoke."(p431)

Levy's hypothesis is that Pearl was writing an article exposing Pakistan's duplicitous game, whereby it posed on one hand as a good ally of the United States, and on the other leading itself, through its most prestigious scientists, to the most fearsome operations of nuclear proliferation. He asserts that the situation taking form between Islamabad and Karachi "is a black hole compared to which Saddam Hussein's Baghdad was an obsolete weapons dump." Levy poses the question: "Is terrorism the bastard child of a demonic couple: Islam and Europe?" The reader may well pose another: "Is the United States becoming the foster parent of terrorism as well?"

At times, Levy's intricate circumlocution and maze of trails smacks a bit more of the CIA's Atherton (who eventually became paranoid) than of straightforward research; still, I agree that "just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean that they're not after you!" Bernard-Henri Levy's project of recreating a trail to and from the "death hut" sequestered in a walled courtyard in the environs of Karachi will elucidate this crime for years to come. It is a decent and incredible tribute to a brave journalist and a troubling legacy for all of us to share.

This book is a vital and compelling journey into the bowels of the rogue state, the terrorist corpus delecti. It offers the reader a rare opportunity to reach beyond contemporary political and cultural polemics, the prattle of pundits and the distilled rage of religious fundamentalists. It is a solid and necessary read for scholars of terrorism, security policy experts, press, politicians, and the public in seeking to understand the fabric of uncertainty encompassing our times.

Jess Maghan
Chester, Connecticut
January 28, 2004