[ACCESSWIRE]
WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESSWIRE / January 19, 2018 / Steven Stalinsky, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) and terrorism expert, has released his debut book, AMERICAN TRAITOR: The Rise and Fall of Al-Qaeda's U.S.-Born Leader Adam Gadahn. The biography offers a detailed profile of Gadahn, born Adam Pearlman, who grew up in rural California and became a key Al-Qaeda operative. The book's release this week marks the three year anniversary of his death by drone on January 19, 2015.
The book is a chilling presentation of the mind of a terrorist. Through extensive research, Stalinsky provides the reader with essential background on Gadahn, aka "Azzam the American," including his upbringing in the U.S., his conversion to Islam and radicalization, and his move to Pakistan. Gadahn's work as a leading spokesman for Al-Qaeda is presented in comprehensive detail, including a focus on his now-notorious videos, whose audiences ranged from would-be terrorists to media all over the world. These videos would lead to charges of treason - the first against an American since World War II - and eventually to his death by U.S. drone strike in January 2015, many details of which are still not known.
"No other Westerner, let alone American, has been closer to the leadership of Al-Qaeda than Adam Gadahn," explained Stalinsky. "It was important to bring to life how a California-raised boy, who was homeschooled along with his siblings, became one of Al-Qaeda's media trailblazers. By bringing his extensive video production skills into the service of terrorism, he was a key player in the organization's earliest international recruitment efforts for Osama bin Laden and other top leaders."
Stalinsky underlined that long before ISIS came into existence, Gadahn had influenced Al-Qaeda's push for homegrown lone-wolf attacks in the West, such as those we are seeing today.
In writing his book, Stalinsky had access to the most valuable sources of information regarding Gadahn's life and work, including the vast archives of the MEMRI Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) Project, which include primary-source material from the Al-Qaeda media outlet Al-Sahab, along with information on his official indictment for treason.
"American Traitor lays out in great detail what U.S.-born leader of Al-Qaeda thinks and says. In true professional fashion, the book allows Adam Gadahn to condemn himself. It constitutes chilling, but necessary, reading for anyone who truly wants to understand the threats to our welfare," said Michael Hayden, former Director of the CIA and NSA.
Michael Mukasey, former U.S. Attorney General, also commented on the book, "American Traitor not only reviews the by-now fairly unremarkable progression of a teenager from heavy-metal aficionado to sociopath, but also the way that Islamist terrorists can and do use such people to inspire and recruit. This is both a fascinating and useful book."
Another review, from Kirkus, stated, "The author makes frequent use of transcripts of his subject's videos, effectively offering close commentary on his statements and showing how they reflected political developments in the United States and abroad. An up-close look at one man's bizarre journey to international notoriety."
Dorothy Denning, Distinguished Professor of Defense Analysis at the Naval Postgraduate School, called the book, "a must read for anyone who wants to understand why they fight us and why the war on terror has no end in sight."
Robert Verkaik, author of Jihadi John: The Making of a Terrorist, added, "Steve Stalinsky has done a first-rate job in analyzing the origins and influence of one of Al-Qaeda's key media manipulators."
The book is available in bookstores and sold by all online bookselling outlets worldwide, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
About the Author
Steven Stalinsky has been Executive Director of the Middle East Media Research Institute ("MEMRI") since 1999. His latest research, centering on terrorists' use of social media and encryption technology and devising strategies to counter it, can be found at MEMRI's Cyber Jihad Lab. He has been published in, and interviewed by, major media worldwide. Stalinsky's expertise is sought after throughout Washington, D.C., where he has briefed staff of the White House, State Department, Homeland Security, Justice Department, Office of Director of National Intelligence, Defense Department, Capitol Hill and other institutions.
MEMRI Website: http://www.memri.org
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SOURCE: Middle East Media Research Institute
