Political speeches and public rhetoric paint the phenomena of terrorism with a black-and-white brush, presenting it as a clear-cut battle between evildoers and heroes. With The Achille Lauro Hijacking, Michael K. Bohn, who watched the incident unfold from the White House Situation Room, uses one of the most infamous terrorist incidents of the past twenty-five years to illuminate the folly of such oversimplified jingoisms. The 1985 hijacking of the Italian cruise ship, the amazing capture of the terrorists, and a previously untold story of American bigotry come together in this book as a case study in the complex forces that shape both terrorism and the responses that it triggers. In October 1985, four Palestinian men hijacked an Italian cruise ship, Achille Lauro, holding hundreds hostage for two days. The hijackers killed a partially disabled, sixty-nine year old Jewish American, Leon Klinghoffer, and threw his body into the sea. Many remember Klinghofferas death, but few know of the other murder associated with the hijacking, that of Alex Odeh. Odeh defended on television Yasser Arafatas apparent role in defusing the hijacking. He was killed the next day by a terroristas bomb, which exploded as he opened the door of his Los Angeles office - the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. Palestinians killed Klinghoffer because he was Jewish, yet Jewish extremists killed Odeh because he was a Palestinian. The Klinghoffer familyas long crusade to bring the hijacking mastermind, Abu Abbas, to justice was partially satisfied with his April 2003 capture in Iraq. The Odeh family still waits for charges to be brought against Alexas murderers, a particularly disheartening situation as Israel, Americaas friend and ally, refuses to extradite two suspects. These two deaths pale in comparison to the atrocities of September 11, 2001. Yet understanding both the Achille Lauro incident, and the extraordinary sequence of events that followed, will help Americans better understand the threat of terrorism. Terrorism is not an enemy, it is a tactic chosen by some to further political goals. Terrorism is not just about crime and punishment; it is about violence, power politics, prejudice, hatred, land, religion, greed, money, and a host of venal factors that influence human society. All of these forces are present in the Achille Lauro hijacking and its aftermath."

The definitive story of one American family at the center of a single, shocking act of international terrorism that "manages to capture the essence of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict" (Dan Ephron). On October 3, 1985, Leon Klinghoffer, a disabled Jewish New Yorker, and his wife boarded the Achille Lauro to celebrate their 36th wedding anniversary with a Mediterranean cruise. Four days later, four Palestinian fedayeen hijacked the Italian luxury liner and took the passengers and crew hostage. Leon Klinghoffer was shot in the head, his body and wheelchair thrown overboard. His murder became a flashpoint in the intractable struggle between Israelis and Arabs and gave Americans a horrifying preview of what it means when terrorism hits home. In this richly reported book, drawing on multiple perspectives, Julie Salamon dispels the mythology that has grown around that shattering moment. What transpired on the Achille Lauro left the Klinghoffer family in the grip of irredeemable sorrow, while precipitating tragic reverberations for the wives and sons of Abu al-Abbas, the Palestinian mastermind behind the hijacking, and the family of Alex Odeh, a Palestinian-American murdered in Los Angeles in a brutal act of retaliation. Through intimate interviews with almost all living participants, including one of the hijackers, Julie Salamon brings alive the moment-by-moment saga of the hijacking and the ensuing U.S.-led international manhunt; the diplomatic wrangling between the United States, Egypt, Italy, and Israel; the long agonizing search for justice; and the inside story of the controversial opera about the Klinghoffer tragedy that provoked a culture war. An Innocent Bystander is a masterful work of journalism that moves between the personal and the global with the pace of a geopolitical thriller and the depth of a psychological drama. Throughout lies the tension wrought by terrorism and its repercussions today.

The events of September 11, 2001 brought terrorism to the forefront, but Al-Qaeda is not the first group to try using political violence against the United States to make Washington change its policies. In the 1980s terrorism was rampant; from Latin America to Europe and the Middle East, a host of groups demanded changes in American foreign policy and were willing to bomb, assassinate, kidnap, and hijack to pressure the government to act. The First War on Terrorism examines the response of the Reagan Administration to the political violence it confronted during the 1980s. David Wills takes the reader inside the negotiations over how to respond to terrorist acts and shows how the Reagan Administration's decision making process was a crucial obstacle to formulating a consistent and effective terrorism policy. Compelling and enlightening, The First War on Terrorism serves as a powerful guide to what should be emulated, and avoided, from America's previous battles with shady foes.

The FBI’s chief hostage negotiator recounts harrowing standoffs, including the Waco siege with David Koresh and the Branch Davidians, in a memoir that inspired the miniseries Waco, now on Netflix. “Riveting . . . the most in-depth and absorbing section is devoted to the 1993 siege near Waco, Texas.”—The Washington Post In Stalling for Time, the FBI’s chief hostage negotiator takes readers on a harrowing tour through many of the most famous hostage crises in the history of the modern FBI, including the siege at Waco, the Montana Freemen standoff, and the D.C. sniper attacks. Having helped develop the FBI’s nonviolent communication techniques for achieving peaceful outcomes in tense situations, Gary Noesner offers a candid, fascinating look back at his years as an innovator in the ranks of the Bureau and a pioneer on the front lines. Whether vividly recounting showdowns with the radical Republic of Texas militia or clashes with colleagues and superiors that expose the internal politics of America’s premier law enforcement agency, Stalling for Time crackles with insight and breathtaking suspense. Case by case, minute by minute, it’s a behind-the-scenes view of a visionary crime fighter in action.

Maritime security is a major challenge for the international community that cuts across a broad spectrum of scholarly disciplines and maritime operation. This volume provides in-depth analysis of current international and regional approaches to maritime security, cargo, port and supply chain security, maritime information sharing and capacity building. The work describes measures in place at multilateral and regional levels to improve information sharing and operational coordination regarding security threats to shipping, offshore installations and port facilities. Several chapters address measures aimed at reducing acts of piracy and armed robbery against shipping at sea. This edited volume contains articles by government officials, senior naval and coast guard commanders as well as by leading jurists and academics. One unique feature of this volume is that many of the contributions are by operational commanders with first–hand experience of the practical law enforcement problems involved in minimizing disruption to legitimate trade and business. This collection will appeal to all concerned with maritime security and the protection of vital international trade by sea. The CD accompanying the volume includes important documents such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea as well many PowerPoint presentations from the thirty-first annual Virginia conference held in Heidelberg, Germany, May 24-26, 2007.

Terrorism is one of the primary concerns of the modern world and is increasingly becoming a major factor in all international relations in the 21st century. This revised and updated second edition of a major reference work in the area contains definitions and descriptions of all aspects of terrorism and political violence, including: * individual terrorists * terrorist organisations * terrorist incidents * countries affected by terrorism * types of terrorism * measures against terrorism * forms of political violence * history of terrorism * psychology of terrorism

A provocative new look at an important security topic examines terrorist threats and attacks on shipping and ports—and provides strategies for safety. Terror on the High Seas: From Piracy to Strategic Challenge is a provocative look at maritime security and the steps that must be taken if terrorist threats are to be nullified. From the Achille Lauro hijacking to the bombing of the USS Cole to attacks on shipping channels, terrorists have employed a variety of tactics, both successful and unsuccessful. These have included the smuggling of arms and plots to bomb shipyards, as well as attacks on Merchant Marine ships, maritime offices, fuel storage facilities, and Navy personnel, ships, and facilities, on shore and in port. This book constitutes the first research effort after the unprecedented attacks of September 11, 2001, to provide government, industry, and the academic and policy communities with a major resource on potential threats to the maritime environment. Assuming that past tactics, as well as a variety of other unconventional attacks, will be utilized by both domestic and international groups well into the 21st century, the book sagely outlines the response needed from government and industry to meet the coming challenges.

This revised edition of the number-one bestseller and winner of the 1989 National Book Award includes the Pulitzer Prize-winning author's new, updated epilogue. One of the most thought-provoking books ever written about the Middle East, From Beirut to Jerusalem remains vital to our understanding of this complex and volatile region of the world. Three-time Pulitzer Prize winner Thomas L. Friedman drew upon his ten years of experience reporting from Lebanon and Israel to write this now-classic work of journalism. In a new afterword, he updates his journey with a fresh discussion of the Arab Awakenings and how they are transforming the area, and a new look at relations between Israelis and Palestinians, and Israelis and Israelis. Rich with anecdote, history, analysis, and autobiography, From Beirut to Jerusalem will continue to shape how we see the Middle East for many years to come. "If you're only going to read one book on the Middle East, this is it."--Seymour M. Hersh

In this startling expose, journalists David C. Martin and John Walcott pry up the layers of misinformation and intrigue surrounding some of the decades biggest battles in the war against terrorism.

Robyn's family has always struggled to make enough money to survive. Robyn's grandmother leaves them an apple orchard in B.C., Robyn thinks things will be different, but Robyn's father still can't pay the bills. He asks Robyn for her own hard-earned money, and encourages her to drop out of school to work in the orchard. Robyn desperately wants to go to university, but to make a better life for herself, she'll have to leave her family behind.