The Blood of Lambs: A Former Terrorist's Memoir of Death and Redemption (35 page)

Mossad.
Headquartered in Tel Aviv, the Mossad, which is Hebrew for
institute,
is responsible for human intelligence collection, covert action, and counterterrorism, as well as the clandestine movement of Jewish refugees out of Syria, Iran, and Ethiopia.

MSA (Muslim Students’ Association or Muslim Student Union, also known as MSA National).
A religious organization dedicated to establishing and maintaining Islamic societies on college campuses in Canada and the United States. Established in 1963, it was the precursor of the Islamic Society of North America and several other Islamic organizations.

mujahadeen.
A military force of Muslim guerrilla warriors engaged in a
jihad.
The CIA secretly sent billions of dollars of military aid to the
mujahadeen
in Afghanistan in a United States-supported
jihad
against the Soviet Union.

Muslim Brotherhood.
Muslim Brotherhood organization established in Egypt in 1928 for the purpose of spreading the principal Islamic idea that Islam is “creed and state, book and sword, and a way of life.” Its first leader, Hassan Al-Banna, purposed to give the organization strong internal rules so that it could carry on independent of any particular leader. It now has branches in more than seventy countries around the world.

Nasseriyeen.
A group of fighters loyal to former Egyptian president and PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization) cofounder Gamal Abdel Nasser.

Nuristani tribes.
Located mostly in Laghman Province and the Nurestan Province of Afghanistan, the Nuristanis are Muslims whose
ancestors practiced an ancient Indo-European polytheistic religion until they were forcibly converted to Islam around the year 1895. The Nuristanis were the first citizens in Afghanistan to successfully revolt against the communist overthrow of their government in 1978.

Pashtuns.
The Sunni tribe of Afghanistan, which forms the dominant ethnic and linguistic community. It accounts for just over half the population.

PFLP (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine).
A violent Marxist faction within the Palestinian national movement. The group conducted a series of plane hijackings for ransom and political extortion during the 1970s.

People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan.
A communist party founded in 1965. In 1978, the PDPA overthrew the government of Mohammed Daoud Khan in the so-called Saur Revolution and founded the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. During its years of governance (1978–1992), Soviet troops combated insurgent groups in the country.

Phalangist Party.
Led by Maronite Christians, the Phalangist party is primarily pro-Western and opposes pan-Arabism.

Saudis.
Citizens of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the largest country on the Arabian Peninsula. The Saudis remain the world’s leading source of money for al-Qaeda and other extremist networks and has failed to take key steps requested by United States officials to stem the flow.

Shia.
The second largest denomination of Islam. Though a minority in the Muslim world, Shias make up the majority of the population of Iran and Iraq.

Sunni.
Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. The word
Sunni
comes from the word
Sunnah,
which means the words and actions of the prophet Muhammad.

Syrians.
Citizens of the Syrian Arab Republic in southwest Asia. The population is primarily Muslim but with a significant Christian minority.

Taliban.
A Sunni Islamic group that ruled Afghanistan from 1996–2001, when it was removed from power by the Northern Alliance and NATO forces. The group re-formed in 2004 as an insurgency
movement and has been staging a protracted guerrilla war against the current government. Literally translated,
Taliban
, also anglicized as
Taleban
, means “students.”

Wahhabi Muslims.
Saudi Arabia’s dominant faith for more than two centuries, Wahhabism is an austere form of Islam that insists on a literal interpretation of the Qur’an. Strict Wahhabis believe that all those who don’t practice their form of Islam are heathens and enemies. Critics say that Wahhabism’s rigidity has led it to misinterpret and distort Islam, pointing to extremists such as Osama bin Laden and the Taliban.

Zionists.
An international political movement that originally supported the reestablishment of a homeland for the Jewish people in Palestine, it now provides support for the modern state of Israel.

Eve
n
t
s

1967, June.
The Six-Day War.
Also known as the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, the Third Arab-Israeli War, Six Days’ War, an-Naksah (The Setback), or the June War. It was fought between Israel and Arab neighbors Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. The nations of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria also contributed troops and arms to the Arab forces. At the war’s end, Israel had gained control of the Sinai Peninsula, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights, affecting the geopolitics of the region to this day.

1969, November.
Signing of the Cairo Agreement.
During talks brokered by Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, PLO (Palestinian Liberation Army) leader Yasser Arafat and General Emile Bustani of the Lebanese Army reach an agreement, establishing principles under which the presence and activities of Palestinian guerrillas in southeast Lebanon will be tolerated and regulated by the Lebanese authorities.

1972, May.
Hijacking at Lod Airport in Tel Aviv.
Five gunmen belonging to the Black September Organization of Palestine guerrillas (a splinter group of the PLO) hijack a Sabena aircraft at Lod airport in Tel
Aviv. Twelve Israeli soldiers disguised as maintenance staff storm the plane and release the one hundred people on board.

1972, September.
The Munich Massacre.
During the Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany, eleven members of the Israeli Olympic Team are taken hostage and eventually murdered by members of the Black September Organization of Palestine.

1973, March.
The Khartoum Assassinations.
Members of the Black September Organization of Palestine kidnap and assassinate three Western diplomats in the Saudi Embassy in Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan.

1973, May.
The Omagh Car Bombing.
Five British soldiers are killed by a car bomb planted by the IRA (Irish Republican Army) at Knock-na-Moe Castle Hotel in Omagh, Ireland.

1973, September.
Hijacking of Jewish Immigrants.
Three Jewish immigrants from Russia are taken hostage by Arab terrorists aboard a train bound for Vienna, Austria. They are later released after the Austrian government agrees to close a transit camp for Russian immigrants en route to Israel.

1974, October.
The Guildford Pub Bombing.
Five people are killed and sixty-five seriously injured by bombs planted by the IRA at the Horse and Groom and Seven Stars Pubs (both popular with military personnel) in Guildford, UK.

1975, December.
Palestinian Refugees Killed.
In retaliation for an earlier attack on Maronite leader Pierre Gemayel, Maronite Christians, members of the Lebanese Phalange militia, ambush a bus carrying Palestinian refugees. Thirty Palestinians are killed.

1975, December.
Black Saturday.
A series of massacres and armed clashes in Beirut kill as many as one thousand people and spark a Lebanese Civil War.

1975–1990.
Lebanese Civil War.

1987, December.
The First Intifada.
A collective Palestinian popular uprising erupts against Israel in the West Bank and Gaza, now known as the
Intifada
or “shaking off.”

2001, October.
United States Invasion of Afghanistan.
In response to the terrorist events of 9/11, the United States invaded Afghanistan with
the stated purpose of capturing Osama bin Laden, destroying al-Qaeda, and removing the Taliban.

2003, May.
Riyadh Bombing.
Twenty-six people are killed at American expatriate housing in Riyadh. The Arab press reports bomb attacks targeting American, Jewish, and Belgian interests in Riyadh and Casablanca.

2003, October.
U.S. Convoy Bombing in Gaza.
Three American security guards traveling in a U.S. convoy in the Gaza Strip are killed by a bomb detonated by Palestinian terrorists.

2004, November.
Van Gogh Murder.
Theo van Gogh, descendant of the brother of Vincent van Gogh, is murdered by a Muslim extremist after making a film condemning violence against women in Islamic societies.

2004, August.
Attempted Bombing at New York’s Penn Station.
A plan to bomb New York’s Penn Station during the Republican National Convention is foiled by police and military personnel during a random search.

2007, October.
Palestinian Christian Bookstore Owner Murdered.
The Palestinian Baptist manager of a well-known Christian bookstore in Gaza City is kidnapped and murdered by Islamic gunmen for spreading Christianity.

2008, July.
Murder of Christian Convert.
Twenty-eight-year-old Sayid Ali Sheik Luqman Hussein converts from Islam to Christianity and begins to actively evangelize in the community in which he is working as a teacher. On July 8, near Mogadishu, Somalia, he is gunned down by two Muslim men.

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155 mm shell.
Standard explosive projectile used by the U.S. Army and Marines.

abbayah (or abayah).
A long, robe-like garment with a hood that covers from head to toe except for the eyes. Muslim women often wear a traditional dress, casual clothes, or even a business suit underneath.

abu.
An Arabic word literally meaning “father of.” The father automati
cally takes the name of the oldest son prefaced with
abu
. If the oldest son is Mike, the father becomes “
Abu
Mike” or “Father of Mike.”

Adha (
or
Eid al-Adha).
Known as the Feast of Sacrifice, Adha is the most important feast of the Muslim calendar and concludes the pilgrimage to Mecca. The celebration lasts for three days and commemorates Ibraham’s (Abraham’s) willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God. Muslims believe the story is about Ishmael rather than Isaac.

AK–47.
A clip-fed, gas-operated, 7.62 mm assault rifle of Soviet design, used throughout the world by armed forces and paramilitary organizations.

al ashat (or Isha).
The fifth of the five daily prayers recited by Muslims. It is also called the evening prayer.

al shayeed (or shaheed).
Muslims who die in a legitimate struggle with the sword or Islamic holy war are considered
shaheed
or martyrs. The word literally means “witness.”

Al-Toquah (or Al-Taqiyah).
Refers to a Muslim military doctrine, which advocates the use of deception to infiltrate the enemy and spread internal strife (working undercover).

al wodoug.
An area of a mosque where worshippers cleanse themselves before prayers.

al wudu.
The Islamic act of washing parts of the body with water in preparation for ritual prayers and the handling of the Qur’an.
Wudu
often refers to “partial ablution” while
ghusl
refers to full ablution.

Allahu akbar.
The
takbīr
or
takbeer
is the act of saying the phrase Allahu akbar, which translated as “God is great.” The expression is used as both an informal expression of faith and a formal declaration or exclamation.

al-mani.
A term Lebanese Muslim Sunnis use to refer to an unbeliever.

amin.
The Islamic and Arabic word for “amen.”

Ashura.
Meaning “tenth” in Arabic, the Day of Ashura is the tenth day of Muharram, an Islamic day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad on
A.D
. October 10, 680.

balaclava.
A form of headgear covering the whole head, exposing only
the face and often only the eyes; also known as a “balaclava helmet” and “ski mask.”

Bata.
Chain of shoe stores.

Beluchi (or Belochi).
A western Iranian language closely related to Kurdish.

C-4 (or Composition C-4).
A common variety of military plastic explosive.

cadeau (or cadout).
Borrowed from the French,
cadeau
means “gift, present or treat.”

calipha (or caliph).
Used as a title,
calipha
refers to a successor to Muhammad as temporal and spiritual head of Islam.

caliphate.
The office or dominion of a caliph.

corniche.
Borrowed from the French, a corniche is a road built along a coast and especially along the face of a cliff.

dish-dash.
Typically worn by men in the Arabian Peninsula and surrounding countries, this is an ankle-length garment, usually with long sleeves, similar to a robe. It is most often made of cotton for warmer climates and wool for cooler climates.

Dushka (or DShK).
A Soviet heavy anti-aircraft machine gun, frequently deployed with a two-wheeled mounting and a single-sheet armor-plate shield.