To the BBC, especially Jonathan Baker, Mark Damazer and Sarah Ward-Lilley, for offering every possible support right from day one; I forgive the BBC’s news managers now for all the wrecked weekends and cancelled evenings that come with being in the news business. To my excellent agent Julian Alexander at LAW for helping to turn a concept into a book, and to the BBC’s Vin Ray for recommending him. To Simon Taylor and my publishers, Transworld, for backing this book with so much enthusiasm and professionalism. To Louise Cumbers and Bob Cumbers for proofreading the difficult passages about Simon. To Frank Cross, again, for his medical advice on the rehab chapter, and to David Pearce for his insights into Yemen. My thanks to David Budge for his sobering eye-witness account of the Riyadh bombing of 2003. To Adam Kelliher, for thinking up the snappy title for the penultimate chapter. To the many hundred of kind people out there, Muslims, Christians, Jews and others, who sent me letters, emails, poems and prayers to raise my spirits while I was in hospital and since.
To my parents who, after twenty-five years of worrying about their son being in the Middle East, finally saw their worst fears realized. To my wife, Amanda, for going through hell and never once complaining, and to my daughters, Melissa and Sasha: you were all worth surviving for.
Picture Credits
All photos have been kindly supplied by the author except for the following: Osama bin Laden: © Reuters/CORBIS; Simon Cumbers: © Louise Cumbers; FG on Breakfast News and FG at his desk: BBC; FG receives his OBE: courtesy BCA Films.
The drawings that open each chapter are the author’s own and are taken from the journals he kept as a student.
Index
The page references in this index correspond to the printed edition from which this ebook was created. To find a specific word or phrase from the index, please use the search feature of your ebook reader.
Abdullah, King 237, 453, 483
Abdurrahman, Sheikh Omar 176
Abu Dhabi 215–16
Abu Ghraib 322–3
Abu’l Kheer 481
Aden-Abyan Islamic Army 202, 207, 210
Adie, Kate 257, 430
Advice and Reformation Committee 181
‘Afghan Arabs’ 269
Afghan Militia Forces (AMF) 339
Afghanistan 256, 258, 259, 261, 267, 334, 335–52, 424
Bagram airbase 340–2
Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programme 338
Operation Mountain Resolve 342, 343, 344
Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) 336
Shkin firebase 345–8
Ain Sukhna beach (Egypt) 70
Al-Ahdal, Muhammed 278
Al Arab, Mohammed 203
Al-Assad, President Bashar 261
Al-Assad, President Hafez 161, 163
Al-Azhar Mosque (Cairo) 235–7
Al-Badawi, Samar 480–1
Al-Batar 274
Al-Blaidan, Blaidan 473
Al Bustan Palace (Muscat) 166–7
Al-Butairy, Fahad 457–60, 489
Al-Durra, Mohammed 235
Al-Duwaisan, Khaled 173–4
Alexandria 68–9
Al-Fagih, Dr Saad 239
Al-Faisal, Prince Turki 16–17, 370–1
Al-Fawaz, Khalid 181–2, 183, 184
Algeria 53–7
civil war 57
kidnap of European hostages (2003) 57
Al-Hajj, Khalid Bin 275
Al-Hakim, Muhammad Baqr 327–8
Al-Harithi, Qa’id Sunyan Ali 278, 281–2
Al-Hejailan, Salah 242
Al-Hindawi, Nizar 114
Al-Hofuf 460
Al-Husun (Yemen) 278–9
Al-Iman Hospital (Riyadh) 32, 353, 355
Al-Jazeera 234, 267, 311, 325
Al-Khalayleh, Ahmed 332
Al-Khalifa, Crown Prince Hamad 156
Al-Khalifa, Sheikh Isa 155–6
Al-Khobar Al-Qaeda raid 15–16, 19
Al-Masri, Abu Hamza 202–3, 207–8, 210
Al-Megrahi, Abdelbaset 246, 248, 249
Al-Muqrin, Abdulaziz 275–6, 412–13, 414
Al-Nahyan, Sheikh Zayed 215–16
Al-Omran, Ahmed 461–2
Al-Otaibi, Captain 317
Al-Otaibi, Hamoud 485
Al-Qaeda 255, 269, 282, 302, 433, 452, 474, 489
and Afghanistan 337
attacks by 302
attacks on HSBC and British Consulate in Istanbul (2003) 289, 305–7
attacks in Saudi Arabia 269–72, 273–5
beheading tapes 331–3
bomb attack on Madrid (2004) 307–9
and British intelligence services 297–8
and Iraq 311, 312–13, 322, 326, 331–5
and London bombings 421–2
presence in East Africa 282
raid on Al-Khobar 15–16, 19
reasons for Britain being a target of 302–4
key to defeating 424
and Somalia 284
training camps in Afghanistan 334, 350–1
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) 274
Al-Qassimi, Sultan 451
Al-Rayyes, Ibrahim 23
Al-Sabah, Sheikh Khaled 314–17, 387, 435–6
Al-Saud, Crown Prince Abdullah 262
Al-Saud, Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman 482–4
Al-Saud, King Fahd 243, 262
Al-Saud, Prince Nayef bin Abdelaziz 238, 242
Al-Saud, Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz 354, 361
Al-Aseeri, Ibrahim 452
Al-Shibh, Ramzi Bin 278, 341
Al-Subaei, Abdullah 413
Al-Suwaidi (Riyadh) 22, 23–4, 412
Al-Thumama dunes 466
Al-Tuwaijiri, Tariq 242
Al-Zarqawi, Abu Mus’ab 313, 332, 333
Al-Zawahiri, Dr Ayman 255, 270, 299–300, 349, 351
Amanpour, Christiane 238
Amman (Jordan) 116
Amos, Baroness 242
Andrew, Prince 437–9
Annan, Kofi 379
Ansar Al-Islam 313
Arab Legion 122
Arab Spring 453, 460, 462, 463, 464, 488, 489
Arab Thought Foundation Forum 431
Arafat, Yasser 178–9, 180, 398
Aswan High Dam 87, 89
Atta, Mohammed 251
Attayig, Sheikh Hajji 121–3, 134
Auda Bin Abi Tayyi 121–2
Aziz, Tariq 147
Aznar, José María 308
Baath Party 321, 330
Bab El-Aziziya barracks (Libya) 248
Bagram airbase (Afghanistan) 340–2
Bahrain 143–57, 190
Baker, Jonathan 324, 404
Bakhurst, Kevin 285
Bali 302
Balkans 211–14
Bani Dabyan tribe 197
baseej (volunteer martyr) 46
Basra 434
in 1998 319–20
during and after Iraq War 326–30
Bautz, Dr Peter 355–6, 357, 362, 363, 364, 404, 484, 486
BBC 453
BBC World Service 95–6, 173–81
Bedu 217
Jordanian 123–34
Sinai 82–3
Begin, Menanchim 59
Beirut 158–60
belly dancing 76–7
Berg, Nick 331–3
Bigley, Ken 333
Biles, Peter 174
Bin Laden, Osama 181–3, 255, 270, 340, 351
admiration amongst Arabs for 268
and Afghanistan 181, 182, 259, 349–50
audio broadcasts 265, 309, 311
interviews with media 182–4
and Iraq 311–12
and Sudan 97, 181
Bin Laden, Yeslam (half-brother) 405
Bin Nayef, Prince Mohammed 452
Blaine, David 372
Blair, Tony 242, 257, 261, 303, 304
Blunkett, David 304, 379
Bosnia-Herzegovina 212
Bowen, Jeremy 430
Brad 434
Brezhnev, L
eonid 86
Britain
reasons for being a target for Al-Qaeda 302–4
Broadcasting House programme 424
Brown, Ben 377
Bruce, Fiona 404
Buchanan, Euan 190
Budge, David 270
Bullough, Mark 141, 143–4, 165
Buraida (Saudi Arabia) 262–9
Burj Al-Arab Hotel (Dubai) 195, 211
Bush, President George Snr 314
Bush, President George W. 258, 261, 298
Cairo 60–6, 71–8, 86, 87–8, 97–106, 220–2, 223–5, 291, 436–7, 443
architecture, 62–3
Batniyya quarter 105
Gamaliya quarter 98–9
Ghouriya district 101
Imbaba quarter 65–6
Sainsbury’s in 224
Zamalek quarter 64
Camp David treaty 59, 79
Carrie (girlfriend) 112, 146
Carter, Jimmy 59
Casablanca bombings 298, 302
Cayford, Jo 379, 387, 443
CBC 184
Centcom 230
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital 385–8, 444
CIA 307
CJTF-HOA (Combined Joint Taskforce Horn of Africa) 282–3, 284
Clinton, President Bill 268
Cole, USS 230, 281, 350
Colombia 185–6
Cowper-Coles, Sir Sherard 21, 75–6, 353, 410, 432
Craig, Sir James 113
Cramer, Chris 177
Croatia 212
Cross, Frank 364, 367, 369, 381, 384, 442
Cuba 299
Cumbers, Bob (Simon’s father) 416–18
Cumbers, Louise (Simon’s wife) 18, 360, 398, 399, 414
Cumbers, Simon 18, 257, 416–18, 449, 485
memorial service 397–9
investigation into his death 354–5, 413–14
trip to Saudi Arabia 18–26
Cunningham, Andrew 48
Al-Dakheel, Faisal 412–13, 414
Dalton, Richard 245
Damascus 160–1
Damazer, Mark 358
Dar es Salaam
bombing of US embassy 282
Darling, Alastair 304
Davis, Colonel Rodney 342–4
de la Billiere, General Sir Peter 41, 156, 169–71, 377
Desert Fox bombing campaign (1998) 317
Desert Island Discs 428
Dodd, Daniel 173, 174
Downing, Malcolm 189–90, 203
Drysdale, John 170
Dubai 187–9, 194, 433–4
in 1950s 188
hijacking of Indian passenger plane 219
Egypt 232, 303
assassination of Sadat 58–60
handing back of Sinai Peninsula by Israel 79
Islamist insurgency against Mubarak’s rule 88, 254–5
protests over Israeli–Palestinian hostilities 235–6
visit by John Pope Paul II (2000) 222–3
Egyptian Islamic Jihad 255
Egyptians 67–8, 69–70, 98–9, 106, 221, 224–5
El-Islambouly, Khaled 59
Elizabeth, Queen 428–30
Elmes, Simon 436
El Saadawi, Dr Nawal 108
El-Sirri, Yasser 255
ETA 308
Exeter University 39–40, 45, 47
Explore Worldwide 201, 204
Fahima, Al-Amin 246, 248
Fairservice, Iain 215
Fallshaw, Tony 285, 378
FIS (Front Islamique de Salvation) 57
Fisk, Robert 114, 182
Fleming, Tony 49
Flemings 140, 141, 142, 143, 169, 314, 435
Ford, Anna 307
France
bombs set off by GIA in 296
Frank Gardner’s Return to Saudi Arabia 454
Gaddafi, Colonel 114, 244, 246–7, 248–10
Gall, Dr Angela 408
Galloway, George 178
Gardez (Afghanistan) 335–8
Gardner, Amanda (wife) 15, 17–18, 165–7, 170, 175, 187–8, 189, 194, 210–11, 225, 291, 358–61, 362–3, 415, 433, 439, 441, 444, 485
Gardner, Grace (mother) 33, 36, 357, 368
Gardner, Melissa (daughter) 194, 224, 359, 368, 384, 441
Gardner, Neil (father) 19–20, 35–6, 60, 357–8, 368
Gardner, Sasha (daughter) 211, 224, 359, 368, 384, 441
GCHQ 294
Ghabaisha, Bin 214
Ghailan, Mohsen 207, 209
Ghardaya (Algeria) 56
GIA 296
Gibraltar, Strait of
plot to ram explosive-laden dinghies into Western warships 297
Giza pyramids 75, 437
Glubb, John 122
Goodwin, Phil 342, 343
Grand Erg Oriental (Algeria) 52, 53
Griffiths, Stew 455, 462, 471
Guantanamo Bay 298–302
Guerin, Orla 377, 398–9
Gulf War 146–8, 313
Guy, Frances 289
Halliwell, Geri 257
Halutz, Dan 446
Hamilton, Michael 15, 20, 28
Hanrahan, Brian 377, 430
Harad 474
Haram Al-Sharif 84, 231
HardTalk 179
Hassan, Margaret 400
Hawkins, Neil 48
Hawley, Caroline 378
Heath, Ted 179
Heathrow airport alert (2003) 303–5
Henderson, Vic 203
Hicks, Gill 425
Hicks, Julie 382, 406
Hittar, Judge Hammoud 286
Hizbollah 233, 442, 445, 446–8
Hobbs, Aidan and Naomi 358
Holland 37–8
Horn of Africa US attempt to prevent Al-Qaeda operations in 282–3
Howaitat tribe 122
HSBC (Istanbul)
bomb attack on (2003) 305–6
Hughes, Stuart 378, 404
Hull, Ed 277
Humphreys, John 401
Hurghada (Egypt) 70
Hurst, Dominic 340, 342, 343, 344
Hussein, King 115
Intelligence services, British 292–3, 306–7
and Al-Qaeda 297–8
and plot to launch explosive-laden dinghies into Western warships in Strait of Gibraltar 297–8
taking interest in Islamist activists living in UK 294–6
see also MI5; MI6
Intifada 231–6
IRA 297
Iran 435
and Lockerbie bombing 251
Iran–Iraq War 45–7, 142–3, 318
Iranian embassy siege 40–1
Iraq 424
abuse of Iraqi prisoners in Abu Ghraib 322–3
and Al-Qaeda 311, 312–13, 322, 326, 331–5
Al-Qaeda beheading tapes 331–3
Coalition and mistakes made by 320–3
invasion of Kuwait (1990) 142–3, 144–5
post-war Islamist insurgency 331–5
state of Basra in 1998 319–20
suicide-bombing missions 334
torturing of prisoners by Secret Police 330
and UN weapons inspectors 190, 323–4
US flying missions over 193
war with Iran 45–7, 142, 318
and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) 310, 320, 323–4
Iraq Survey Group 324
Iraq war 320–1, 323–9, 331
and Al-Qaeda 326
British soldiers based in Basra 327, 328–9
view of by Arab world and media coverage 312, 324–6
Islam
spread of 50–1
Israel 58, 79, 162, 303
Israeli Airforce 445, 446, 447
Israeli Defence Force (IDF) 233, 234
Israel–Lebanon war 441–2, 444–8
Israeli–Palestinian conflict 231–6
Istanbul
bomb attack on British consulate and HSBC (2003) 289, 305
Jabal Faifa 477
Jalali, Ali 340
Jasra Ball 165
Jebel
Qara 462
Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) 150, 480, 488
Jerash (Jordan) 117
Jerusalem 83–5, 443, 444, 445–6
Jersualem Post 444
Jessel, Adam 462, 464, 467, 468, 474
Jizan 469, 471, 476
John Paul II, Pope visit to Egypt 222–3
Johnson, Paul 29
Joint Terrorist Analysis Centre (JTAC) 420
Jordan 115–33, 232, 303
Kabina, Bin 214
Kamel, Mohammed 207, 209
Karzai, President Hamid 337
Kassala (Sudan) 94–5
Keane, Feargal 213
Kelliher, Adam 177–8
Kenny, Pat 416
Khan, Mohammed Siddique 27, 421
Khartoum 92–3
Khomeini, Ayatollah 45
King Faisal Hospital, Riyadh 354, 355, 484–7
Koran 50
Kosovo 212
Krak des Chevaliers (Syria) 163
Kuwait
drugs problem 225–8
invasion of by Iraq (1990) 142–3, 144–5
liberation of and aftermath of invasion 313–16
Late Late Show 416
Lawrence of Arabia 122
Lawrence, T. E. 117, 119–20, 122
Seven Pillars of Wisdom 120
Lebanon 81, 114, 158–60, 442, 446–8
Libya 114, 243–51
Lockerbie trials and verdict 243–51
UN sanctions 244, 245–6
US bombing raids (1986) 114, 248
Libyans 244, 245–6
Linley, Emma 392
Lockerbie bombing and trial 243–51
London bombings (2005) 208, 255, 419–25
MI5 294, 296–7, 301
MI6 293, 294, 297
Mabahith (Saudi secret police) 266, 267, 269, 411
McCartney, Paul 379
McGuire, Ann 173, 174, 177, 179
Macloud, Scott 182
Madrid
Al-Qaeda bomb attack 307–9
Mahfouz, Naguib
Midaq Alley 50
Miramar 68
Major, John 314
Makaoui, Driss 404
Manion, Julian 223
Manningham-Buller, Eliza 294
Marr, Andrew 262
Marriott hotel (Cairo) 255
Mathison, Ron 157–8, 379–80
Matmata (Tunisia) 51–2
Maughan, James 185, 379
Mazel, Zvi 235
Middle East Association 113
Blood and Sand Page 44
