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The Shattered Lens

Page 26

by Jonathan Alpeyrie


  ethnic cleansing in, 218

  siege and, 219–20

  train service and, 218, 228

  Doueihy, Robert, 5

  Alpeyrie’s kidnapping and, 141, 143–46, 148, 149, 150, 151

  Alpeyrie’s post-release contact with, 238

  denial that Alpeyrie was in Damascus, 151, 238

  ransom negotiations and, 148, 150, 151–52

  wife of, visits Alpeyrie, 160

  Dracula (Stoker), 33, 199

  Druze, 128, 156

  E

  Egypt

  Alpeyrie and Moisan in, 203–7

  arrest of Al Jazeera reporters, 207

  arrests of journalists in, 206–7

  bombing, Cairo police headquarters (2014), 204

  Coptic Christian community in, 203, 206

  Islamists in, 204

  Mohandessin neighborhood, Cairo, 205

  Morsi government, 198, 203–4

  Muslim Brotherhood in, 198, 203, 205

  ouster of Hosni Mubarak, 122, 203

  political protests in, 204–6

  Rabaa Massacre, 198

  revolution anniversary in, 203, 204, 205

  el-Sisi takeover, 198, 203

  television programs, 49

  Westerners in, hostility toward, 203–4

  See also Cairo

  Elle magazine, 209

  El Mundo, 176

  el-Sisi, Abdel Fattah. See Sisi, Abdel Fattah el-

  Espinoza, Javier, 176–78

  Essad (kidnapper commander), 98

  abduction of Magnus Falkehed and, 175–76

  Alpeyrie and brother of, 79–80

  Alpeyrie’s belt taken by, 37, 43

  Alpeyrie’s release and, 111, 120

  Alpeyrie’s swimming lesson, 113–15, 159

  Alpeyrie under protection of, 33

  assassination of, 237

  fighting in Homs region, 238

  at the Light House, shelling and, 95

  meetings with Alpeyrie, 33, 37, 39, 94

  as “Number One Man, the chief,” 29, 37, 80

  release negotiations and, 128

  Ethiopia

  Alpeyrie in, 23–25, 44

  ethnic fighting in, 23

  OLF in, 23–25, 184

  Somali region, 44

  Europe

  Alpeyrie’s ideas about the future of, 212, 216

  Alpeyrie’s motivations for career and, 181

  Alpeyrie’s travels in, 185

  Belle Époque, 214

  complacency, weakness of, 207

  cradle-to-grave social welfare system and, 215

  culture and values of, 184–85, 208, 215

  EU as destructive to, 214

  Islam as threat to, 207–8

  male relationships in, 45

  migrants in, 202

  nationalist resurgence in, 213, 214

  NATO and, 212–13

  Operation Barbarossa and, 72 (see also World War II)

  paying hostage ransoms and, 35

  photo controls for speeding in, 197

  retrenchment into self-interest, 215

  statism in, 214

  stressors or fault lines of, 209, 212

  terrorist violence in, 208

  Ukraine’s importance in the history of, 215–16

  western Ukraine and, 209, 210

  World War I and, 214

  European Union

  Alpeyrie’s analysis of impact on Europe, 214

  blacklisting of Aboud by, 175, 238

  four freedoms and, 214

  ideal citizen of, as consumer, 215

  nationalist rejection of, 213

  neoliberal free market system as focus of, 214

  power of multinational corporations in, 214–15

  Ukraine withdrawal from E.U. Association Agreement, 198–99, 209, 210, 213

  F

  Facebook

  Alpeyrie in contact with people in Syria, 237, 238

  Alpeyrie sets up a date and, 31

  Alpeyrie’s page, posting of kidnapping, 140, 141

  Alpeyrie’s page deleted, 142

  Falkehed, Magnus, 174–76

  Fares (housemate, rebel sympathizer)

  abduction of Magnus Falkehed and, 175

  Abu Talal and, 79, 82, 98

  Alpeyrie’s friendship with, 59–60, 63, 79, 86, 202

  Alpeyrie taken on an excursion by, 97–98

  Alpeyrie taken to archeological dig and, 110

  on Christians, 104

  at family house, Qalamoun Mountains, 237–38

  helps in Alpeyrie’s release, 100–101, 106, 109, 110, 111

  questions about France and the U.S., 65, 66

  Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 145–47, 149, 179

  debriefing of Alpeyrie and, 157, 173

  First Indochina War, 87

  fixer, 10. See also Alfarook; No Problem

  Flic (kidnapper)

  Alpeyrie moved to new location and, 58–60

  description of, 26

  kindness of, 26, 29, 38, 59, 60

  lifting weights and, 50

  praying by, 95

  shelling of location and, 26

  Flynn, Sean, 198

  Foley, James, 156, 157, 177, 178

  beheading of, 220

  Fox News, 165, 179–80

  France

  abduction of Magnus Falkehed and, 175

  Algerian War and, 194

  Alpeyrie embedded with French Foreign Legion in Afghanistan, 73–77

  Alpeyrie’s childhood in, 67, 77, 158, 193, 196–97

  Alpeyrie’s kidnapping and, 146

  Alpeyrie’s release and, 128, 134, 146

  Alpeyrie’s Uncle Theo and, 69–70

  debriefing of Alpeyrie and, 153–59

  DGSE (external intelligence agency), 164

  highest military award, 70

  hostage ransoms paid by, 178

  Lebanon and, 155

  male relationships in, 92

  Normandy, 67

  Quai d’Orsay (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), 146, 149, 164

  Revolution, 158

  Spanish hostage in Syria and, 177

  Syrian conflict and, 65

  World War II and, 69

  Free Syrian Army, 5, 10, 35, 38, 51

  AK-47s and, 15, 16, 17, 20, 48, 62, 94, 201

  Alpeyrie’s assessment of the rebels, 65–66

  Alpeyrie’s kidnapping and, 145

  commander, Abu Faras, 14–16, 109–10

  headquarters of Alpeyrie’s captors, 61, 62, 79–80, 89, 111, 112–15

  Jabhat al-Nusra and, 121, 151

  as moderate rebels, 94

  PKP “Pecheneg” machine gun, 62

  prayer and, 94, 95

  radicalization of individuals and, 202

  RPG-7 antitank weapon, 62

  torture and interrogation by, 66, 89–90

  U.S. and, 65, 215

  weaponry of, 62

  Friedmann, André, 86–87

  G

  Gaddafi, Muammar, 65–66

  Galli, Jean-Claude, 216, 217, 221

  Georgia (Eastern Europe), 213

  Germany

  Alpeyrie’s project photographing veterans, 185–92

  First Battle of Kiev (1941) and, 227

  Operation Barbarossa (1941), 71–72

  World War II and, 68–71, 186–91, 217, 227–28

  Girard, René, 144

  Gori, Georgia, 30

  Gottstein, Ernst, 186–91

  grad missiles, 7, 8

  Great Escape, The (film), 197

  Guardian newspaper, 224

  H

  Hama, Syria, 64

  Hammarström, Niclas, 174–76

  Hannity (TV show), 179–80

  Heidrick & Struggles, 143, 147

  Heliopolis, Egypt, 206

  Heliopolis (Baalbek), Lebanon, 6, 22

  Hetherington, Tim, 22

  Hezbollah, 5, 150

  Assad backed by, 29, 103

  fighting
in Syria, 8, 39, 65

  Iran and, 65

  Hitler, Adolf, 72

  Holm, Fredrik, 174

  Homs, Syria, 5, 64, 238

  deaths of reporters and photographers in, 7–8, 176

  press center, 7–8

  refugees from, 12

  shelling of, 7–8, 12

  siege in (February 2012), 7–8

  I

  Ilovaisk, Ukraine, 220

  Imam, Adel, 49, 99

  Iran

  Hezbollah and, 65

  hostage crisis and, 194

  Iraq, 202, 215

  Battle of Mosul (2017) covered by Alpeyrie, 239

  conflict journalism and war in, 71

  U.S.-British invasion of, 71, 184

  ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), 94, 151, 180, 202

  Egyptian bombings (2014) and, 205

  Foley beheaded by, 220

  hostages held by, 176–78

  Jihadi John and the Beatles, 177

  torture and interrogation by, 177

  Islam

  Alpeyrie’s thoughts on, 207–8

  Europe and, 207–8

  metaphors of violence and conquest in, 207

  Salafi Islam as a threat to Western culture, 207–8

  See also Shia Muslims; Sunni Muslims

  Islamic extremists, 201

  in Egypt, 204

  in Syria, 201–2

  See also ISIS; specific factions; specific people

  J

  Jabhat al-Nusra, 94, 121, 151

  Jack Nelson swimming camp, 77–78

  Japan, 185

  Jordan

  American embassy in, 145

  CIA in, 51

  interrogations in, 123

  Jubin, Mila, 134, 146, 162, 164

  Junger, Sebastian, 22

  K

  Kharkiv, Ukraine, 210, 211, 212

  Kramatorsk, Ukraine, 218, 224

  Kyiv (Kiev), Ukraine, 218

  combat photographers and journalists in, 219

  First Battle of Kiev (1941), 227

  Independence Square (the Euromaidan), 199, 210–11, 213

  pro-EU protests in, 209, 210–11, 216

  Ukraina Hotel, 211

  violence and killings in, 211

  L

  Latakia, Syria, 64

  Lebanon, 3

  Alpeyrie’s imprisonment, distance from, 79

  Alpeyrie’s contact, Doueihy, 5, 141–52

  Alpeyrie’s documents and, 160–61

  Alpeyrie’s plans for return to, 14

  Alpeyrie’s release and, 131

  ancient Phoenicians and, 4

  Assad’s attack on Arsal, 6

  bombings related to Syrian conflict in, 6

  French embassy in Beirut and, 128, 135, 153–59

  French Mandate and, 155

  Maronites (Christians) in, 141

  military checkpoints in, 8

  Shia Hezbollah in, 5

  Sunni Muslims in, 5

  Syrian refugees in, 5, 62, 238

  war in, 1980s, 5

  Le Sommier, Régis, 163

  Libya, 22, 65–66, 215

  Foley abducted in, 220

  Lieberman, Theophile (uncle), 69–70

  Lopez, Jennifer, 89–90

  l’Oustau de Baumanière, France, 77

  Luhansk, Ukraine, 224, 228

  M

  Mahmoud aka Baby Donkey (kidnapper), 104

  Alpeyrie steals cigarettes from, 30

  description of, 20–21

  joining ISIS (Daesh), 238

  nickname of, 28

  as a nuisance, 63

  relationship with Alpeyrie, 66, 81, 90, 97

  spying on Alpeyrie and, 20–21, 28

  unpopularity and stupidity of, 20, 21, 28, 57, 65, 81

  Mahmoud aka Pech (rebel), 62

  Mariupol, Ukraine, 221, 223, 239

  Maronites (Christians), 141

  McQueen, Steve, 197

  Mein Kampf (Hitler), 72

  Mej (kidnapper), 39

  Alpeyrie’s escape attempt hidden from, 101–3, 104, 106, 107

  Alpeyrie’s fraternal relationship with, 82–83, 84, 85, 86, 90, 99, 104, 202

  Alpeyrie’s swimming techniques and, 113

  Alpeyrie’s testing of, 68

  Alpeyrie’s water tank job and, 106

  appearance, 27, 82

  conditions of Alpeyrie’s captivity and, 47, 57

  confrontation with Psycho and, 48–49

  description of, 20

  desire for a girlfriend, 82–83, 85

  on Essad, 29, 37

  Fares and, 63

  Fares’s cousin visits and, 100

  in Germany, 238

  kindness of, 20, 27–28, 33, 57, 66

  reassurance by, 33, 36, 37, 46

  respect for Alpeyrie, 33

  RPG-7 antitank weapon of, 62

  shelling of location and, 80

  water delivery and, 106

  youth of, 27

  Moisan, Dorothée, 203

  collaboration with Alpeyrie in Egypt, 203–7

  collaboration with Alpeyrie in Ukraine, 209

  piece in Elle, 209

  Morsi, Mohamed, 198, 203

  Mosul, Iraq, 239

  Moutafis, Giorgos, 64, 220

  Moyale, Ethiopia, 23

  Mubarak, Hosni, 122, 203, 205, 206

  Muslim Brotherhood

  Al Jazeera TV and, 207

  arrest of Al Jazeera reporters and, 207

  demonstrations in Cairo, 205

  ouster from power in Egypt, 198

  Qatar bankrolling of, 207

  support in Egypt for, 203

  Syria and the Sunnis, 65

  N

  Nairobi, Kenya, 23

  NATO, 212–13

  bombing of Libya by, 66

  Nepal, 223

  New York City

  Alpeyrie living in, 40, 78, 89, 90, 96, 139

  Alpeyrie moves to, as teenager, 5, 25, 32, 56, 193, 194

  Alpeyrie returns to, post-release, 164–65, 195, 196, 198, 211, 218, 223

  Alpeyrie’s agency in, 12

  Alpeyrie’s father in, 7, 32, 40, 139–43

  Alpeyrie’s friend Aaron Schumm in, 140, 178

  Alpeyrie’s motorcycle in, 78, 195

  Junger talk in, 22

  Lycée Français in, 193, 243

  women in, 93

  Nikon cameras

  D100, 5

  D800, 129

  D300, 5

  Noor (rebel)

  Alpeyrie’s fraternal relationship with, 90, 94, 113, 202

  Alpeyrie’s release and, 119

  Alpeyrie’s swimming techniques and, 113

  Alpeyrie taken to archeological dig and, 109, 110

  appearance, 87

  apricot picking with Alpeyrie, 93–94

  description of, 61

  fighting in Homs region, 238

  fighting in Syria and, 101

  kindness of, 112, 119

  objections to keeping Alpeyrie confined, 79

  sex and, 87–88, 89

  torture and, 90

  No Problem (fixer), 14, 15, 16–17, 21

  O

  Obama, Barack, 66

  Mubarak overthrow and, 203

  Syrian conflict and, 179–80

  Ochlik, Rémi, 7–8

  Odessa, Ukraine, 212

  Ogaden National Liberation Front, 44

  Olson, Scott, 217–18, 219

  Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, 213

  Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), 23–25

  diaspora community, Minneapolis, 183–84

  P

  Paoli, Patrice, 134, 154–55, 158

  Pappis, J. P., 149, 178

  Paris, 14, 35, 74, 89, 140, 176, 177, 209

  Alpeyrie returns to, post-release, 162–64

  Alpeyrie’s childhood in, 5, 25, 32, 34, 40

  Alpeyrie’s date stood up in, 31, 159–60

  Alpeyrie’s father in, 197

  Alpey
rie’s friends in, 128, 193

  Charles de Gaulle Airport, 162

  Gauloises blondes (cigarettes) and, 30

  Lebanon as outpost of, 155

  Quai d’Orsay (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) in, 146, 149, 164

  terror attacks in (1986), 5

  World War II and, 189

  Paris Match, 163

  Alpeyrie and Moisan in Egypt and, 203

  Paulus, Friedrich, 228

  Platt, Spencer, 219, 221

  Pohorylle, Gerta, 86–87

  Polaris Images, 3, 12, 33, 146, 149, 178

  Poroshenko, Petro, 221, 229

  Psycho (kidnapper)

  brutality of, 16, 20, 21

  confrontation with Alpeyrie, 47–49

  as dangerous, 17, 29, 47

  description of, 20

  disappearance of, 47–48

  Putin, Vladimir, 180, 214

  Q

  Qalamoun Mountains, Syria, 9, 61, 79, 237–38

  government offensive in, 103

  Qatar, 207

  R

  Rabiyah (rebel)

  Alpeyrie hiding escape plans from, 101–3

  Alpeyrie’s fraternal relationship with, 82

  Alpeyrie’s release and, 119

  capture and death of, 238

  description of, 61

  learning to dance, 89–90

  sexual inexperience of, 83–86, 87

  shelling of location and, 73

  watch owned by, 105

  Ramadan, 111–12

  Rankous, Syria, 14, 237

  Raqqa, Syria, 176, 177, 238

  Ray-Ban (Shabiha military officer), 122–26, 130–31

  as refugee in Lebanon, 238

  Rollei Rolleicord camera, 185

  Rommel, Erwin, 188

  Rostov-on-Don, Russia, 218

  Russia, 62

  Alpeyrie covering war in Georgia, 30–31

  Crimea takeover operation, 211–12

  equipment and weaponry used in Syria, 51, 62

  First Battle of Kiev (1941) and, 227

  missiles used in Syria, 7

  naval base in Crimea, 212

  Operation Barbarossa and, 71–72

  planes in Syria, 62, 116

  resurgence of, 212–13

  Ukraine and, 209, 210, 211–12, 217, 228, 229

  U.S. and Syrian chemical weapons deal, 180

  World War II and, 68, 71–72, 186–87, 188, 217, 227–28

  Russo-Georgian War, 30–31

  S

  Santa Barbara, Calif., 185

  Saudi Arabia, funding of Syrian rebels by, 21

  Savchuk, Elena, 224

  scapegoat, 144

  Schumm, Aaron, 140–41, 148–49, 164, 178, 193–94

  Scud missiles, 9

  Sea of Azov, 221

  Serbia, 218

  Sessini, Jérôme, 219

  Shabiha (Alawite militia, loyal to Assad regime), 121–22, 125, 128

  Shia Muslims, 151

  Hezbollah and, 5

  from Lebanon, 65

  in Syria, 225

  Shyrokyne, Ukraine, 239

  Simferopol, Crimea, 211–12

  Sisi, Abdel Fattah el-, 198, 203

  supporters of, 206

  Sloviansk, Ukraine, 218

  Smolensk, Russia, 187

  Somali community in Minneapolis, 203

  Spanish Civil War, 86–87

 

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