Introduction; Prologue; 1. Palestinian; 2. Brother; 3. Fighter; 4. Scholar; 5. Vagabond; 6. Writer; 7. Pioneer; 8. Diplomat; 9. Manager; 10. Recruiter; 11. Ideologue; 12. Mujahid; 13. Resident; 14. Enemy; 15. Martyr; 16. Icon; Conclusion.
Traces Abdallah Azzam's path from a West Bank village to the battlefields of Afghanistan and explains why jihadism went global.
Thomas Hegghammer is a Senior Research Fellow at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Political Science at the Universitetet i Oslo. Trained in Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Oxford and Sciences Po, Paris, he is the author of the prize-winning book Jihad in Saudi Arabia (Cambridge, 2010) and is the editor of Jihadi Culture (Cambridge, 2017). He has conducted extensive fieldwork in the Middle East, including interviews with former militants, and he has testified on jihadism in front of the US Congress and the British Parliament.
'For anyone wishing to understand the story of global jihad,
understanding the life and thought of Abdallah Azzam is
essential. Hegghammer provides a first-rate
guidebook. Meticulously researched, this reads like a Graham
Greene thriller - only it's true.' James L. Gelvin
'Thomas Hegghammer's exceptional book is a detailed account of the
life of Abdallah Azzam, Islamist ideologue, activist and organiser.
It is a fascinating story in itself, told with forensic skill and a
powerful sense of place and time. But it is also much more than
this. Through this narrative of Azzam's ideas and activities we get
an unparalleled insight into the many dimensions of the world of
transnational Islamism.' Charles Tripp, author of The Power and the
People: Paths of Resistance in the Middle East
'Thomas Hegghammer's long-awaited biography of Abdallah Azzam turns
out to be more than an interesting account of his life. It is about
the rise of global jihadism, an entirely new phenomenon in the 20th
century. Azzam's role cannot be fully appreciated without this
valuable book.' Lawrence Wright, author of The Looming Tower:
Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11
'The Caravan deals with a highly sensitive and controversial
subject, but it is evidence-based, meticulous and full of carefully
judged distinctions - recent history at its finest.' Ian Black, The
Observer
'… Hegghammer's massive research effort makes this essential
reading for all scholars studying terrorism.' S. Waalkes,
Choice
'The book is a remarkable scholarly achievement that adds new and
provocative layers to the study of jihadism in Africa.' Sebastian
Elischer, Comparative Politics
'The trouble the author has taken to foolproof his conclusions,
interviewing the largest cast of characters and triangulating just
about every testimony, is remarkable … Hegghammer consistently
fills gaps in the history of the transnational jihadist movement.'
José S. Vericat, Journal of Palestine Studies
'The Caravan – Abdallah Azzam and the Rise of Global Jihad is an
important addition to the scholarship of jihadism and political
Islam. It is not a dry academic text; it's simply a good read for
anyone interested in some of the most significant developments in
modern history. Hegghammer's panoramic view of jihadism makes this
book a vital resource for anyone seeking to further understand the
development of jihadism.' Ilan Fuchs, AMU Edge
'Hegghammer's book is a must read for anyone who wants to
understand the origins of the global jihad movement and the soil
from which al-Qaeda sprung.' A. J. Caschetta, Middle East Quarterly
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