The Bin Laden Papers: How the Abbottabad Raid Revealed the Truth about Al-Qaeda, Its Leader and His Family -- Nelly Lahoud

An inside look at al-Qaeda from 9/11 to the death of its founder--told through the words of Bin Laden and his closest circle

As seen on 60 Minutes

"A comprehensive, meticulously constructed and eye-opening look at bin Laden as husband, father and leader-in-hiding. . . . an engaging and persuasive read."--Karen J. Greenberg, Washington Post

"Never less than gripping . . . [Offers] an extraordinary insight into the inner workings of al-Qaeda, both before and after 9/11, and lays bare the terrorist organisation's closely guarded plans, ambitions and frustrations."--Saul David, Sunday Telegraph

Usama Bin Laden's greatest fear was not capture or death, but the exposure of al-Qaeda's secrets. At great risk to themselves and the entire mission, the U.S. Special Operations Forces, who carried out the Abbottabad raid that killed Bin Laden, took an additional eighteen minutes to collect Bin Laden's hard drives and thereby expose al-Qaeda's secrets.

In this ground-breaking book, Nelly Lahoud dives into Bin Laden's files and meticulously distills the nearly 6,000 pages of Arabic private communications. For the first time, al-Qaeda's closely guarded secrets are laid bare, shattering misconceptions and revealing how and what Bin Laden communicated with his associates, his plans for future attacks, and al-Qaeda's hostility toward countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Pakistan. Lahoud presents firsthand accounts of al-Qaeda from 9/11 until the elimination of Bin Laden, as told through his own words and those of his family and closest associates.


Author: Nelly Lahoud
Publisher: Yale University Press
Published: 04/12/2022
Pages: 384
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.41lbs
Size: 9.51h x 6.50w x 1.39d
ISBN: 9780300260632

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 05/01/2022