Most Wanted a fast paced spy thriller

There has not been one credible lead on bin Laden in years

mostwantedspythriller — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 20:10:52 +0000

From The Times

September 9, 2009

Former CIA agent’s hunt for bin Laden in Pakistani badlands

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Tim Reid in Washington

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Mr Keller, 39, volunteered for the bin Laden team and was sent in 2006 to become acting chief of one of the CIA’s bases in the heart of al-Qaeda and Taleban territory in Waziristan. It was an experience that leaves him wondering today if the al-Qaeda leader will ever be found.

Mr Keller was not an obvious choice for the job — he spoke no Middle Eastern languages, and was not an expert on al-Qaeda or Pakistan. Yet in 2006, with many resources diverted to Iraq, the CIA was desperate for agents to join the hunt.

Today this is changing. The agency is bringing back CIA retirees — a group known as The Cadre — many of whom are veterans who worked with the Afghan Mujahidin during the Soviet occupation in the 1980s.

Mr Keller’s replacement when he left Shawshank — the nickname given to his base in Waziristan because it resembled the prison life depicted in The Shawshank Redemption — was one such man, a grey-haired, CIA veteran, 65, who speaks Pashtu.

“Some of these guys have been hunting bin Laden for years,” Mr Keller says. His replacement, whom Mr Keller believes is still in Pakistan, has spent eight months a year since the September 11 attacks working out of these CIA safe houses looking for the top al-Qaeda leadership.

“One of the things the agency has done is to bring back these old hands,” Mr Keller says, men who despite their age “are willing to spend many months in conditions most people would say is akin to prison”. Mr Keller, who has retired from the CIA and is now a freelance writer in New Mexico, adds: “The divorce rate is very high — it’s through the roof. Yet it’s part of the allure that keeps on driving them back. A lot of the time you are just sitting there reading stuff but you are also in the right area, it’s the big show — you are at retirement age but are you really going to sign up for the bowling league?”

The hunt for bin Laden is largely run by the ISI, the Pakistani intelligence service, an organisation for whom many CIA officials harbour deep mistrust because of its historical ties to the Pashtuns of Waziristan.

Mr Keller says the nerve centre of the hunt is in Islamabad but the ground operation is run from decrepit bases such as Shawshank. The hub of the operation was the communications room, from where he worked alongside officials from other branches of the US intelligence agencies.

Here they would pore over intelligence collected from electronic intercepts, aerial photographs taken by unmanned drones, and human intelligence collected by Pashtun spies. CIA agents were rarely allowed to leave the compound by the Pakistanis.

One reason was that blond-haired agents such as Mr Keller would be targets for assassination. The other is that the Pakistanis like to have control of the hunt. Any spying was done by local Pashtuns, and under the watchful eye of the Pakistani authorities.

“Our role in the hunt was done entirely from in front of a computer inside the base,” Mr Keller says. When he wanted to follow up a lead, he would get in touch with a local Pashtun proxy to ask him to travel to a certain area to glean information.

It is dangerous work. In 2005 the CIA recruited a local mullah to go into Waziristan to report back on any Arabs in the area — a sign that bin Laden, a Saudi, could be near by. Days later the mullah was found on a roadside, beheaded, a message tucked into his shirt that this was the fate of spies.

When a senior al-Qaeda figure was identified and located — Mr Keller said that it would take weeks, often months, to build a case for an airstrike by a US Predator drone — and even if the go-ahead was finally given by CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, the Pakistanis still had to approve. “Since 9/11, with 99 per cent of these strikes, the Pakistanis were consulted and they have to approve them,” he said.

There has not been one credible lead on bin Laden in years. His nickname among some CIA hunters is Elvis because of all the bogus and fanciful sightings. The CIA has been successful in killing many of the senior al-Qaeda over the years but bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, are different cases.

Mr Keller believes bin Laden moves from village to village in Waziristan. He communicates perhaps just once a month, and by courier. He never uses a telephone. Mr Keller believes that bin Laden arrives in each village with a small group of bodyguards, when he will sit and talk to the local tribal leader. A large bribe is paid.

Bin Laden is then the guest of the village, where under Pashtun custom, he must be protected. The main obstacle in finding him, Mr Keller says, is that even if someone wanted to betray him — and collect the $25 million (£15 million) reward — there is no one to turn to. The local police know bin Laden is there. “If you report bin Laden’s location there is a good chance you will get killed,” Mr Keller says.

“People in a position to give information can’t get it to anyone.” Morale is still good among the hunters, he says, because many top al-Qaeda officials have been killed. So will bin Laden be caught? Mr Keller lets out a deep breath. “I don’t know.”

Cast the next Hollywood Blockbuster

mostwantedspythriller — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:58:10 +0000

Did you enjoy the book?

Just for fun, you can now cast the story Most Wanted at http://www.storycasting.com/work.aspx?id=b0a48ace-be77-4ba9-8994-d07972a2f5ab.

See if you can do better than my casting … then send it to your favorite film producer!

Click to Buy the book Most Wanted

A Modern Crusade?

mostwantedspythriller — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 02:02:53 +0000

In the spy thriller, Most Wanted, the main protagonist Tom makes reference to the Crusades unleashing a cycle of violence that continues today almost one thousand years later. Is there any basis to the claim that historically militant Christians started attacking the peaceable Muslims and the War on Terror is a latter day Crusade? Remember, President Bush’s reference to a “Crusade” against terrorism, following the 9/11 attacks, which caused huge controversy and raised fears of a renewed ‘clash of civilizations.’ Why was the reaction to his statement so vehement? What ancient flames of religious hatred and mistrust were fanned by this remark?

Perspectives are radically different—Muslims say they are the innocent victims; there is no direct link between Islam and Terror; and Islam does not promote violence.

“The history of the crusades is filled with the mercilessness of the crusaders and the kind-heartedness of the Muslims. The Muslims were massacred everywhere the crusaders arrived, while the Christians were treated kindly by the Muslims.” - www.albalagh.net

“One of the bizarre myths perpetuated about Islam, during the centuries of mistrust during and after the Crusades, is that Muslim armies forced people to accept Islam at the point of the sword. Unfortunately this myth survives to this day.” - www.whyislam.org

On the other hand there are those that accuse the Muslims of a spreading propaganda in an attempt to disguise the true nature of Islam. What is undeniable is the rapid territorial expansion of Muslim armies in the two centuries after Mohammed, which gave rise to the massive Christian fear and suspicion that eventually led to the Crusades.

Expansion under the Prophet Mohammad, 612-632

Expansion during the First three caliphs, 632-655

Expansion during the Umayyad Caliphate, 661-750

These fears continue to be expressed today in a different form related to Islam and terrorism.

“You think you know about Islam, but did you know:

Islam teaches that Muslims must wage war to impose Islamic Law on non-Muslim states.
American Muslim groups are engaged in a huge cover-up of Islamic doctrine and history.
Today’s jihad terrorists have the same motives and goals as the Muslims who fought the Crusaders.
The Crusades were defensive conflicts.
Muslim persecution of Christians has continued for 13 centuries and still goes on.”

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) by Robert Spencer

Such statements are at best a vast over-simplification on both sides. Although there is some historic basis for these arguments, each side chooses to ignore the ‘inconvenient’ facts. Those that claim the War on Terror is a modern Crusade are guilty of forgeting who is the true aggressor and cannot realistically believe that the West’s response is a ‘Holy War’. Moreover, many prefer to close their eyes to the real problem, which has little to do with religion itself, but is a distortion and abuse of history and religion by those with a political agenda intent on stirring-up trouble.

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Nobody is winning the War on Terror

mostwantedspythriller — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:19:08 +0000

Most Wanted is fast paced thriller set against the background of the War on Terror. A critical issue for all of us sane individuals, who look forward to victory against the terrorists, is whether or not we are actually winning this war? But before we can answer the question, we must reach a common understanding on the extent of the conflict and who are the true opponents. Many wrongly perceive the US alliance to be fighting al-Qaeda and it’s sympathizers, part of a single homogeneous organization; when in fact it faces a global, radical Islamic insurgency. During the Bush years the war on terror was narrowly equated firstly to the campaign in Afghanistan and then later to Iraq. Undoubtedly, the focus in Afghanistan is more closely aligned to the objective of fighting terror, with its aim to put al-Qaeda and the Taliban out of business. Arguably though, the war in Iraq has had very little to do with combating terrorism on a global scale. Yet, no matter how you define the war victory appears elusive.

Somali Terrorists

Radical Islam is much more insidious than just al Qaeda—comprising a whole range of loosely knit networks and organizations that are united only in their opposition to long standing Western policies. In most cases there is no obvious connection to al Qaeda—take for example the perpetrators of the 7/7 London bombings or the 2008 attackers in Mumbai. These groups are antagonized by geo-political issues such as the unquestioning US support for Israel; America’s continuing presence on the Arabian Peninsula; and Western support for regimes perceived as oppressing Muslims; and at the same time most factions have their own regional agendas superimposed.

President Obama is attempting to move the goal posts, with the withdrawal from Iraq; the renewed focus on Afghanistan/Pakistan and a rapprochement with the Arab and Muslim world. And although they would appear to be moves in the right direction it is questionable whether it is just too little too late. There seems to be never ending numbers of new jihadists prepared fight for their cause. And while Western policies continue to alienate Arabs and Muslims in general, it provides fertile ground for those who manipulate in the name of religion. If the US and their allies are ever going to win the War on Terror it is critical to recognize what victory really looks like. The capture or demise of bin Laden would certainly be a milestone, but in no way can be considered as a complete victory. Moreover, this could become a double edged sword for the US alliance, particularly if his death were to be interpreted by his supporters as martyrdom. On the other hand, would a triumph in Afghanistan be enough to declare the West winners? NATO forces seem to be bogged down like the Russians before them, so it is difficult to foresee this outcome. Moreover, it is debatable whether there will ever be peace without tackling some of the root causes of Arab and Muslim discontent. Whether US politicians like it or not, among the many intractable problems that somehow need to be addressed are: some resolution of the Palestine question and changes in policy towards Israeli. Despite the persistent failure of the West’s peace efforts; positive change must be part of the solution or we risk a continuing cycle of violence over the coming decades. Right now it is impossible to say that anyone is winning the War on Terror.

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One of the Greatest Mysteries of our time…

mostwantedspythriller — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:27:47 +0000

Most Wanted – Press Release Jun 30, 2009

A fast paced spy thriller in pursuit of the world’s most wanted terrorist.

Where is he? Where did he go after Afghanistan? How did the world’s most wanted terrorist vanish without a trace? Despite the reward of twenty-five million dollars and an exhaustive global manhunt, he has remained in hiding ever since the terrifying events of 9/11 … Even more puzzling is how he resurfaces in audio and video recordings with such uncanny timing, just when we are all beginning to wonder if he has finally been eliminated by the security forces or died from chronic kidney failure. US Intelligence has been after him for such a long time that it brings into question their effectiveness, or do they have a darker and more sinister agenda?

Most Wanted is an epic story written in the style of the great Cold War spy novels, the adventure starts with a tip-off by a Yemeni government official. Two MI6 agents embark on a dramatic chase across the Arabian Peninsula. Hot on the heels of their high profile target, they quickly discover that nothing is what it seems. The CIA, the Yemenis, the Cubans, the Israelis and Iranian intelligence all pursue competing interests.

The suspense is heightened, as treacherous alliances lead to innocent lives being threatened. The hunters become the hunted. The plot follows their heroic escapes through the Arabian Desert, the warm waters of the Caribbean and the steamy Amazon jungle.

Most Wanted is an impressive debut for Mark McHugh as a thriller writer and has already won the coveted Editors’ Choice award from the publisher—iUniverse—the on demand publishing arm of Barnes and Noble.

A rousing spy thriller; with great moments of adventure, exoticism, intrigue, and romance … it evokes the style of le Carre and Fleming

iUniverse Editorial Board

Mark McHugh is a British businessman who lives with his Brazilian wife, and young family at their beach house in North-East Brazil. During his extensive international career, he has worked in seventy different countries and lived on four continents. In Most Wanted he draws resourcefully from his experiences. He offers many unique insights into the different cultures depicted in the book and vividly describes the settings from first hand knowledge.

For further information please contact the author at markmchuge@aol.com or on his international direct line +1 832 632 4423

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Wadi Bashing

mostwantedspythriller — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:06:57 +0000

In the early stages of the spy thriller—Most Wanted—we find our heroes driving hard, “wadi-bashing”; pursuing the world’s most wanted terrorist through the most spectacular landscapes on the Arabian peninsular. The chase through Yemen plays out against the backdrop of rugged mountain scenery; dotted with unique architecture; and interspersed with green verdant terraces and lush oases.

The trail takes them northward into Sada province, home to lawless Yemeni tribesmen armed to the teeth. The tribes in this region have a different culture, are fiercely independent and for many years they have taken to kidnapping foreigners. Hostages were typically taken to pressure the government; mainly to free clan members from jail and were then generally released unharmed. However, more recently the tribesmen have developed stronger links with a resurgent Al Qaeda and tourists are now strongly advised to avoid Yemen.

Descending the mountain passes towards the largely uninhabited border area with Saudi Arabia, our fugitives make their getaway skirting the edge of the Empty Quarter, where the rocky terrain gives way to massive rolling sand dunes. This is the true Arabian Desert. Driving skills are critical to navigate in this territory, as the unwary can quickly lose a shock absorber or become trapped deep in the sand. Rescue is not usually close at hand either, as only the occasional Bedouin inhabit this desolate, barren land. Traditionally smuggling of contraband into and out of Saudi has been one of the main economic activities in the region. The Saudis found it very difficult to control illegal imports and in recent years have become concerned to stop the infiltration of terrorist groups, seeking to carry out attacks in Saudi Arabia. A network of sandbags and pipelines, three meters high, filled with concrete and fitted with electronic detection equipment was constructed in 2000, in an attempt to curb the penetration of the border. After Yemeni protests work was stopped in 2004. Somehow it is difficult to imagine that such measures would deter a stubborn tribesman never mind a trained insurgent.

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We Must Preserve the Amazon’s Hidden Treasure

mostwantedspythriller — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 14:55:24 +0000

Part of the book Most Wanted is set in the heart of Amazonia. Like many of us, it was my childhood dream to visit and I came away with a lasting impression of vastness and unimaginable scale. It is difficult to describe, unlike any other river on the planet. Yet my enthusiasm was tainted by mixed feelings about the destruction of the surrounding habitat, a true wonder of nature. We have all read about the continuing tragedy of deforestation in the Amazon basin and the loss of some of the world’s most valuable natural resources. The Amazon is an eco system with the widest variety of species on the planet, which many speculate contain undiscovered “biological” resources—perhaps the cure for cancer or an anti-aging element that will prolong human life. This is before we even consider the impact on global warming and the irreversible damage being done to the “lungs of the planet.”

And there is yet another even greater source of future wealth often overlooked… The Earth is covered 75% with water and 25% with land, which sometimes makes it difficult to believe the world is facing widespread water shortages. However, many pundits predict that water is now set to replace oil as the world’s most profitable commodity.

The facts are that 97.5% of our water here on earth is saltwater, leaving only 2.5% as usable fresh water. Moreover, 79% of this fresh water is perpetually frozen in the form of polar ice caps and glaciers, making it inaccessible, even at high costs. Another 20% is groundwater accessible through aquifers, which are becoming increasingly depleted, which leaves only a precious 1% of freshwater in surface water contained in lakes, rivers and streams around the globe. You see, freshwater is becoming a scarce commodity and we are making a bad situation worse… we’ve constantly polluted the tiny fraction of surface water we have for years with the dumping of chemicals, fertilizers, sewage and other pollutants.

The Amazon is the greatest river in the world by so many measures; the area of land that drains into it, and its length and width. It is one of the longest rivers in the world and, depending upon who you talk to, is anywhere between 6,259km / 3,903 miles and 6,712 km / 4,195 miles long. Meanwhile, there is one statistic which is indisputable; the volume of water it carries to the sea, which is approximately 20% of all the freshwater discharged into the oceans worldwide. The Amazon’s freshwater resources are an invaluable treasure for the future of mankind. We all have a responsibility to our children and grandchildren to preserve this inheritance and prevent unscrupulous exploitation by commercial interests, now that many are looking to water as the next profit opportunity, when they switch the lights out on the oil industry later this century.

Despite all the cynicism that exists in the world, I have one cause for celebration … there is a glimmer of light. I believe it will not change over night and it all starts with awareness. I am proud to say that my daughter, who is educated in Brazil, like most of her classmates has become an enthusiastic and resolute supporter of preserving the environment. Perhaps the errors of our generation will not be repeated by the next…

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What’s in a Name?

mostwantedspythriller — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:09:27 +0000

Many ask if the “Circus,” as MI6 has commonly been referred to in books and film (including Most Wanted), has ever been real slang for the MI6—the UK Secret Intelligence Service—or is it just a invention of John le Carré in his famous Smiley trilogy?

Despite the fact that the writer’s imagery is extremely powerful; the sad truth is MI6 has never actually had its home near Cambridge Circus, the reason given behind le Carré’s naming. At the time his novels were written, the actual HQ was Century House, a modern office block in Lambeth, now converted into an apartment building; which incidentally barely resembles the original drab sixties concrete tower block. Prior to that MI6 was housed for nearly forty years on Broadway—the one near St James’ Park that is…

And just as the CIA is known internally as “The Company,” MI6 is rather unimaginatively nicknamed as “The Firm.” It is also referred to colloquially by other agencies as “The Friends”. Currently the Firm is housed at Vauxhall Cross in London, in an avant-garde building designed by architect Terry Farrell and branded as “Legoland” by those who work there. It is almost impossible to imagine a more conspicuous building along the Thames and it remains a bizarre choice for a secret service who presumably should want to keep a low profile.

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Bin Laden – Answers to Yesterday’s Quiz

mostwantedspythriller — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:15:21 +0000

Find out how much you really know about the hunt for the world’s most wanted terrorist…

Quiz Answers

Score 5 for each correct answer

ANSWER 1: B—36 tapes, the last one was received on June, 3 2009. All are believed genuine by the security services.

ANSWER 2: C—13 months between December 2004 and January 2006

ANSWER 3: B—Colin Powell, on Sept, 23 2001.

ANSWER 4: D—U$52 million— on July 13, 2007, this original figure of U$25 million was doubled to $50 million and the Airline Pilots Association and the Air Transport Association have offered an additional $2 million reward.

ANSWER 5: C—Geography Professor Thomas Gillespie of UCLA employed a technique typically used for tracking endangered species in order to pinpoint the most likely location of the world’s most wanted terrorist.

ANSWER 6: B—Although nobody seems to have a clue and experts claim it’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack; northwestern Pakistan’s impenetrable Hindu Kush mountains in the Chitral region—which boast some of the world’s tallest climbs—have been eyed as bin Laden’s hideout since 2006 by Usama hunters

ANSWER 7: A—CIA Director Leon Panetta. Although, it begs the question who he is asking and what type of response he gets on a daily basis.

ANSWER 8: A—U$ 300 million. Usama inherited most of his wealth from his father’s multi-billion dollar construction business in Saudi. This is before taking into account donations from radical organizations around the world.

ANSWER 9: D—1980, Afghanistan—The U.S., Pakistan, China, Iran and Saudi Arabia supplied money and arms to anti-Soviet forces. Funneling the funds through the CIA, the U.S. gave about $10 billion to Afghan fighters. Among those who fought was Osama bin Laden.

How did you do?

Score 0-14: So you don’t have a clue! Small wonder bin Laden has remained undiscovered for eight years.

Score 15-24: You are getting warmer—but finding bin Laden is like searching for a needle in a haystack according to Donald Rumsfeld. Close is still not good enough.

Score 25-34: You know enough to be dangerous. Bin Laden will need to keep on the move to avoid being detected.

Score 35- 45: CIA Director Leon Panetta is getting worried about his job; with good reason it seems. We will be arranging a briefing for you with the commander of Task Force 121.

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Take the Bin Laden Quiz – Answers Tomorrow

mostwantedspythriller — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 02:19:33 +0000

Test your knowledge on the hunt for bin Laden.

QUESTION 1: How many tapes has bin Laden reportedly issued since 9/11 and when was the latest? A: 29; B: 36; C: 27; or D: 41

QUESTION 2: What was the longest gap between recordings, giving rise to more than normal speculation that bin Laden was dead? A: 17 months; B: 14 months; C: 13 months; or D: 9 months.

QUESTION 3: Who announced the U$25 million reward for the capture of bin Laden? A: Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld; B: Secretary of State Colin Powell; C: Vice President Dick Cheney; or D: FBI Director Robert Swan Mueller III.

QUESTION 4: How much is the reward for bin Laden’s capture or death today? A: $US25 million; B U$60 million; C: U$50 million; or D: U$52 million

QUESTION 5: Which of the following persons has not gone on record insisting bin Laden is dead? A: Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf; B: Afghan President Hamid Karzai; C: Bin Laden Expert Professor Tom Gillespie; or D: Former Pakistani President Benazir Bhutto.

QUESTION 6: Where does the US Intelligence community currently think he is most likely to be found? A: The caves at Tora Bora, Afghanistan; B: The Chitral Region, Pakistan; C: The city of Parachinar, Pakistan; or D: Baluchistan, Iran.

QUESTION 7: Who told Congress that he asks every day where bin Laden is? A: CIA Director Leon Panetta; B: President Barack Obama; C: Defense Secretary Robert Gates; or D: General David Petraeus.

QUESTION 8: What is the current estimate of bin Laden’s personal fortune? A: U$ 300 million; B U$ 50 million; C: U$ 2 billion; or D: U$ 15 million

QUESTION 9: When and where did bin Laden first go to war? A: 1992, Somalia; B: 1991, Sudan; C: 1995 Egypt; or D: 1980 Afghanistan

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