Scan barcode
A review by doc_k55
American Radical: Inside the World of an Undercover Muslim FBI Agent by Tamer Elnoury
4.0
Tamer Elnoury is the pseudonym used by an undercover FBI agent who happened to be Muslim and fluent in Arabic. Uniquely positioned to work in counterterrorism, he was largely responsible for the takedown of three radical Islamic terrorists, and this is the story of how that came to pass.
First, this reads like an action/adventure military thriller. It's not a difficult read; I finished the book in less than two days; but it captured my attention and taught me plenty. I am amazed that there are people willing to live the life of an undercover agent: I imagine it engenders enormous strain in personal relationships and a difficulty in separating fact from fiction in one's own life. Plus, having to keep *all* your professional time a secret from your family must be incredibly difficult. As a physician I am required to say very little about my patients but not at this level.
Second, the level of planning that goes into these operations is incredible. This must be a constant adrenaline rush - and not always in a good way. I imagine the stress level and burnout rates are pretty high.
Third, Elnoury drilled down on the details of radical Islamic thought and how this differs from mainstream Islam. Normally debates on this issue are subject to stereotypes and conjecture and refusal to recognize the truth or danger of these extremists, so it is refreshing - and frankly more believable - when Elnoury lays out what he sees as the perversions of his religion. Elnoury openly acknowledges that these are radicalized Muslims, each with different motivations and ideologies, and that they use their views of Islam to inform their behavior - but then he explains how this differs from this Islam he learned. I found this more honest and easier to trust than most of the other accounts of how radical and mainstream Islam differ. There's no concern for political correctness: radical Islam is what it is, but it differs from the religion mainstream Muslims practice. Also, frankly, it was reassuring that the terrorists had so much difficulty recruiting "like-minded" Muslims.
First, this reads like an action/adventure military thriller. It's not a difficult read; I finished the book in less than two days; but it captured my attention and taught me plenty. I am amazed that there are people willing to live the life of an undercover agent: I imagine it engenders enormous strain in personal relationships and a difficulty in separating fact from fiction in one's own life. Plus, having to keep *all* your professional time a secret from your family must be incredibly difficult. As a physician I am required to say very little about my patients but not at this level.
Second, the level of planning that goes into these operations is incredible. This must be a constant adrenaline rush - and not always in a good way. I imagine the stress level and burnout rates are pretty high.
Third, Elnoury drilled down on the details of radical Islamic thought and how this differs from mainstream Islam. Normally debates on this issue are subject to stereotypes and conjecture and refusal to recognize the truth or danger of these extremists, so it is refreshing - and frankly more believable - when Elnoury lays out what he sees as the perversions of his religion. Elnoury openly acknowledges that these are radicalized Muslims, each with different motivations and ideologies, and that they use their views of Islam to inform their behavior - but then he explains how this differs from this Islam he learned. I found this more honest and easier to trust than most of the other accounts of how radical and mainstream Islam differ. There's no concern for political correctness: radical Islam is what it is, but it differs from the religion mainstream Muslims practice. Also, frankly, it was reassuring that the terrorists had so much difficulty recruiting "like-minded" Muslims.