The Siege of Mecca

The Forgotten Uprising in Islam's Holiest Shrine

Yaroslav Trofimov

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English

Penguin
18 August 2008

History; Middle Eastern history; 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000; Islam

The Birth of al-Qaeda

20 November 1979- as morning prayers began, hundreds of hardline Islamist gunmen, armed with rifles smuggled in coffins, stormed the Grand Mosque in Mecca. With thousands of terrified worshippers trapped inside, the result was a bloody siege that lasted two weeks, caused hundreds of deaths, prompted an international diplomatic crisis and unleashed forces that would eventually lead to the rise of al Qaeda.

Journalist Yaroslav Trofimov takes us day-by-day through one of the most momentous - and heavily censored - events in recent history, interviewing many direct participants in the siege and drawing on secret documents to reveal the truth about the first operation of modern global jihad.

By: Yaroslav Trofimov
Imprint: Penguin
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 196mm, Width: 126mm, Spine: 22mm
Weight: 240g
ISBN: 9780141034065
ISBN 10: 0141034068
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 18 August 2008
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Yaroslav Trofimov joined The Wall Street Journal in 1999 and in 2001 became a roving foreign correspondent in the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, and the Balkans. He is also the author of Faith at War: A Journey on the Frontlines of Islam, from Baghdad to Timbuktu.

Reviews for The Siege of Mecca: The Forgotten Uprising in Islam's Holiest Shrine

Riveting Sunday Times A thriller-like account of an event largely hushed up The Times A gripping, highly informed narrative Financial Times The first detailed account of the event . brilliantly researched and eye-opening . this is undoubtedly a book of international significance Herald A gripping and revealing account of this brutal uprising . The Siege of Mecca is a marvel of investigative journalism . Trofimov's viciously gory account unfolds with a sharp eye for detail and accuracy -- Ziauddin Sardar New Statesman Trofimov tells this tale with considerable verve and authority. He has interviewed many of the surviving witnesses and participants in a country suffused with fear and paranoia, and sets the siege within a wider historical context -- Michael Burleigh Literary Review