Overview

**Selected as one of the ‘Biggest Non-Fiction Books of 2019’ by The Times** As one of the earliest Arabs to join the Afghan Jihad, the Algerian Islamist Abdullah Anas counted as brothers-in-arms the future icons of al-Qaeda’s global war, from Abdullah Azzam to Osama bin Laden, and befriended key Afghan resistance leaders such as Ahmad Shah Massoud. Brushing shoulders with everyone from Zarqawi to Haqqani, Anas distanced himself from their movements, disagreeing with their narrow interpretations of political Islam. While he remains committed to Jihad, to this day Anas takes issue with the extremist trajectories of his one-time companions. Co-written with investigative journalist Tam Hussein, To the Mountains is an intimate and penetrating portrait of the networks that formed during the Afghan-Soviet war. In this revealing memoir, Anas shatters some of al-Qaeda's foundational myths, and rethinks what it means to be a Jihadist in the modern world. ‘An unusual personal foray into the motives of the jihadis from one of their number. Anas...describes vividly for a western audience the human story...[a] fascinating book.’ — The Times ‘A tantalising account.’ — The Financial Times ‘Specialists and scholars will enjoy the accounts of arguments among different Afghan factions and the personal details related about key figures from the period...a valiant attempt to create something accessible and readable.’ — The Observer ‘This important memoir…is a valuable resource that deserves a broad readership.’ — The New Arab ‘A fascinating book with new insights and anecdotes in a history which resonates to this day.’ — Lyse Doucet

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9781787380110

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Reviews

'No one knows the story of the Afghan Arabs better than Abdullah Anas. His personal story, and his observations of the recent developments in the Arab world, will surely be a revelation.' -- Lawrence Wright, author of 'The Looming Tower' 'Abdullah Anas has had a ringside seat at the most important moments in the evolution of the Islamist movement from his early involvement in the Afghan War during the mid 1980s where he met and befriended Osama bin Laden to his more recent role as a negotiator with the Taliban as well as his place as a respected Islamist intellectual around the Arab world as it undergoes its present revolutionary upheaval.' -- Peter Bergen, New America Foundation / CNN 'Abdullah Anas is an Algerian mujahed who can tell the real story of the Afghan jihad and his life as one of those Arabs involved there. He can speak with true and lived knowledge about Abdullah Azzam, Osama bin Laden, Ahmed Shah Massoud, Hekmatyar and Sayyaf. I have no doubt that this book will be useful for future generations to understand this history, to take advantage of his experience and to avoid making the mistakes that many of his generation made.' -- Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, religious scholar and media personality

'An unusual personal foray into the motives of the jihadis from one of their number. Anas . . . describes vividly for a western audience the human story . . . [a] fascinating book.' 'Specialists and scholars will enjoy the accounts of arguments among different Afghan factions and the personal details related about key figures from the period . . . a valiant attempt to create something accessible and readable.' 'A fascinating book with new insights and anecdotes in a history which resonates to this day.' 'No one knows the story of the Afghan Arabs better than Abdullah Anas. His personal story, and his observations of the recent developments in the Arab world, will surely be a revelation.' -- Lawrence Wright, author of 'The Looming Tower' 'Abdullah Anas has had a ringside seat at the most important moments in the evolution of the Islamist movement from his early involvement in the Afghan War during the mid 1980s where he met and befriended Osama bin Laden to his more recent role as a negotiator with the Taliban as well as his place as a respected Islamist intellectual around the Arab world as it undergoes its present revolutionary upheaval.' -- Peter Bergen, New America / CNN 'Abdullah Anas is an Algerian mujahed who can tell the real story of the Afghan jihad and his life as one of those Arabs involved there. He can speak with true and lived knowledge about Abdullah Azzam, Osama bin Laden, Ahmed Shah Massoud, Hekmatyar and Sayyaf. I have no doubt that this book will be useful for future generations to understand this history, to take advantage of his experience and to avoid making the mistakes that many of his generation made.' -- Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi 'Abdullah Anas is an essential voice in the debate about jihad, and what it means for our societies. Told with honesty, modesty and clarity, To the Mountains deserves to be widely read.' -- Mike Martin, author of 'Why We Fight' ' To the Mountains presents stories from the beating heart of the Afghan jihad. This is essential reading, a first-hand eyewitness account with a message for the next generation.' -- Alex Strick van Linschoten, co-editor of 'The Taliban Reader' 'Through the mountains of Afghanistan, the killing fields and torture chambers of Algeria, the streets of Londonistan, and the highest diplomatic venues of Kabul, Kandahar, Riyadh and Mecca, Anas traces a journey that ends, despite everything, in unexpected hope.' -- Barnett Rubin, Center on International Communication

'No one knows the story of the Afghan Arabs better than Abdullah Anas. His personal story, and his observations of the recent developments in the Arab world, will surely be a revelation.' -- Lawrence Wright, author of 'The Looming Tower' 'Abdullah Anas has had a ringside seat at the most important moments in the evolution of the Islamist movement from his early involvement in the Afghan War during the mid 1980s where he met and befriended Osama bin Laden to his more recent role as a negotiator with the Taliban as well as his place as a respected Islamist intellectual around the Arab world as it undergoes its present revolutionary upheaval.' -- Peter Bergen, New America Foundation / CNN 'Abdullah Anas is an Algerian mujahed who can tell the real story of the Afghan jihad and his life as one of those Arabs involved there. He can speak with true and lived knowledge about Abdullah Azzam, Osama bin Laden, Ahmed Shah Massoud, Hekmatyar and Sayyaf. I have no doubt that this book will be useful for future generations to understand this history, to take advantage of his experience and to avoid making the mistakes that many of his generation made.' -- Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, religious scholar and media personality 'Abdullah Anas is an essential voice in the debate about jihad, and what it means for our societies. Told with honesty, modesty and clarity, To the Mountains deserves to be widely read.' -- Mike Martin, author of 'Why We Fight' ' To the Mountains presents stories from the beating heart of the Afghan jihad. This is essential reading, a first-hand eyewitness account with a message for the next generation.' -- Alex Strick van Linschoten, co-editor of 'The Taliban Reader' 'Through the mountains of Afghanistan, the killing fields and torture chambers of Algeria, the streets of Londonistan, and the highest diplomatic venues of Kabul, Kandahar, Riyadh and Mecca, Anas traces a journey that ends, despite everything, in unexpected hope.' -- Barnett Rubin, Associate Director, Center on International Communication

'No one knows the story of the Afghan Arabs better than Abdullah Anas. His personal story, and his observations of the recent developments in the Arab world, will surely be a revelation.' -- Lawrence Wright, author of 'The Looming Tower' 'Abdullah Anas has had a ringside seat at the most important moments in the evolution of the Islamist movement from his early involvement in the Afghan War during the mid 1980s where he met and befriended Osama bin Laden to his more recent role as a negotiator with the Taliban as well as his place as a respected Islamist intellectual around the Arab world as it undergoes its present revolutionary upheaval.' -- Peter Bergen, New America / CNN 'Abdullah Anas is an Algerian mujahed who can tell the real story of the Afghan jihad and his life as one of those Arabs involved there. He can speak with true and lived knowledge about Abdullah Azzam, Osama bin Laden, Ahmed Shah Massoud, Hekmatyar and Sayyaf. I have no doubt that this book will be useful for future generations to understand this history, to take advantage of his experience and to avoid making the mistakes that many of his generation made.' -- Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi 'Abdullah Anas is an essential voice in the debate about jihad, and what it means for our societies. Told with honesty, modesty and clarity, To the Mountains deserves to be widely read.' -- Mike Martin, author of 'Why We Fight' ' To the Mountains presents stories from the beating heart of the Afghan jihad. This is essential reading, a first-hand eyewitness account with a message for the next generation.' -- Alex Strick van Linschoten, co-editor of 'The Taliban Reader' 'Through the mountains of Afghanistan, the killing fields and torture chambers of Algeria, the streets of Londonistan, and the highest diplomatic venues of Kabul, Kandahar, Riyadh and Mecca, Anas traces a journey that ends, despite everything, in unexpected hope.' -- Barnett Rubin, Center on International Communication

Author Information

Abdullah Anas is an Algerian politician-in-exile and former member of the mujahideen who fought alongside bin Laden before falling out with the Al-Qaeda leader over his plans for a global jihad. He lives in London, having gained political asylum. Tam Hussein is an award-winning investigative journalist and writer who has reported on UK jihadi networks and British foreign fighters in Syria.

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