About the book: year / WHO ARE ASSASSINS? Assassins - this word in many countries refers to the insidious perpetrators of pre-planned, carefully prepared murders. It comes from the Arabic "hashashin" - "intoxicated with hashish." This is how the members of the Shiite Muslim sect, which arose in the 11th century in what is now Iran, were nicknamed in the Middle East. The Assassins went down in history during the Crusades. Desperately resisting the hordes of conquerors who invaded their territory, suicide warriors intoxicated with hashish terrified the armored crusaders. Subsequently, the assassins began to be used as hired killers. It is in this meaning that the word “assassin” has migrated into our modern lexicon. The hands of modern assassins are most often directed by political, religious and terrorist groups. Once armed with an ancient dagger, today she clutches the handle of a pistol, the stock of a sniper rifle or the ring of a grenade. So-called contract killings, insidious stabs in the back, attacks from around the corner - all this is the diabolical arsenal of modern assassins operating in the Middle East, Northern Ireland and around the world.