About the book: 2002 / The author of the book, Josef Bodansky, has been heading the Task Force on Terrorism and Special Warfare for the US government for over 10 years . He has been intensively studying international terrorism for over 25 years, 15 of which have been investigating the activities of the No. 1 terrorist, Osama bin Laden. In his activities and writings, he has proven his professionalism in the field of geopolitical analytics. In Russia, this is the first professional study that analyzes the phenomenon of international terrorism and sheds light on the figure of bin Laden and many other leaders of Islamist terror. Based on a unique collection of original publications, documents and messages, as well as numerous contacts with thousands of people around the world, the author was able to create an objective picture of the activities of terrorist organizations, their connections with intelligence services and government structures, and their influence on the geopolitical situation throughout the world. The reader will get acquainted with the original view of an independent researcher, which differs from the generally accepted guidelines that are actively being implemented by some circles in the West pursuing narrow corporate economic and political goals.