Synopses & Reviews
Memoirs of a Terrorist reveals the true inside story of the life and mindset of a radical muslim terrorist who finally came to renounce his murderous mission and embrace freedom.
Some radical Muslims believe that non-Muslims who refuse to convert must die. Memoirs of a Terrorist is the true account of the life of such a terrorist who has since renounced his deadly participation in jihad, or “holy war.” His memoir conveys an urgent message to Americans to wake up to the dangers of the terrorists who are still executing their harmful and destructive schemes.
Kamal Saleem was born under a different name into a Sunni Muslim family in Lebanon. From a young age he was taught that the loftiest accomplishment he could achieve in life was to be martyred while killing infidels, namely Christians, Jews, and Americans. At age seven, he was recruited by the Muslim Brotherhood and entered an assault camp where members of al-Assifa, the armed branch of Fatah, trained for terror missions against Israel. After years of training, Saleem operatedin successful terror campaigns funded by the Muslim Brotherhood, the Palestinian Liberation Organization, and wealthy oil sheikhs. He infiltrated the United States with the sole purpose of converting others to radical Islam.
However, a life-changing event caused him to reevaluate his worldview. Kamal came to know three kind Christian men, and through them he saw the love of God—eventually coming to know their God as well. As a result of their love andsacrificial giving, Kamal acknowledged his need for Christ as Savior. Memoirs of a Terrorist is his riveting story that attests to the power of love and freedom.
Synopsis
The Blood of Lambs reveals the true inside story of the making and mind-set of a Muslim terrorist. Though his ties with terrorism were severed more than twenty years ago, it was not until 9/11, when radical Muslims rained terror on American shores, that Kamal Saleem stepped out of the shadows and revealed his true identity. Today, he is a different kind of warrior. He now stands on the wall and shouts to America, "Open your eyes and fight the danger that lives among you."
As the terrible fruit of Kamal's early life in jihad screams from today's headlines, he courageously puts his life on the line to defend America, the country he now calls home.
Synopsis
The Blood of Lambs reveals the true inside story of the making and mind-set of a Muslim terrorist. Though his ties with terrorism were severed more than twenty years ago, it was not until 9/11, when radical Muslims rained terror on American shores, that Kamal Saleem stepped out of the shadows and revealed his true identity. Today, he is a different kind of warrior. He now stands on the wall and shouts to America, Open your eyes and fight the danger that lives among you.
As the terrible fruit of Kamal's early life in jihad screams from today's headlines, he courageously puts his life on the line to defend America, the country he now calls home.
Synopsis
"Memoirs of a Terrorist" is the true account of Saleem's deadly participation in Jihad, or "holy war." He sends an urgent message to Americans to wake up to the dangers of the terrorists who are still executing their destructive schemes.
Synopsis
The author, a former radical Muslim terrorist who has since renounced his deadly participation in jihad, or "holy war," conveys an urgent message to Americans to wake up to the dangers of the terrorists who are still executing their harmful and destructive schemes.
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About the Author
Kamal Saleem was born under another name into a large Sunni Muslim family in Lebanon. At age seven, he was recruited by the Muslim Brotherhood and immediately entered a Palestinian Liberation Organization terror training camp in Lebanon. After being involved in terror campaigns in Israel, Europe, Afghanistan, and Africa, and finally making radical Islam converts in the United States, Saleem renounced jihad and became an American citizen. He has appeared on CNN, CBS News, and Fox News programs, and has spoken on terrorism and radical Islam at Stanford University, the University of California, the Air Force Academy, and other institutions nationwide.
Collaborator Writer, Lynn Vincent: Lynn Vincent, a U.S. Navy veteran, is features editor at WORLD Magazine, a national news biweekly. She is the author or co-author of six books, including the New York Times bestseller, Same of Kind of Different as Me.Kamal Saleem (a pseudonym) was born into a large Sunni Muslim family in Lebanon. As a boy of seven fleeing a beating from teenage thugs in ethnically divided Beirut, Kamal took refuge in a mosque where he met radicals of the Muslim Brotherhood. Playing on the jihadist dreams instilled in Kamal by his mother, these imams took him to a terror training camp run by Yasser Arafat’s Fatah faction.
Maturing into a terrorist’s terrorist, Kamal’s journey in jihad took him to countries such as Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq. Training terrorists from around the globe, he ruthlessly pursued Umma—one world under Islam—by any means necessary. But while infiltrating the United States, a tragic incident embroiled Kamal in a clash of cultures and forced him to reevaluate his understanding of truth and faith.
Kamal is now an American citizen and has embraced the Christian faith he once sought to destroy. He consults with federal law enforcement agencies and speaks on the dangers of radical Islam at venues across the country, including Stanford University, the University of California at Berkeley, and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Kamal lives with his American family in an undisclosed location somewhere in America.
Reading Group Guide
Discussion Questions 1) As a young boy at his mother's kitchen table, Kamal learned to embrace the teachings of radical Islam and hate infidels. Was there anything you learned in your childhood home that you later found to be untrue? How does knowing that some Islamists are taught their beliefs from childhood affect your view of them?
2) Throughout the book, Kamal tells of the infiltration of radical Islamists into the United States. How do these revelations affect your views of your own safety here? What, if anything, will you do differently in the light of these views?
3) When Kamal is beaten up three times on the way to work at his uncle's business, he takes refuge in a mosque. Later, the imams of the mosque take Kamal out into the ethnic neighborhoods to avenge him. How did you feel about these scenes? Were the imams delivering justice? Why or why not?
4) What did you learn about Muslim and Lebanese culture that surprised you?
5) Over the course of Kamal's childhood, financial pressures change his relationship with his father. How did you feel when Kamal's father pulled him from school and sent him to work at age 7? Are there any childhood family relationships that changed the trajectory of your life?
6) At his home, during madrassa (Muslim religious school), Kamal learned of various teachings from the Koran and hadith. Which of these teachings were new to you? Which most surprised you and why?
7) Prior to reading this book, were you aware of the number of domestic terrorist attacks thwarted by U.S. authorities since 9/11? If not, what about these plots most surprised you? Were you aware of the number of homegrown jihadists operating in the U.S., as opposed to those who have immigrated from other countries? How does that affect your view of the threat of jihadist terrorism on U.S. soil?
8) How did you feel when you read the scene in which Kamal's unit of child soldiers comes under rocket attack in the Golan Heights? How did you feel when his young friend Mohammed was killed? What have you learned from this book about jihadists' use of child soldiers?
9) In the Fatah/PLO terror camp at Sabra, Kamal was mentored by a radical named Abu Yousef. How do you think Kamal's life might have been different if Abu Yousef had not mentored him? Would Kamal be alive today? What does Abu Yousef's mentorship tell us about the power of male role modeling in the life of a child?
10) During the story, Kamal is tracked to his hometown and also threatened via email by a group of radical Pakistanis. Were you aware that this type of activity is taking place in the U.S.? What are your thoughts on that?
11) What new understanding have you gained from this book about the roots and nature of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict? How has this book affected your view of whether peace is possible in this conflict?
12) During the story, Kamal travels to Libya to train terrorists from around the world in desert camps sponsored by the dictator Moammar Ghaddafi. Were you aware that such camps existed and still exist today? What are your thoughts on the existence of these "universities of terrorism?" How does it affect your thinking about Islamism to know that camps exist only to train people to kill Jews and Americans?
13) Kamal's story reveals the link between Saudi Arabian money and Islamist terrorism. How has the book affected your view of our staunch U.S. ally?
14) We learn from Kamal's story that "honor killing" is now taking place in the United States. Why do you think the U.S. media has placed so little emphasis on covering these crimes?
15) Were you surprised to learn that the man who made a jihadist threat to Kamal after he spoke at the U.S. Air Force Academy was released back into American streets? How does that affect your view of the First Amendment and whether jihadists are using American liberties against this country?
16) Clearly, Kamal Saleem has killed people and is now telling his story. Do you believe a man can repent of such a life and go on to do good in the world?