From Publishers Weekly
Had the New York Police Department's Emergency Service Unit (ESU) not done its job on July 31, 1997, the subway tunnels in New York City would have been ground zero. The would-be suicide bombers—two young Palestinians with homegrown rage but no ties to al-Qaeda—lived in Brooklyn, near a radical mosque; a nearby tenant, an Egyptian immigrant, in fear himself of authorities, revealed the plot to law enforcement. Veteran security affairs author Katz provides a cops'-eye view of the case, with affectionate, detailed profiles of the men and processes involved, and a moment-by-moment account of the planning and execution of an elaborate raid. A large bomb was found and detonated safely; one plotter was shot at close range (and police wondered if they themselves would be prosecuted) but survived. Katz's attempts to get inside the bombers' heads miss (he didn't interview them), but he provides important details of a case that police considered a tragically ignored wake-up call. One of the men got two life sentences, the other spent 36 months in prison and was then deported to the Palestinian territories. Photos not seen by PW. (Jan.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


Book Description
New York has always been a mecca for immigrants, including an Egyptian dishwasher living in a cramped Brooklyn apartment he shared with three other Middle-Eastern men. But on July 31, 1997, the last place he wanted to be was home, where two of his roommates-young, angry Palestinians-were proudly showing off the bomb belts they planned to detonate on a packed rush-hour subway train.

Barely able to stifle his panic, the Egyptian told two policemen his story. Within minutes, they were in a Brooklyn precinct house, and the NYPD's famous Emergency Services Unit was on their way.

The brave men of the NYPD ESU staged a daring 5 AM raid on the sweltering, filthy tenement apartment, stopping the terrorists- who literally had their fingers on the switches of the bombs. Hundreds-perhaps thousands-of lives were saved. This is their frightening, true story.


About the Author
Samuel M. Katz has written numerous books and articles on international terrorism and law enforcement. His articles have appeared in magazines around the world, from Esquire to Jane's Intelligence Review. He created two episodes of A&E's Investigative Reports, as well as a three-part series on counter-terrorism for The Learning Channel. He has appeared on the BBC and Fox News as a guest expert on counterterrorism.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"On the morning of July 31, 1997, two young Palestinian men living in Brooklyn, New York, were prepared to sacrifice themselves as martyrs to their bloody cause. Their plan: to board a subway filled with commuters, wait until the train was traveling through the tunnel under the East River, and then detonate a shrapnel-infused explosive that they had built in their apartment. The attack would have killed hundreds, possibly even thousands, while sending the city - and the nation - into a state of panic." This is the true story of how the NYPD learned of the impending attack and made a daring predawn raid on the terrorist hideout. The gripping series of events began with an Egyptian immigrant who alerted the police. Coordinating an assault with limited resources and manpower, six brave members of the NYPD moved in and reached the terrorists when they literally had their fingers on the trigger - saving countless lives, preventing a disaster that would have paralyzed New York City, and alerting the nation that, in today's world, violence and terror can begin at home.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly