“The Bomb-Maker Who Became a Spy”
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Title: Nine Lives
Author: Aimen Dean with Paul Cruickshank and Tim Lister
Category: World History, Memoirs & Life Stories
What does it take to turn a devout kid into a bomb-maker, and then into a spy? Sam and Sophie sit with that question as they open Aimen Dean's memoir, Nine Lives.
They trace Dean's path from memorizing the Quran in Saudi Arabia to fighting in Bosnia, then to al-Qaeda's inner circle, where his chemistry background made him their chemical weapons man. The episode walks through the mundane steps of radicalization, the cracks that appeared when civilians started dying, and the lonely double life he led for MI6. They also touch on his guilt over 9/11 and the slow, painful work of redemption.
If you've ever wondered how ordinary people get pulled into extremism, or what it costs to walk away, this one's for you. The takeaway: ideology is powerful, but conscience can be stronger.
Nine Lives by Aimen Dean with Paul Cruickshank and Tim Lister. For the full written summary, head to 7minutebooks.com/app — over 6,000 fiction and nonfiction titles you can read or listen to in any language, with infographics on many titles. Unlimited access from $2.99 a month, $9.99 a year, or $19.99 lifetime.
Chapters
00:00A Devout Kid's Radicalization01:21Bosnia, Afghanistan, And The Inner Circle02:36Cracks In The Ideology03:55Becoming A Double Agent04:579/11 Guilt And Redemption07:18Takeaway: Conscience Over Ideology
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