Nelson Demille - The Panther

Ironic that he learned about his culture at an American university.

“He also took Arabic-language classes to improve his proficiency in the language,” Chet went on, “and he lived off campus in an apartment with other Muslim students, American and foreign-born, who were observant of the calls to prayer, the dietary laws, and other strictures of the religion.” Chet added, “He studied the Koran… I guess you’d say religiously… and did well in class.”

Young Bulus wasn’t exactly Joe College. I mean, every American knows that you go to college to get drunk, get laid, and give your parents heartburn. But this idiot actually studied. I’m surprised he didn’t come to the attention of the FBI as a possible subversive. But maybe he did. I asked, “Any problems with the law?”

“Just once. The girlfriend.” Chet explained, “He was dating a European Muslim lady from Bosnia, who had become Americanized. She was secular, liked a drink now and then, dressed Western, and apparently had sex outside of marriage. This was interesting, because in every other way Mr. al-Darwish was a strictly observant Muslim. But he became involved with this lady who was not exactly the ideal Islamic woman by Mr. al-Darwish’s standards.”

I was happy to learn that even fundamentalist Muslim men think with their dicks. A ray of hope in the war on terrorism.

Chet informed us, “We interviewed this lady where she lives in Manhattan, but she wouldn’t say much except that her college boyfriend, Bulus, was not a barrel of laughs.” He added, “They dated for two semesters, then she broke it off and began dating a non-Muslim. A Christian. Well, Mr. al-Darwish became violent and he physically assaulted her in her apartment, someone called the police, and they came and arrested him.” Chet let us know, “She refused to press charges and the case was dropped.”

Right. Before I was a homicide detective, I responded to dozens of domestic violence cases. Most of the guys involved would turn up again in one way or another, usually another violent crime. Mr. al-Darwish, too, had turned up again-big-time.

Chet went on a little about the subject’s college years, and truly there was nothing remarkable about his four years at Columbia. One instructor described him as “brooding,” another as “quiet.” One Muslim student, however, described him as “seething.” Most of his classmates couldn’t remember him at all. Not exactly big man on campus, and not a campus troublemaker. Interestingly, no one recalled him ever making anti-American remarks, or anti-Semitic statements. In fact, the impression I got was of a young man who was quiet in public, but filled inside with bad stuff. Like a ticking time bomb.

Chet also told us, “This brush with the law-arrest, the booking procedure, which probably included a strip search, the night in jail-seemed to have a profound effect on him. A few college classmates said he became even more withdrawn and went into a deep depression.”

Right. For the average middle-class kid, this was a traumatic experience. The upside was that most of them got scared straight and kept their noses clean. But as I said, when you’re frightened you later get angry, and you look for payback. If I fell into this guy’s hands, I should probably not mention that I’m former NYPD. But I’m sure he already knew that.

Chet continued, “Interestingly, although al-Darwish apparently visited a number of radical websites, he did not seem to be under the influence of any specific fundamentalist or radical religious mentor as many of these radicalized young people are. Our profilers and behavioral science people believe he saw himself as his own inspiration, and quite possibly he believed then, and believes now, that he’s being guided from above.”

Right. Like, I hear voices. I’ve had a couple of those. Scary people.

Chet added, “But we don’t know if he’s that kind of nut job. And we’ll never know.”

“Well,” I pointed out, “if he walks into the trap we’ll know that no one from above warned him.”

Chet conceded, “Good point.” He continued, “If you study the lives of men who’ve gone on to become powerful dictators and mass murderers, you’ll discover that many of them were like this bastard-angry, driven, obsessed, and sociopathic-but they were also quiet as boys and young men, as though they were biding their time until they could break away from the restraints of society and the law.” Chet continued, “It was almost inevitable, in retrospect, that al-Darwish would go to Yemen, a country that shares many of his beliefs, and also a country that’s dysfunctional enough for him to gain some power. In other words, he was a zero in America, but here in Yemen he filled the void in the power vacuum and blossomed into a feared and respected leader.” Chet added, “Ironically, being an American-or as the Arabs say, al-Amriki-gave him some cachet and credibility. And some respect.”

Right. Everyone else here was born in this shithole and lived and died here. Bulus ibn al-Darwish came from Amrika to save and serve his people, and they thought that was pretty cool. It was ironic. Plus, the bastard knew America-Islam’s number one enemy-firsthand. I recalled what Al Rasul told me about The Panther being multicultural and the conflicts in his head. I wondered what language he dreamt in. Maybe it depended on the dream. Sex dreams in English, killing Americans in Arabic.

Chet let us know, “There are a growing number of American-born or American-raised Muslims who have followed this path back to their ancestral countries and become leaders in the jihadist movement.” He added, “To be fair, however, many Muslim Americans have returned to these countries to do good.”

I observed, “That’s what al-Darwish thinks he’s doing.”

“Maybe. But he’s not. He’s a sick puppy.”

I agreed, “He sucks.”

Chet continued, “Under the category of megalomania and delusions of grandeur, Bulus ibn al-Darwish is not content to have become the leader of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. According to an Al Qaeda defector who knew him, al-Darwish has bigger ambitions. He sees himself as the supreme leader of Yemen. The prodigal son returns and takes over. He wants to unify and purify Yemen, to kill or kick out all foreigners. And while he’s at it, he wants to wipe out all political opposition, including the Westernized intelligentsia in the cities, and then he’ll move on to the armed opposition, including the al-Houthi rebels, the tribal sheiks and warlords, and the South Yemen secessionists.”

Sounds like a lot of work. But maybe he’d enjoy it.

Chet continued, “Al-Darwish wants to restore Sharia law in Yemen and make the country into a medieval theocracy.”

I asked, “How can we help him?”

Chet nodded in understanding and maybe agreement. I think everyone in this business was a little tired of trying to save these people from themselves. It was a thankless task and usually counterproductive. If left to their own devices, they’d find a century they were comfortable with-maybe the tenth century-and go live in it.

The problem was assholes like bin Laden and al-Darwish who engaged in attacks on the West. If they were smart, they would cut this shit out and the West would ignore them-as long as the oil kept flowing.

On that subject, Chet told us, “Yemeni oil is not important to us now, but geologists believe there are vast oil deposits in Ar Rub al Khali, the Empty Quarter, which straddles the undefined border with Saudi Arabia.” Chet said, unnecessarily, “We want to control that oil with the Saudis.”

Of course we do.

Chet continued, “Aside from that consideration, if al-Darwish actually did gain power in Yemen, our political analysts are certain that Yemen would become a big Al Qaeda training camp, as Afghanistan was, and that Bulus ibn al-Darwish, the American, would surely export violence-not oil-to America.” Chet let us know, “Aside from avenging the Cole, that is what is at stake here.”