In January 2003, the British media splashed the news that anti-terror police had disrupted an Al-Qaeda cell, poised to unleash the deadly poison ricin on the capital. Police had reportedly found traces of ricin, as well as a panoply of bomb and poison-making equipment in the cell's 'factory of death' - a shabby flat in north London. 'This danger is present and real, and with us now' announced prime minister Tony Blair.But, when the 'Ricin plot' came to trial at the Old Bailey, a ve...

You couldn't make it up: incredible real-life criminal casesA fascinating A-Z of murderous crimes which spans the globe and the centuries in uncovering the extremes of human criminality in all its strangeness.This collection of unusual, if not sensational, murder cases recalls strange crimes of the past and offers insights into particularly macabre and shocking modern murders. Many of the cases also shed light on advances in crime detection, law enforcement...

When Andrew Morton's world-famous biography, Diana: Her True Story, was first published, it caused a media frenzy, and shook the British Establishment to its foundations. Later revealed as having been written with the Princess's full co-operation, this international bestseller is now widely regarded as her official biography. Yet it was not the full story, as in all the sound and fury of its publication, Diana began a journey - a courageous evolution from life as a downtrodden wif...

This is the book the Iranian authorities have been dreading you might one day read and have taken drastic measures to ensure that you don't. It is a story of such horrific brutality that anyone who was sceptical about claims that Iran is part of the 'axis of evil' will have that scepticism dispelled by the time they finish reading it. A real insight into the sickening torture jails of Iran and the gut-wrenching horror of the treatment dished out to political prisoners who oppose the regime...

" Rollicking, readable new history of Britain's famous spy organization." — Los Angeles TimesA complete and up-to-date account of the two oldest and still the most powerful, secretive intelligence services in the world: MI5, the security service, and MI6, the secret intelligence service, which have been in existence for over a century. This is a story of spectacular triumphs, treachery, their frigid relationship, their untold work with the CIA, Mossad and t...

A selection of Robert Fisk's finest 'Comment' pieces from the Saturday ‘Independent’.Robert Fisk has amassed a devoted readership over the years, with his insightful, witty and always outspoken articles on international politics and mankind’s war-torn recent history. He is best known for his writing about the Middle East, its wars, dictators and international relations, but these ‘Comment’ articles cover an array of topics, from his soldier grandfather to handwriting to the titanic...

The old world of spying-dead-letter boxes, microfilm cameras, an enemy reporting to the Moscow Center, and a hint of sexual blackmail-is history. The spymaster's technique has changed and the enemy has, too. He or she now frequently comes from a culture far removed from Western understanding and is part of a less well-organized group. The new enemy is constantly evolving and prepared to kill the innocent. In the face of this new threat, the spymasters of the world shunned human intelligenc...

In a Quick Read published for World Book Day, bestselling author and internationally renowned BBC journalist John Simpson shares some of his fascinating stories from a life spent reporting around the world, from Northern Ireland to Iraq, and from Kosovo to Kabul.Drawing on his multiple acclaimed volumes of autobiography and hitherto unpublished material, Twenty Tales from the War Zone brings together some of the highlights of Simpson's remarkable journali...

PO Box 500, London W2; the nondescript address from behind which one of the worlds most famous Secret Services hid: MI5. This book, based on previously secret sources, lifts the lid on Britains Security Service.The authors look in detail at MI5s role in the post-Cold War world; in particular, they consider its changing role as it took on the main responsibility in countering terrorist threats to Britain. Controversy has never been far away during MI5s battle against the IRA, which ...

As a small boy in Epping Forest, Jack Straw could never have imagined that one day he would become Britain's Lord Chancellor. As one of five children of divorced parents, he was bright enough to get a scholarship to a direct-grant school, but spent his holidays as a plumbers' mate for his uncles to bring in some much-needed extra income. Yet he spent 13 years and 11 days in government, including long and influential spells as Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary. This is the story of how h...

The attack on Libya laid bare the iron fist within the velvet glove of slogans such as "humanitarian intervention." Like the destruction of Yugoslavia and the rape of Afghanistan, the reduction of Libya to a virtual slave colony was performed under the banner of NATO. And what exactly is NATO? Richard Cottrell tells the story of mayhem and murder behind the "alliance for peace" and predicts an emerging military colossus fighting to seize control of strategic resources such as oil, gas, min...

Contents Introduction Before the War Spying for the Kaiser On His Majesty’s Secret Service Allied Spies   The use of spies during war has a very long history, no doubt going back to the beginnings of warfare itself. In The Art of War, which is believed to have been written in the sixth century BCE, the Chinese general and military strategist Sun Tzu wrote about the advantages to be gained from knowing your enemy and in t...