Watching the Jackals - Prague''s Covert Liaisons With Cold War Terrorists and Revolutionaries

"Watching the Jackals is about the untold history of Czechoslovakia's complex relationship with Middle Eastern terrorists and revolutionaries during the closing decades of the Cold War. Based on recently declassified intelligence files, Daniela Richterova tells the story of Prague's engagement with various factions of the Palestine Liberation Organization as well as some of the era's most infamous terrorists including Carlos the Jackal, Munich Olympics massacre commander Abu Daoud, and the Abu Nidal Organization. In the 1970s and 1980s, Prague became a favorite destination for these controversial individuals who appeared there to seek refuge, enjoy recreation, or hold secret meetings aimed at securing training, arms, and other forms of support. Richterova explains why terrorists and revolutionaries had long gravitated towards Prague, why Prague was interested in them, but also why in some cases Czechoslovakia's powerful security and intelligence apparatus - the StB (Stâatnâi bezpeécnost) - was wary or even fearful of these unpredictable groups. Through research in the unusually thorough and transparent records from the former Czechoslovakia, Richterova offers readers a fascinating history of how states use their spies to pursue covert policies with violent non-state actors. The book also introduces new evidence and nuance into old debates about whether or not the Communist Bloc supported terrorism"--

About the author

Daniela Richterova is associate professor in the Department of War Studies at King's College London. She is a leading expert among the new generation of intelligence and security scholars, and she specializes in the history of Cold War espionage and state relations with terrorists and revolutionaries. She regularly publishes in leading academic and media outlets, including International Affairs and Foreign Policy.

Product details

• Authors: Daniela Richterova, Daniela/ Andrew Richterova
• Assisted by: Christopher Andrew (Foreword)
• Publisher: Georgetown University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.03.2025
• EAN: 9781647125141
• ISBN: 978-1-64712-514-1
• No. of pages: 376
• Series: Georgetown Studies in Intelligence History
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; POLITICAL SCIENCE / Security (National & International), European History, HISTORY / Middle East / General, HISTORY / Europe / Eastern, Middle Eastern history, Warfare and defence, Military intelligence, Cold wars and proxy conflicts, HISTORY / Military / Intelligence & Espionage, HISTORY / Modern / 20th Century / Cold War, HISTORY / Russia / Soviet Era