Islamic Terror Abductions in the Middle East

The "Nahshon Waxman" affair - the Israeli soldier abducted and murdered by HAMAS in 1994 - is one example of the painful and dramatic process of an abduction, which, in this case, ended tragically. It is a case study in understanding the four major phases of an abduction: preparation and planning, carrying out the abduction, negotiations, and the rescue attempt. This book investigates abductions, hostage taking, beheadings, and global jihad influences in four theatres in the Middle East over the last 25 years: Israel (as a part of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict), Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq. It includes discussion of the abductions of William Buckley, William Higgins, and "Iran-gate." Terrorist organizations use abduction as a tool for promotion of their and their patrons' interests. Examination of Middle East abductions, and the relations/correlations between Islamic terrorist organizations and Iran, demonstrates Iran's role as a terror-supporting state, and the promotion of Iranian interests by its terrorist surrogates. The research examines the challenge posed by terrorist organizations for countries whose citizens have been abducted, and it provides theoretical classifications of the terror phenomenon.