THE TRIGGER MEN

Hardback. The author delves into the dark and sinister world of Irish terrorism and counter-terrorism. Over 3 decades he has interviewed and investigated some of the most professional, dangerous and ruthless killers in Ireland. Now he explores their personalities, motivations and bizarre crimes. Many of Ireland's assassins learned their trade in fields and on hillsides in remote parts of Ireland, while others were trained in the Middle East or with Basque separatist terrorists in Spain. Some were one-target-one-shot killers, like the sniper who terrorised the inhabitants of Washington State in the autumn of 2002, while others were bombers skilled in designing the most sophisticated explosive devices and booby traps. Another more powerful group of 'trigger men' were the influential figures in the shadows, who were experts in motivating the killers under their control. All of these men, whether they squeezed the trigger on a high-powered rifle, set the timer on a bomb or used their authority to send others out to commit horrific and unspeakable acts of cruelty, are featured in this book. The author takes the reader inside the labyrinthine world of terrorist cells and highly classified counter-terrorism units of British Military Intelligence. The individual stories are described in gripping, unflinching detail and show how the terrorists carried out their ghastly work. The author also explores the ideology of the cult of the gunmen and the greed and hatred that motivated assassins in their killing sprees. There are penetrating insights into the mindset of the most infamous assassins: their social and historical conditioning, their callousness and their unquestioning loyalty to a political or religious ideology. This book reveals the weapons and tactics preferred by the 'trigger men', how they targeted their victims and the counter-measures used by those who often unsuccessfully, sought to capture them, kill them or bring them to justice. Illus. in colour and b/w, Glossary, Appendices, Select Bibliog. and Index. 320pp. lge. 8vo. h/back. From the library of true crime writer, Wilfred Gregg, with his personal b/plate. Browned edges o/w Vg+ in Vg+ dw. which has sunned sp.