MI5 double agent offers rare insight into al-Qaeda and jihad

Aimen Dean was recruited by British security and intelligence services to report back on al-Qaeda

Aimen Dean
(Image credit: BBC)

A founding member of al-Qaeda who became a spy for MI5 and MI6 has shed light for the first time on the inner workings of the terrorist group and its members' motivations to wage jihad.

Aimen Dean, who grew up in Saudi Arabia, set off to become a mujahideen in a bid to protect Bosnian Muslims from Serb nationalists.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us