Al-Qaeda started in late 1980s in the Af-Pak area, and the group became forever synonymous with the attacks on the World Trade Center. But that was not the beginning. Al-Qaeda plotted numerous conflicts before the September 11, 2001. Little did everyone know at the time, but the attacks would set into motion a series of events that would exacerbate the spread of terror-with the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan adding fuel to the fire. Sawad Hadi-an expert in conflict studies and religious politics-traces the history of al-Qaeda, its leaders, and how its deviant psychology has allowed it and its affiliates to win money and followers. He also highlights how: uprisings during the Arab Spring of December 2010 reshaped the Middle East; ordinary men and women in Syria continue to suffer, victimized by terrorists and the ruthless Assad regime; and turbulence caused by the war in Syria will continue to haunt the country and the world for decades-regardless of the outcome of the current struggle. With hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing states that sponsor terrorism and with attacks on the rise, it's more important than ever to fully understand the history of terrorism if we're to have any chance of vanquishing Looming Black Shadows."