The Devil's Handshake

Acknowledgements

The Devil’s Handshake is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents portrayed in the book are the product of the author’s imagination or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, corporations, events surrounding the decisions and conversations of the Presidents, Prime Ministers, Secretaries of States, and United Nations officials is entirely coincidental.

My deepest apologies to the Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and the management of the Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts in Dubai for using the Burj Al Arab as the base of operations for the character of Robin Ashley to conduct his clandestine activities on behalf of the Central Intelligence Agency, but I’m afraid operational security required it.

My apologies must also go to Mahesh Tourani, one of Dubai’s more colorful residents for using him and one of his famous parties as the setting for the CIA recruitment of Ashley. Again operational security required it, but I am reliably informed, he still hosts the best parties in Dubai!

The prologue makes reference to an incident where a Regimental Sergeant Major of Special Air Service (SAS) asked his troopers behind enemy lines to hold a meeting to discuss the new furniture to be bought for the Hereford barracks. Eagled-eyed military historians will recognize this story from Peter Ratcliffe’s insightful and excellent book the Eye of the Storm - Twenty-Five Years in Action with the SAS. As one of the more unconventional commanders in the field, vastly experienced, and a true shadow warrior, I hope he does not mind me referring the tale in the introduction to Sir Thomas Litchfield’s character.

The conversation between Saddam Hussein and Yasser Arafat is of course fiction but is derived from an actual interview Saddam Hussein gave to The Gulf News shortly before his execution in 2005. The article provides a chilling insight into the mind of a tyrant and is certainly worth a read, as it helped me develop the character of Wasir Osman Hassan. Having once had the unfortunate opportunity to see Saddam Hussein up close and personal and to observe his character during my time in the Arabian Gulf, I have tried to make him as amoral as possible.

I leave it to the readers to make up their own minds whether I have succeeded or not.

The country of Adwalland as portrayed in the book does not exist. At this time, it remains a self-proclaimed state that is made up of Clans all based on the sixteenth century sultanate in the westernmost region of Somalia. The characters that make up the leaders of the government agencies, departments, and intelligence services are also fictitious.

The book also makes reference to the “Energy Security Doctrine.” This again is purely fictitious, for as far as I am aware no such publically available policy document exists and thereby is purely a construction of my imagination. That said, students of American Presidential history no doubt recognize that elements of the book’s policy as coming from the centerpiece of United States foreign policy from the early 1980s that until the end of the Cold War in 1991 was known as the ‘Reagan Doctrine.’

The offices of 18 Old Queen Street do exist but I assure the reader that the occupants of the building are not members of MI6.

The village of Upper Barpham, the home of Farrow Hall was once a Norman village that was unfortunately finished off in the fourteenth century by the Black Death. Today all that remains are the ruins of a substantial church. I chose this long past village in West Sussex as the home of Farrow Hall because in future books, it will play an important part in the future telling of the stories of the Litchfield family saga.

St Ageranus School is also a product of my imagination because I did not think it was appropriate to use an actual school for the massacre of children.

I named the school after a brave monk who died 303AD defending the sacred precincts of a monastery from a Norman army.

The equipment and tactics mentioned in the book do exist. I have consulted many articles, books and websites to ensure that the techniques and equipment used are authentic. If I have missed anything, I apologize and hope it has not ruined the story for the reader.

Finally, this novel couldn’t have been written without the help of my family and friends who have continued to believe in me, despite my numerous mistakes over the years. My many personal friends from Russia and the Middle East who are drawn from a collection of successful businessmen, officials and security officers, some colorful others not so but all equally full of interesting stories of their lives.

As to the substance of my story only time will tell whether fiction becomes fact.