The Caliphate, André Gallo [best books to read ever .TXT] 📗

ammunition. Al Khalil has contacts. Some Malian officers sell us ammunition from their warehouses. I know that al Khalil’s go-between with them is a man who owns a hotel, the Khan Hotel I think.”

     Steve made sure there was no one on the street and he let Karim out of the car.

***

Two weeks later, again meeting in the car at night, Karim handed Steve a typewritten document.

     “I was in al Khalil’s office this afternoon and he went to the bathroom. I saw a file on his desk and this was in it, the list of all the imams in the region who are paying zakat, a tithe, to IMRA.”

     “This is useful Karim. But I told you not to take that kind of risk. What if al Khalil notices and decides you were the only one who could have taken it?”

     “Don’t worry. He won’t notice.”

     “I worry about you, Karim. By the way, I want to pass on thanks to you personally from John Littlecorn, head of American Intelligence. Some of your information has reached him and he wants you to know that he is appreciative. He wants to know what he can do for you.”

     Karim didn’t read newspapers and did not follow international politics. However, the name John Littlecorn was well known throughout the Middle East. He often accompanied the American president on his trips and had once successfully mediated a dangerous hostage situation—dangerous for the hostages and for the terrorists.

     Karim was enormously pleased. Little by little, he had learned to first trust and then to like Steve. That Littlecorn knew of him and was extending compliments and thanks was because of Steve.

     “I am honored that he even knows I exist.”

     “It is important for my country to understand the Muslim world. Otherwise, it will make mistakes. You are now someone who can help us reach that understanding.”

     Karim listened. He understood that the United States had awesome power, that what the United States did could affect the lives of people all over the world.

     “I want to help make things better. I don’t ask Mr. Littlecorn for anything.”

     “Remember when you told me about your family in Oran? What is your little brother’s name? Hassan? What do you hope for him, Karim?”

    Karim’s eyes watered at his brother’s name. Hassan would not live this life. He would obtain a proper education. He would become a pharmacist. He remembered that was Hassan’s dream, a dream they both knew at the time was just fun to talk about but not any more realizable than, for example, living in their own house.

     “Yes, Hassan. I haven’t seen him in a long time. He is smart. I want him to go to school, maybe a school in France.”

     Steve turned left to avoid the more populated part of town.

     “Listen to this and tell me if you agree. I want to open a bank account for Hassan. Every month that we work together, I will put money in the account. You can have it whenever you want. By the time Hassan can go to France, you’ll have some money to give him, or to your mother if Hassan doesn’t want to become a pharmacist anymore.”

     When he left Steve that night, Karim hoped to be able to work for him for a long time. He was motivated to do whatever Steve asked. At the end of the day, Hassan and his mother would have a better life. He would make it happen. He looked upon Steve as his mentor, as his big brother.

23. Timbuktu

Once Langley was satisfied that Karim was a viable, responsive agent, Steve received further instructions:

     1. We wish to replace SBCALIPH/1’S (the cryptonym, or code name, assigned to al Khalil by the CIA) current satellite phone with one we will provide. He is using a cipher that is taking too long to break in a timely manner. The replacement Trojan Horse will separate and transmit his outgoing and incoming messages to us using an encryption system we prefer.

     2. To that end have SBCALIPH/4 (the cryptonym for Karim) collect the following information regarding SBCALIPH/1’S satellite phone:

   A. Make and serial number

   B. Telephone number

   C. Color and any markings that SBCALIPH/1 might have added, such as his name or the telephone number or any other identifying markings on the instrument

   D. Similarly have him identify any accessories that SBCALIPH/1 uses with the phone such as battery charger, earphones, etc.

3. Further determine where SBCALIPH/1 keeps his phone in the office, how he carries it, when he travels, whether he ever leaves it and where and when away from his apartment and office

4. Based on the above information please submit operation plan to replace phone and advise soonest

5. Regret that Cos Bamako unavailable to assist in this operation

—File: SBCALIPH

Steve had been able to obtain the requested information; al Khalil’s satellite phone was a Globalstar, but there had been too little time left before the Gao conference to replace the phone with a CIA Trojan Horse.

     Steve liked the idea. He had heard during his short training that the CIA elves were adept and creative technicians. There should be little left to know about IMRA and al Khalil’s plans and activities after combining Karim’s inside information with intercepts of his satellite phone.

     Steve decided he had to go to Gao to try to effect the exchange away from Tariq’s home field. He read the last sentence of the message to mean that, given his inexperience, the plan had been for Rod to come and run the switch operation. Steve felt good that Langley had enough confidence in him to go ahead without Rod’s assistance.

24. Gao, Mali

On Monday, Steve arrived at the Hôtel Atlantide in this major desert town