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  • The Secret History of Flight 149

  • The True Story Behind the Most Shocking Government Cover-Up of the Last Thirty Years
  • By: Stephen Davis
  • Narrated by: Colin Mace
  • Length: 8 hrs and 39 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (40 ratings)

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The Secret History of Flight 149

By: Stephen Davis
Narrated by: Colin Mace
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Publisher's Summary

On 1 August, 1990, British Airways Flight 149 departed from Heathrow airport, destined for Kuala Lumpur. It never made it there, and neither did its nearly 400 passengers. Instead, Flight 149 stopped to refuel in Kuwait, as Iraqi troops amassed on the border—delivering the passengers and crew into the hands of Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi army, to be used as 'human shields' during their invasion.

Why did BA flight 149 proceed with plans to refuel in Kuwait City, even as all other flights were rerouted—and even though British and American governments had clear intelligence that Saddam was about to invade? The answer lies in an exchange of favours at the highest echelons of government, and a secret, unaccountable organization—authorised by Margaret Thatcher—carrying out a 'deniable' intelligence operation to sneak in a group of intelligence offers into Kuwait aboard the flight. The plane was the 'Trojan Horse', and the plan—as well as the horrific, traumatic consequences for the civilian passengers—has been lied about, denied and covered up by successive British Governments ever since.

Soon to be a major TV drama, this explosive book is written with the full cooperation of the survivors, as well as astonishing and conclusive input from a senior intelligence source. It is a story of scandal, betrayal and misuse of intelligence at the highest levels of UK and US governments—which has had direct, horrifying impact on terror attacks in the West and the shape of the Middle East today. It is high time the truth is told.

Previously published under the title Operation Trojan Horse

©2021 Stephen Davis (P)2021 Bonnier Books UK
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

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surprising 😮

well written with on the ground accounts. Allows the listener to make their own decisions based on the facts carefully sourced and investigated over the years. raises some important questions about governments right to use its residents in time of war.

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compelling

This book was truly compelling. It was well read, well paced and delivered the gritty, dark and at times disturbing details with rigour. If you are curious about what happened, I would recommend this book.

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human shields in Iraq's war in Kuwait

very engagingly told history of the pliight of British Airways passengers who became hostages in Kuwait and Iraq and placed at strategic sites as human shields to deter US and other forces from bombing Iraqi forces.

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Great story of recent events and a point of view most of us need to hear

That the mainstream media hasn’t picked up properly on this horrific time for these passengers/hostages/survivors is a crime in itself. Great book, interesting topic and excellent reading.

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