Kidnapped in Yemen - Mary Quin

At the moment when Mary Quin ripped an AK-47 from the hands of a wounded kidnapper and made her escape in the Yemeni desert, she knew her life could never be the same. An exotic vacation had turned into a nightmare of ambush and captivity. She and 15 fellow tourists were used as human shields in a terrifying gun battle between the Aden-Abyan Islamic Army and Yemeni troops. When the shooting stopped, four hostages and three kidnappers were dead.

Lucky to be among those who survived the rescue attempt unharmed, Quin returned to the United States. Amid a barrage of media attention, including an appearance onThe Oprah Winfrey Show, she attempted to resume her corporate career but found herself preoccupied with trying to understand why the kidnapping occurred.

Her absorbing personal journey through murky militant Islam and clandestine terrorist groups led her back to Yemen to try and piece together the puzzle - talking to then Yemeni Prime Minister, Abdel Karim al-Iryani, British embassy staff, the FBI, prisoners accused of terrorism, and others involved in the kidnapping and the disastrous aftermath of the rescue. Her enquiries also took her to London to meet Abu Hamza al-Masri, the notorious disfigured cleric with ties to the Aden-Abyan Islamic Army.

Kidnapped in Yemenis the unforgettable first-hand account of this remarkable woman's unusual story of curiousity, survival and healing.