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Abdel Bari Atwan is the editor-in chief of the London-based Pan-Arab newspaper "Al Quds Al Arabi"
Abdel Bari Atwan was born on February 17, 1950.
He was one of 11 children. After receiving his primary school education at the camp, his schooling was continued first in Jordan in 1967, and then in Cairo, Egypt.
In 1970 he entered Cairo University where he studied journalism and also received a diploma in English-Arabic translation.After his graduation he started work as a journalist, first with the Al Balaagh newspaper in Libiya, then with Al Madina in
Saudi ArabiaIn 1978, he moved to London, where he has lived ever since, and assumed a job, in a major Saudi-owned international daily. In 1980 he set up the London office of al-Madina and in 1984 returned to al-Sharq al-Awsat.
In 1989, al-Quds al-Arabi was offered the job as editor in chief which he has held since. The paper has as of 2007 grown into one of the major Pan-Arab dailies, As editor of al-Quds al-Arabi, Abdel Bari Atwan has become a well-known Arab public figure, and is a regular guest on Date Line London on BBC World, Sky News, Al Jazeera English and CNN World, as well as on several Arabic-language networks. He has contributed numerous Opinion Editorials to a variety of English newspapers and other English-language publications; he writes regularly for Gulf News.
He has written two books, see below, and contributed chapters and essays to several academic and specialist books and journals.
Known for his lively delivery, Atwan regularly gives talks and lectures around the world at a variety of events and venues from the Edinburgh Festival to Harvard University.
In 1996 Abdel Bari Atwan interviewed Osama Bin Laden. He had to travel through the mountains, dressed in Afghan clothing. He later called the experience his "most frightening trip". His impression of bin Laden was that he is "a phenomenon, extreme". He stayed in the caves for four days, sleeping in primitive conditions in sub-zero temperatures.
In his book, The Secret History of al-Qa'ida Atwan states, "I do not endorse or in any way support
al Qaida's agenda" and "I utterly condemn the attacks on innocent citizens in the West".
Books
§ The Secret History of Al-Qa'ida, Abdel Bari Atwan, Abacus (2006),
§ A Country of Words: The Life of Abdel Bari Atwan: A Palestinian Journey from the Refugee Camp to the Front Page, Abdel Bari Atwan, Saqi (25 September 2008),
Source: Wikipedia
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