News 15 November 2001

TOM CAREW ON BBC NEWSNIGHT

Some of you may have seen BBC News last night, which claimed that Tom Carew was never a member of the SAS. They claim that although he trained with the SAS and was part of the Demonstration Troop of non-members who did jobs for them he was never part of the Squadron.

The BBC does not dispute the fact that Carew fought in Afghanistan, which is what his best selling book Jihad! centres on. Ironically Carew did not need to exaggerate his association with the SAS. The book has become an international best seller because it is the first insightful, realistic account of what it was like to live and fight alongside the Afghans and specifically the Mujahideen, not because it has been marketed as an SAS memoir.

Mainstream bought the book from a reputable agent and took Carew's credentials in good faith, aware that the ghostwriter had a splendid military background. The manuscript and cover were scrutinised by the Ministry of Defence who gave the go-ahead with only minor amendments. Newspaper serialisation was sold to the Sunday Times and the Sunday People because of its unique and absorbing account of fighting with the Mujahideen. After the events of September 11th, a whole year after publication of the hardback, the author was in great demand as a commentator on the events in Afghanistan. The Guardian bought a further extract and Carew was called upon for comments by media throughout the world.

We were astonished to receive calls questioning the authenticity of our author yesterday but have been reassured by the reaction of key book buyers, foreign publishers and overseas distributors.