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for one bullet。 Twenty…four hours after finding this weapon。 Robert had carried out four quick stick…up jobs on Liquor Stores； which netted him six hundred dollars。 The following day he sold the weapon for a further one hundred dollars。 Then he set about spending wisely。 He bought clothes： two good suits； four shirts； three ties； underwear and two pairs of shoes。
While on the buying spree； he also lifted a silver cigarette case and lighter； a pigskin briefcase and matching wallet。 This left him with one hundred and fifty dollars。 Fifty went into his pocket； the remaining hundred opened his first bank account。 What followed would have been legend if the cops and the Feds had ever managed to interconnect him with all the fiddles； some of which were not just fiddles； but fully orchestrated capital crimes。
During the past two decades； Robert had been married twice； under different names。 Both women were obscenely wealthy； and both apparently died accidentally within a year of the marriage。 The first was a widow。 Robert； under the name of William Deeds； had managed to ingratiate himself with a stockbroker called Fineslone。 Jerry Finestone knew all the tricks of the stock market； and took a liking to young Bill Deeds； who proved to be an apt pupil。 After six months poor old Jerry walked into an elevator that was not there； but thirty floors down。 Later the coroner heard there had been a wiring fault which had allowed the doors to open。 It just so happened that Robert； or Bill or whatever you chose to call him； was by way of being an electrical expert； hut who knew？ Good old Jerry left three and a half million to his widow； Ruth； who； after an appropriate period of mourning married Bill Deeds。 Sadly； she followed her first husband within the year： a nasty business which involved a Cadillac and an unmarked road which led lo a sheer drop。 The contractors； who swore Ihis cul…de…cliff had been well marked； lost the case when Bill Deeds sued them for one and a quarter million。
Thus set up。 Bill Deeds moved on … to Los Angeles； where he made the money work for him。 and married a movie star。 By this time his name had changed to Vince Phillips。 The movie star was a big name and the headlines were even bigger when they found her accidentally eleclrocuted in her Malibu beach house。 Another one and a half million passed to Vince Phillips formerly Bill Deeds； in reality Robert Besavitsky
Two out of two was enough of that game。 Robert altered his name yearly from then on。 and was involved in several dozen stock…market frauds … hence the name changes … before he turned his hand to buing and selling。 He would sell anything as long as he could buy cheap and sell at a profit； and he certainly never asked questions about the things he purchased。 That was how he became a good friend to Yasser Arafat； and even a member of the PLO。
It was at the time when the PLO needed a regular supply of arms and。 as it turned out； Bennie Benjamin tka（truly known as） Robert Besavitsky had made a good friend of an unscrupulous Quartermaster with an Infantry regiment。 This was how Rennie got hold of hundreds of assault rifles and automatic pistols； together with thousands of rounds of ammunition and four large drums of position C…4 disguised as drilling mud。 Ninety per cent of C…4 is RDX。 the most powerful plastique explosive in the world； the rest was a binding material。 It is known by various names these days； including its Czechoslovak clone。 Semtex。 All the arms and explosives ended up with the FLO during the time when thai organisation was branded as a terrorist army。
It was ihen that Besavilsky saw there could be a possible future in terrorism。 He spent time with the PLO and learned a few tips； then went back to buying and selling … world…wide； under dozens of aliases； dealing in anything from stolen paintings lo rare collectors' motor cars。 For many years he stayed well ahead of the law。 But he was no fool。 He liked a luxurious lifestyle and knew that it was possible the time might eventually e when they could catch up with him。 Just as he knew that one really major killing could set him up for life and allow him to retire in exceptional luxury； and never have to look over his shoulder again。
This was in 1985： the year he decided to make international ； terrorism work in his favour。 It was also the year when his name changed to Bassam Baradj； and it was as Baradj that he went out into the streets and hiding…holes of Europe and the Middle East in search of converts。 He had links with a number of disenchanted terrorists and。 in turn； they had other links。
Baradj had always had an unhealthy interest in demonology。 Now he used it to his own purpose and founded BAST； dragging into his net the three very experienced people who would act as his staff … Saphii Boudai； Ali Al Adwan； and Abou Hamarik。 Bait for them was twofold。 First； a blow of huge dimensions against the corrupt Superpowers； plus the United Kingdom。 Second； a very large financial gain which would； of course； assist the cause of true freedom everywhere。 The Brotherhood of Anarchy and Secret Terrorism had a nice ring to it。 but Baradj saw it as one of those meaningless titles that would draw a certain type of person。 His three lieutenants trawled the terrorist backwaters and； by the end of 1986； they had over four hundred men and women on iheir books。
The Viper … Baradj … gave them the first orders。 No member of BAST was to take part in any terrorist operation until he had cleared it。 He okayed several small bombings； just to get В AST's name on the map。 But as far as the overall plan went； there would be one； and only one； operation he would fund。 This would take time to mature； but the returns would be enormous： billions； maybe trillions； of dollars。
Bassam Baradj； cheapskate； big…time fraud merchant； buyer and seller extraordinary； spent the next years gaining information with which he could prepare the plan he was about to play out on the international stage。 When it was over。 BAST could fall apart for all he cared； for Baradj intended to take the proceeds； run； change his name； paper and possibly his face； with a little help from a plastic surgeon。 Now he was nearly at the most sensitive point in his operation； for he alone … outside of the tiny circle of Navy and intelligence officers … knew the secret of what they called Stewards' Meeting。 Apart from the dupe Petty Officer whom his men had enlisted； Baradj had at leas！ two agents aboard Invincible。 One had provided the essential clue to Stewards' Meeting； the other had people who would obey during ihe plot thai lay ahead。 Once the clock began to run on his operation。 Baradj considered the entire business would take only forty…eight hours； maybe sixty al the outside； for the Superpowers would cave in very quickly。 After that。 Baradj would cease to exist； and BAST would be penniless。
When he had abandoned Northanger。 Baradj had gone to Rome for a couple of days。 From Rome he flew into London。 Gatwiek as a transfer passenger to Gibraltar。 There。 Abou Hamarik。 'The Man'； waited for him al that British home from home。 The Rock Hotel。 For once the men did not exchange the BAST password； 'Health depends on strength' … a password tak