Forgotten Terrorist

Mel Ayton [is] one of the few analysts who has fully grasped the crimes Middle East connection. . . . Far from being a maniacally absurd crime, as Newsweek concluded, the Robert Kennedy assassination was in fact an eminently political act. It was the first blowback attack the United States suffered as a result of its Middle East policies.Stephen Kinzer, Guardian The exquisite detail contained in Mel Aytons well-written, wonderfully researched work makes it must-reading for anyone interested in this case. . . . Nobody knows more about the issues revolving around the RFK murder case than Mel Ayton. Nobody.Dan E. Moldea, author of The Killing of Robert Kennedy: An Investigation of Motive, Means, and Opportunity Mel Ayton [is] a writer Ive found to be a valuable debunker of unwarranted conspiracy theorizing. He reminds us with copious quotations in (his articles) how repeatedly and explicitly Sirhan made clear why he targeted R.F.K.: because Sirhan hated the state of Israel and hated R.F.K.s support for Israel.Ron Rosenbaum, The Observer Important and extensively documented. . . . The chapter on The Unaffiliated Terrorist is especially pertinent to understanding current lone wolf terrorists, as it discusses leading forensic psychology theories to explain Sirhans possible mental state and motivations.Joshua Sinai, Perspectives on Terrorism Students will find this an intriguing story to read, and in an advanced level of seminar devoted to analyzing the use of evidence, very instructive. Ayton is an excellent writer, and his text bristles and probes, leading the reader on a fascinating, if ultimately depressing journey detailing the assassins many obsessions and final fatal decision to silence Sen. Kennedy during the deeply troubled 1968 presidential election season. . . . Mel Ayton presents a compelling examination of the convicted assassins motivations, his state of mind, and the mountain of evidence used to denounce and imprison him.Craig Hendricks, History Teacher Mel Ayton, the author of this easy-to-read, information-packed study . . . has produced a significant book with original and detailed information and analyses regarding Sirhans life, motivation, and psychology. . . . Those who despair of the country ever freeing itself from the debilitating morass of the conspiracy mind-set should take heart. It is books like this splendid one . . . that will hasten the day.Patricia Lambert, author of False Witness: The Real Story of Jim Garrisons Investigation and Oliver Stones Film Mel Ayton has a well-deserved reputation for doing the near-impossible: writing about controversial history (including conspiracy theories) in a sober but imaginative way, combining reliable accounts with intellectually stimulating arguments. I highly recommend his work.Rick Shenkman, publisher, History News Network The Forgotten Terrorist is superlative, especially in regard to Sirhans political obsessions and background. The greatest riddle in any of these high-profile assassinations is motive. Thanks to Mel Ayton, the RFK killing can now be removed from that list of mysteries. I now recommend this book as the first and last book to read on the case.Gus Russo, author of The Outfit and Supermob Mel Ayton has accomplished something that no one writing about the RFK assassination has ever achieved before. By combining a judicious review of the forensic and eyewitness evidence with a firm grasp of the historical context, Ayton has finally made sense of the 1968 killing. The Forgotten Terrorist is a long overdue reminder that assassination is political murder.Max Holland, author of The Kennedy Assassination Tapes

Mel Ayton is the author of numerous books, including Plotting to Kill the President: Assassination Attempts from Washington to Hoover (Potomac Books, 2017) and Hunting the President: Threats, Plots, and Assassination AttemptsFrom FDR to Obama. He has been a history consultant for the BBC, the National Geographic Channel, and the Discovery Channel. Alan Dershowitz is Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law Emeritus at Harvard University and a distinguished criminal defense lawyer.

Foreword Acknowledgments Time Line Introduction 1. The Ambassador Hotel 2. RFK and Israel 3. Sirhan and Palestine 4. The Shooting 5. The Trial 6. Controversies: The Physical Evidence 7. Controversies: The Witnesses 8. Distorted Truths 9. The Manchurian Candidate Assassin 10. Sirhan's Obsessions 11. The Unaffiliated Terrorist 12. Why Did He Kill? Afterword Afterword to the Second Edition Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Appendix D Notes Bibliography Index