Periodically I will be publishing some excerpts from the book that will hopefully provide a little detail of how the 
"Once"
story will be told. Please note that some excerpts may seem "intense"
as I retell some very descriptive situations in my life. In context,
these violent tellings only reinforce the saving grace of my Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. Thank you... Unseen Threat
One day while out
on the drill field, I saw an unusual weapon leaning against a tree. It
certainly was not an AK-47. It had a telescopic sight and a long, sleek barrel.
I stared at it with curiosity.
“You like that?”
said the North Korean instructor through his interpreter.
“It looks really
different,” I replied.
“Would you like to
shoot it?”
“Absolutely!” I
picked it up, not quite knowing what to expect. He pointed out a tree branch
for me to use as a target.
I took aim. The
butt of the rifle rested loosely on my collarbone. I pulled the trigger. The
kickback nearly knocked me over, leaving me in intense pain.
“Ha!” the
instructor laughed. “Here, let me show you how to do it right. This rifle has a
much longer range than that AK-47, so it kicks harder.” He then proceeded to
show me how to press the butt tightly into my shoulder.
That was my
introduction to the Simonov, which was specifically tooled for assassinations
from a distance. It had a silencer to reduce the noise of the shot and also
limit the muzzle flash. I was once again excited to master this weapon and
learn what it took to be a sniper.
By now I had
become a group leader. This meant I got a second weapon, a handgun. I was also
issued a bayonet, which could be attached to the rifle muzzle.
More than
armaments, however, I needed training on the mental aspects of sniping. They
taught me how to sit or lie absolutely still for hours on end. In fact, some of
the exercises went on for three or four days, around the clock. They wanted to
see how long I could endure the pressure of being totally isolated in a strange
locale, with little water or food, waiting for the target to come into view at
last.
I was not allowed
to change position. I had to become part of the tree, as it were. My hands and
face were covered with camouflage. Sometimes I wanted to jump out of my skin.
But I tried to discipline my emotions, my thoughts, and my bodily functions to
stay hardened and under control.
A sniper’s work is
cloaked in secrecy. Not even my buddies in Fatah knew what I was doing. They
only noticed that sometimes I would be gone for a few days, then return. The
instructor said my future assignments would usually come by telephone up to a
week in advance. I would call a certain man (I met him only one time), who
would give me the target and location. He would also say where I could pick up
my Simonov; naturally I wasn’t allowed to walk around with one of those all the
time. If I did, everyone in Fatah would know what I did—including the spies
among us.
My first sniper
assignment came during the cold season. As I moved silently toward my target, I
was nervous—but also joyful. Finally I was going to get to do something to help
my people! While the high and mighty of this world kept talking and debating
and shuffling papers, I would be doing
something. I’d be taking action in the real world, on actual ground that
rightfully belonged to us.
This excerpt is from the forthcoming book "Once An Arafat Man"
arriving on shelves September 15, 2008 published by Tyndale House.
Recent Comments