The narrative follows a specific arc of radicalization and response: 1. The Call to Arms
Saudi security forces, led by Prince Muhammad bin Nayef, launch a relentless crackdown. This creates a high-stakes "game of cat and mouse" where security agents use intelligence and firepower to track down interrelated terrorist cells across the Kingdom. 5. Collapse and Conclusion 5 : Path of Blood
The story highlights young recruits at jihadi boot camps deep in the Saudi desert. Far from the disciplined "holy warriors" depicted in propaganda, these youths are often riven by infighting and driven by a misguided pursuit of adventure. They document their own journey through home movies, which later became the primary footage for the documentary film. 3. The Terror Campaign The narrative follows a specific arc of radicalization
In the aftermath of the 2001 battle at Tora Bora, Osama bin Laden orders his senior lieutenants to return to Saudi Arabia. Their goal is to launch a revolution, topple the House of Saud, and establish a new Islamic Empire starting from the "Land of the Two Holy Mosques". 2. Radicalization in the Desert They document their own journey through home movies,
" Path of Blood " most commonly refers to the between 2003 and 2009, as documented in the book and 2018 film by Jonathan Hacker and Thomas Small.
The "Path of Blood" officially begins in May 2003 with at Western residential compounds in downtown Riyadh. This launches a brutal campaign of suicide bombings, assassinations, and kidnappings aimed at destabilizing the government. 4. The Counter-Terror Response