Hezbollah, an Iranian-inspired and-funded movement of Lebanese Shia Muslims, has become almost synonymous with terrorist attacks and the kidnapping of Western hostages. It is feared, but little is known of its nature. Hezbollah emerged during the Lebanese civil war but came to prominence only after the Israeli invasion of South Lebanon in 1982. It has devoted its energies to attacking Israeli forces there but it has long been regarded as the most sophisticated military arm of 'Islamic fundamentalism', not least because of its reliance on suicide bombing. This study is by an academic who has been privy to Hezbollah's internal workings, and as such is alone in the field. The movement's origins, ideology, organisation, style of leadership and social welfare programme are detailed. Asaf Hussain made two visits to Lebanon as Hezbollah's guest in 1993-4 and interviewed the current general secretary-Sayyid Hassan Nasrollah - and many of its members. He also consulted internal documents, which shed light on a movement remarkable as much for its tightly-knit, secretive nature as for its use of violence. | 
