ABSTRACT
By 7 October 2001, the military response phase of the so-called 'War on Terror' began with the bombing of Afghanistan by US and UK air forces. The Taliban had refused to cooperate and meet the demands of the US in handing over Osama Bin Laden for trial and closing down the Al Qa'ida bases and training facilities. The presence of Al Qa'ida-inspired home-grown British terrorists was a shock to the communities of High Wycombe, the area which had been the centre of police and media activity for Operation OVERT. Those in charge of operating the national intelligence machinery across the British government welcomed the much-needed additional finances that were made available to tackle the threat from Al Qa'ida-inspired terrorism. Rae is not the first British citizen to return home following engagement in conflict overseas to suffer psychological issues from his experiences, nor will he be the last.
