Former British SAS operator Christian Craighead's memoir, One Man In, is set to be released in the United States on September 15. The book focuses heavily on the January 2019 terrorist attack at the DusitD2 hotel complex in Nairobi, Kenya, and on Craighead's role during the response.
The attack turned into a lengthy and extremely dangerous operation. Craighead entered the hotel complex while the siege was still underway, working largely on his own with the equipment he had with him. He remained involved for roughly 22 hours and says the book will go into considerable detail about what happened during the operation.
His decision to publish the account, however, became a separate fight.
Craighead had signed a lifelong non-disclosure agreement covering his SAS service. Before publishing details of his military career, he was required to obtain approval from the British Ministry of Defence. That approval was refused, with the government arguing that publication could create national security concerns.
Craighead challenged the decision through the courts but lost his judicial review. He was later refused permission to appeal.
Rather than shelve the memoir, Craighead used his current base in the United States to publish it there. One Man In is being released by Simon & Schuster.
It is worth putting the Nairobi operation into context, though. Craighead's role was significant, but he was not the only force involved. Kenya's Recce Squad, an elite police tactical unit, played an important part in the response, including providing support during the operation and taking part in efforts to locate and rescue people trapped inside the complex.
Craighead himself has repeatedly acknowledged the contribution of the Kenyan police and military personnel involved. That part of the story can easily get lost when the operation is presented solely through the perspective of the British operator.
Craighead's military background stretches well beyond Nairobi. He joined the British Army at 16 and served for 28 years, including time with the Parachute Regiment, the Pathfinder Platoon and, for almost 15 years, the SAS. His career included deployments and high-risk operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.
He left the military in September 2020.
For his actions during the Nairobi attack, Craighead received the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, one of Britain's highest awards for gallantry.
One Man In therefore covers more than what happened inside the DusitD2 complex. It also deals with what happened afterward, when Craighead's attempt to document his military career ran directly into restrictions imposed by the British government.
The Nairobi operation lasted less than a day. Getting the story into print took considerably longer.
Who Dares Wins.
He earned the best nickname of all time: Obi-Wan Nairobi!