Art Bell Vault, 2006-11-11: Dangerous Expeditions

Dangerous Expeditions

Date
Saturday - November 11 2006
Host
Art Bell

Art Bell was joined by professional adventurer and author Robert Young Pelton, who spoke about his journeys into the world's most dangerous places. After the death of his father and a series of "dull" expeditions to Africa and Borneo, Pelton said he sought out adventure in the more perilous corners of the planet. By the 1990s, Pelton had made his way to Pakistan, where he tracked down and visited the headquarters of the then fledgling Taliban. According to Pelton, they were surprised when he showed up on their doorstep, but Pelton gained their trust and was allowed to record interviews with the Taliban's leadership in 1995.

Pelton commented on Osama bin Laden, speculating that he was likely under the protection of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and located somewhere in the tribal regions of the country.

Pelton also remarked about Art's new home country, calling the Philippines a "very dangerous" place to live due to the threat posed not only from radical Islamic and rebel groups but from the nation's police force, who he said "specialize in extra-judicial killings." He also talked about his plane crash in Borneo, his experiences during the Grozny Siege of '99, and the War in Iraq.
Website(s):

comebackalive.com

Book(s):

Licensed to Kill: Hired Guns in the War on Terror
The Adventurist: My Life in Dangerous Places
The World's Most Dangerous Places