YOUSSEF SENSED DEATH was imminent. He reached for G with his last ounce of strength, grabbing the American’s clothes. Deliriously muttering in Arabic, in a voice hoarse and guttural, he conveyed a sense of urgency and conviction. G crouched over him and set his iPhone to record the moment.
Finally, a chance to tell his secret.
It infused Youssef with renewed energy and purpose. He spoke into the iPhone’s recorder for nearly two hours, stopping only to sip water. At times struggling to breathe, G tried to get him to stop, but the Algerian was determined. Near the end of his narrative, Youssef’s head rolled to his chin.
Concerned he might have expired, G pressed two fingers against the carotid pulse on Youssef’s neck, one side at a time. Still alive, but barely hanging in there. G tried t
