Once considered the world's most dangerous terrorist, Abu Nidal struck fear into Arabs and Israelis alike during the 1970s and 1980s. The Palestinian terrorist leader left a worldwide trail of death: he is believed to have killed or wounded some 900 people in 20 countries. Unlike the customary polarization seen between Arabs and Jews over regional conflicts, Abu Nidal's radical politics were broad enough to contain hatred for all sides. He carried out a vicious war against leaders of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), the Israelis, European governments, and often enough, innocent civilians who fell victim to the crossfire. His terrorist exploits included assassinations, commando raids, hijackings, and bombings.

Named Sabri al-Banna at his birth in 1937 in the city of Jaffa, Palestine, he spent much of his adolescence as a refugee. In 1948, the Arab-Israeli war sent him and his family fleeing to refugee camps. Like many Palestinians, his young adulthood...