#47: Lessons from Singlehandedly Fighting Off a Terrorist Attack | Christian Craighead
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Christian Crackhead, you spent twenty-eight years serving in elite military units in the UK like the SAS. You took part in more than a thousand high-risk missions around the world. And in 2019, you basically single-handedly fought back a major terror attack in Kenya and saved hundreds of lives in the process. You wrote about this in your new book, which is called One Man In. So I wanted to bring you on to talk about courage under fire and why action beats hesitation, because I think that holds lessons for anyone. So let's start on the day of the attack. It's January 15th, 2019. It's 3 30 in the afternoon. You're at home. And your phone rings.
What happened when the phone call warned Christian of a complex terror attack?
And the guy on the other end says one word. Jen. What did that mean? And what happened next?
So the word gen, if you're from the if you're experienced with the UK military Or s certainly in the Royal Marines or Royal Navy. And it's kind of went into the army. But gen means genuine. Means if you say that before something, it means I'm not messing around. Like if I lie now, it's on me. So it's like you've got it it means pay attention and listen to me. Hey, Jen, this has just happened. Normally prefix is something unbelievable if Or if someone says something, you could reply with going, Jen, is that is that Jen? Is that genuine? So so that was the start and and the uh my friend Who was working at fourteen Riverside Drive, where the terrorist attack was taking place? He opened up the the conversation with Jen.
There's a complex attack going on. At fourteen Riverside Drive. And that was the s the start of everything.
So you hear Jen, you immediately your ears perk up. You know he's not asking you if you can go to dinner or get a beer later. says there's this complex attack. So what do you immediately do after the phone call? Because you're at home. You don't know the city that well either, because you just moved there.
No, I I hadn't I haven't lived there um a month. Uh Fourteen Riverside Drive was it could have been anywhere to me. I've never never been there, never driven past it. So I didn't know what it was or where it was. But I ha he just he said you need to get down here with your boys. And I said, Right, I'm on my way. I hung up. I don't really talk that much, but my heart was like exploding through my chest chest. I wasn't c I wasn't being super cool and went, Yeah, no big deal, let's go. My heart was like pounding because the words complex attack to me, um, I knew that is that this is a a terrorist attack using more than one component, usually a suicide detonation, some sort of explosive device, followed up by um men with weapons.
So so I knew I knew the gravity of this situation. My heart was pounding. And but it's like So like in my mind it's like sort yourself out and let's just let now it's time to go to work. And with that Even just little things, it's yeah, there's a there's an attack going on here, but now okay, what am I gonna wear? I already had jeans on but I had a t shirt on, so I swapped the t shirt for uh uh a long sleeve shirt. uh um and like what am i what what shoes am i gonna put on. So it's just the little the the smallest detail. I didn't give it too much though, otherwise I definitely would have wore other different types of clothing. But as it was, Armani jeans seemed to be the best idea at the time. So it was Armani and Fowl Raven um shirt and then
There's no sponsorship, by the way. I'm just stating facts. I I'll I'll state a
fact too. There really should be for the Armani jeans. I mean, they should be supplying you for life. That should be that photo of you wearing the jeans going in the complex should be an ad plastered everywhere. You'd sell a million pairs.
Yeah. Well, isn't it all about good jeans?
Absolutely. So what's what's in so you so you kind of get dialed, you get the clothes you're gonna need. You also is your gear in your vehicle already? Do you keep it there? You grab it from the house or what?
So so earlier that day I'd I'd been on the range and I'd been training that morning. Just I I always keep myself still due to this day, trying to train in all sorts of ways, whether it be physical or operational as it was then.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:08–0:48
2
What happened when the phone call warned Christian of a complex terror attack?
0:48–6:44
3
How did Christian’s difficult childhood shape his resolve to act?
6:44–12:05
4
Why do many top Special Forces operators look more like accountants than soldiers?
12:05–22:03
5
What tactical moves did Christian take when he arrived at the Nairobi complex?
22:03–26:50
6
Why does danger create such intense focus, and how does it affect performance?
26:50–32:36
7
How did Christian lead a mixed group of Kenyan forces during the crisis?
32:36–42:06
8
What role did clear instructions play in coordinating the rescue effort?
42:06–55:54
Speakers
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