The secret force has no official name (Picture: Adam Gamal)
A former member of elite special forces in the US which has no official name has revealed how the team were able to track down Al Qaeda.
Adam Gamal, which is a fake name to hide his identity, qualified for a unit of intelligence operatives who track down the biggest threats to the United States.
But it was no easy feat joining the force, with the selection process involving regular beatings, an interrogation simulation, and endless walks under the desert sun.
Once chosen, the group operates almost completely in the shadows, and are referred to unofficially as ‘The Unit’ or ‘The Activity’.
Gamal was even shot in the stomach during one operation, and expected he would due after being taken to a rural East African hospital.
No records are kept of the squad, and members are forbidden from ever discussing their work, MailOnline reports.
Soldiers would dress up as tourists and follow terrorists around cities to find their cells.
Gamal tracked the head of the Somali branch of Al Qaeda and passed his location to the US Navy.
No records are kept of the squad (Picture: Adam Gamal)
Once chosen, the group operates almost completely in the shadows(Picture: Adam Gamal)
Gamal tracked the head of the Somali branch of Al Qaeda and passed his location to the US Navy (Picture: Adam Gamal)
Al Qaeda and the Taliban were among those who were targeted by the group.
But he was also constantly under surveillance, and would come back to his hotel room to find the contents of his suitcase dumped on the floor.
Despite the fact Gamal’s career finished years ago, he was sworn to silence about the full extent of his work.
Writing in his book, The Unit: My Life Fighting Terrorists as One of America’s Most Secret Military Operatives, he also revealed he grew up in Egypt, which helped him become a soldier.
He emigrated to the US aged 20 and eventually signed up to join the military.
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