I was looking mournful.
‘What's the trouble?’ Ahmed said as I sat down.
‘I can't find anyone to interview.’
‘That will be difficult on this train,’ he said.
‘Why's that?’
‘Well, this is the Train of Death.’
He said it as if it were an official title. Like Shanghai Express or The Six Ten to Paddington.
‘Why would it be called that, then?’
‘Well, I don't know if you are aware, Griff, but we had a terrible civil war here in Algeria…’
‘Right. Yes.’
‘And this particular train, this route, was often targeted by the Jihadi.’
‘In the mountains?’
‘No, no, just here, before it left the suburbs.’ A disguised Mujahideen would pull the communication cord at a set place. The other terrorists would jump aboard. ‘They would then cut the throat of anyone wearing western clothes.’
