Who Is Sirhan Sirhan? Biographer Mel Ayton Interview, Part 1

Our series "Who Killed Bobby Kennedy?" concludes tonight with an in-depth interview of Sirhan Sirhan's biographer Mel Ayton.

British author and historian Mel Ayton has penned two books on Sirhan's life. Tonight he will give us a sneak preview of his upcoming biography of Sirhan Bishara Sirhan "The Making of an Assassin: Why Sirhan Shot Robert F. Kennedy."

Ayton’s previous book “The Forgotten Terrorist: Sirhan Sirhan and the Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy” is highly recommended reading for anyone seeking to understand Sirhan’s Arab nationalism, his antisemitism, his past in Palestine, his deep-rooted hatred of Israel, and his motives for the crime. The 2019 edition features a Foreword by Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz.

Of all the many journalists, researchers, authors, and historians who have tackled the RFK case over the past half-century, I believe that Mel Ayton's work stands heads-and-shoulders above the rest. No one understands the mind of Kennedy's killer the way Ayton does.

In this episode Mel and I take you through the story of Sirhan's life, from his birth in Jerusalem in 1944. Mel will describe Sirhan's early memories, education, family, religion, and tragic upbringing during the 1948 Israeli war of independence (known as the Nakba to Palestinians).

We will learn about Sirhan's indoctrination into communism and the cause of Palestinian liberation -- factors which led directly to his murder of Senator Kennedy on June 5, 1968.

Numerous hijackings and hostage-takings have been committed over the past 56 years in Sirhan's name -- including the 1972 hijacking of a Lufthansa flight with RFK's eldest son Joseph Kennedy as one of the hostages.

On more than one occasion terrorists have demanded the release of Sirhan Sirhan in exchange for hostages -- and in a 1973 incident at the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, they tortured and killed those hostages after President Nixon refused to negotiate.

I will also ask Mel Ayton what he thinks of the movement in recent years to Free Sirhan spearheaded by Lisa Pease, author of "A Lie Too Big To Fail" about RFK's murder. Pease argues that Sirhan was a mind-controlled patsy of the CIA and that he was shooting blanks, not actual bullets that night. (We will explore the theory that Sirhan was an MK-ULTRA victim with Mel.)

In 2021, it seemed the Free Sirhan movement's efforts may have succeeded, when the California Parole Board recommended him for parole. After a thorough review of the case evidence, Gov. Gavin Newsom did not grant Sirhan release. We will discuss why.

At age 81, should Sirhan be freed? Mel Ayton's answer just might surprise you.

If Sirhan is released, he will be deported back to the West Bank or Jordan, because he is not a U.S. citizen. Will he receive a hero's welcome? I'll ask Mel Ayton his thoughts.

Finally, we will talk about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s support for Sirhan's release.

Kennedy has visited Sirhan in prison once and written letters to the parole board twice over the past decade expressing his belief that Sirhan should be let out of prison. (With the exception of his brother Douglas, RFK Jr. is the only member of the Kennedy family who has taken this puzzling position.)

As Kennedy Jr. himself now campaigns for president as a staunch supporter of Israel, like his father did in 1968, does Mel believe Kennedy is in physical danger from pro-Palestine extremists, or Arab terrorists? Could there be another Sirhan out there, lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike him down?

Don't miss Part 1this incredible conversation on the final episode of "Who Killed Bobby Kennedy?"

Set a reminder below and join us for the premiere tonight at 9 PM Eastern.

Catch all 12 episodes of "Who Killed Bobby Kennedy" in this series playlist.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXBcSYiYQxldlHGAjTPLcdyXmDNa2Ny0W&si=H3MCh-s5A5GySEqI