The Spy Who Almost Stopped 9/11 | The Looming Enemy | 1

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0:17Early 2000, about a year and a half before the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Islamabad, Pakistan. In a safe house, FBI counterterrorism agent Ali Sufan sits on the floor and offers the man opposite him a basket of bread. He must be hungry. Please eat. The man smiles and takes a roti. He used to be in the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, but has since fallen out with them. He initially offered information to the CIA, but they refused to meet him. So now he's been passed to Sufan, the FBI's expert on al-Qaeda, and its leader, Osama bin Laden. I'm sorry the CIA wouldn't meet with you. They only wanted to know if I had met Sheikh bin Laden.

1:07I never did. But I know Khaled. If you know Khaled, you know a lot about bin Laden. Sufan is careful not to show it, but he feels an electric thrill. He's heard the name Khaled before. Zofan is hunting the terrorists who bombed the US embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam two years ago. One of the attackers who was captured told the FBI that Khaled filmed his martyrdom video. Who is Khaled? He's known as Bin Laden's errand boy. Bin Laden is a close friend of his father's. Also, he lost a leg fighting in Afghanistan. Sufan offers some more bread, but makes a mental note to learn everything he can about Khaled and track him down.

2:00A week later, CIA headquarters, Langley, Virginia. In a secure briefing room, Sufan raises an eyebrow at the two senior CIA officers sitting opposite. I thought you weren't interested in him as an asset. Now you want to share him? The CIA officers look embarrassed. We may have misjudged. You got some great intel from him about this guy Khaled. Well, if the agency can help track down Khaled, then I'm all for it. After all, we're working towards the same goal. But Zephan's supervisor at the FBI is less keen. Look, I need to make something clear here. This man is now an FBI source. We'll only agree to share him if everything is shared between our two agencies.

2:50You CIA boys have a habit of messing up our evidence and only sharing what you think is necessary. I've had enough of it. This is too important. We agree. It is important. So yeah, we can work on that basis. So you'll share everything you get from him? Everything. Alright then. We have a deal. Sufan leaves Langley feeling upbeat It often feels like an uphill battle to get anyone outside his team To realise the threat Bin Laden poses Sufan's studied the Saudi multimillionaire for years And knows he's planning something big He doesn't know what, when or where But he's sure it'll be an attack on Americans And maybe with the CIA's help He can uncover that plot and stop it before it happens.

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4:49I'm Raza Jafri, and this is The Spy Who, an audible original. Beneath the veneer of the everyday looks the realm of the spy. It's a dank, murky world, full of dark corners, sinister motives, and corrupted morals. A place of paranoia and infiltration, sabotage and manipulation. This series, we open the file on Ali Sufan, the FBI counter-terrorism agent who saw the rising threat from al-Qaeda long before 9-11. But he's about to discover that his biggest challenge in uncovering Osama bin Laden's master plan might not be Al-Qaeda, but elements inside the US government. What you're about to hear are dramatized reconstructions of events based on the information that's been made public.

5:41But remember, in the shadow realm of the spy, the full story is rarely clear. This is Episode 1, The Looming Enemy.

5:57May 1998, three years before 9-11. The FBI field office, New York City. At his desk, rookie FBI agent Ali Soufan hunches over surveillance photos from the mob case he's working on. He's fresh-faced with thick, dark hair and is keen to prove himself. Agent Soufan speaking.

6:22Ali Soufan:Ali, get up here right now. Your man's doing an interview on ABC. The caller is a colleague in I-49, a specialist counter-terrorism squad within the FBI. Suvan grabs his jacket and runs to the lift. He's currently on rotation, getting experience on various teams. But he's already well known in the counter-terrorism division for his pet project, Al-Qaeda, and its mysterious leader, Osama bin Laden. Sofan joins the knot of people huddled around the TV. Mr. Bin Laden, you have issued a fatwa. In it, you call on Muslims to kill Americans where they can, when they can. Is that directed at all Americans?

7:04Just the American military? Just the Americans in Saudi Arabia? On it, Bin Laden is sitting in front of a large map of Africa with an AK-47 rifle beside him. perhaps retaliation in kind. We do not have to differentiate between military or civilian. They are all targets. Do you have a message for the American people? If they cherish their lives and their sons, they must elect a government that caters to their interests, not the interests of the Jews. If the present injustice continues, the battle will move to American soil. Bin Laden's words make Sufan's blood run cold. The counter-terrorism officer who called him.

7:47Lifts an eyebrow. Ali, what do you think? First he declared jihad, then the fanwa. This is the third warning. We should expect an attack soon. Shit. Nobody's taking this guy seriously in headquarters. Can you write this up in a memo? We need to circulate it as widely as possible.

8:11A few months later, Kennedy's Irish Pub and Restaurant, Midtown Manhattan. Sufan is in an Irish bar with John O 'Neill, the head of the counter-terrorism division of the FBI in New York. 20 minutes ago, Sufan was working late in the office when O 'Neill appeared beside his desk and invited him to dinner. Their server finishes jotting down their food order. All right, can I get you two anything to drink? I'll just have water, thank you. O 'Neill frowns. Are you Muslim? Yes, sir. In that case, I'll have water instead. Sophan is touched by O 'Neill's respect and fascinated by him. O 'Neill has the thick neck, slicked-back hair, and abrasive attitude of a New Jersey bruiser.

9:02Beneath his suit trousers is the outline of a Glock pistol. strapped to his ankle, but his office is filled with cut flowers and Impressionist paintings. I was impressed with the memo you wrote about bin Laden's interview. Great analysis. Thank you, sir. Tell me about yourself. You're not the typical FBI recruit. I know I wasn't sure I'd get in. And why's that? I'm an Arab American born in Lebanon. I'm a Muslim and I like books. I probably shouldn't say this, but I only applied because of a bet with my fraternity brothers.

9:37Ali Soufan:A bet? Yet you're the kind of agent we should be recruiting. Do you know how many Arabic speakers we have in the FBI? No idea. Eight. And do you know how many of those are in the New York office? The only office focused on Islamic terrorism? Sufan shakes his head. You're it. The only goddamn one. We need people who understand the language, the culture, the mindset. I mean, this guy, Bin Laden. I know he hates us, but I don't know why. What's driving him? Sufan waits for the server to put down their food, then continues. Well, it kind of goes back to 1979. What do you mean? That year was like a turning point for Islamists.

10:28There was the revolution in Iran. Egypt's treaty recognising Israel. And then the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. So the Islamic revolution in Iran gave them hope. A whole country cast off what they saw as Western imperialism and adopted Sharia law. Meanwhile, Egypt, a modern Islamic nation, was humiliated at the hands of Israel. Then an atheist superpower attacked Afghanistan and Muslims from across the world came together to help fight the infidels in a jihad of the sword Bin Laden was one of them. But why hate America? We haven't got anything to do with it. We damn well helped them beat the Soviets in Afghanistan.

11:10We installed the regime the Islamists overthrew in Iran, so there's that. But at the heart, it's because America is the world's most powerful country. It represents Western democracy and modernity. These people want to revive a medieval form of Islam. They need to show that the West is corrupt and failing. They want people to reject the modern world, to see the West as corrupt, godless, it's not a monolithic religion. There are many different schools and branches, just like Christianity. It's not just Sunni versus Shia. There are Takfiris and Wahhabis.

11:47Probably the last ones left in here. O 'Neill's been encouraging Sufarn to keep talking, but now it's 1am, and they're the only customers left. O 'Neill signals to the barman. Sorry, Martin, for holding you up. Bring the cheque.

12:06They walk out onto the warm streets, and O 'Neill throws an arm around Soufan's shoulders. Ali, next time you write an analysis, make sure you send it direct to me, okay? Yes, sir. And sorry for talking so much tonight. I hadn't realised the time. Never apologise for working. And fuck how late it is. The bad guys work non-stop. So do we. Soufan grins. He gets why O 'Neill can be a divisive figure within the FBI, but if they're to stop Al-Qaeda, that's the boss he wants.

12:42One month later, August 7th, 1998. Soufan's apartment in New York. Soufan wakes up, blearily reaching for his pager. A message flashes to call his supervisor immediately. He checks his alarm clock. It's 5.30am. Something must have happened. He leaps out of bed and grabs his phone. Yeah? It's Ali I was told to call. Two truck bombs have exploded outside our embassies in Nairobi in Dar es Salaam. Shit, who was it? I'm hoping you're going to tell me that. Get your butt into the office now.

13:24An hour later. Entering the office, Soufan is greeted with devastation being shown across multiple TV screens. Shattered buildings, bodies, bloodied people on stretches, others screaming in despair. The images take him back to his childhood during the Lebanese Civil War. The constant fear, the horrific wounds, the stench of death from beneath the rubble. He gets to work, printing out reports about the explosions. An unknown organization called the Islamic Army for the Liberation of the Holy Places is claiming responsibility. Sufan knows the list of true suspects is long, but his gut tells him this is the attack Bin Laden threatened.

14:15An hour later, Sufan and his supervisor walk into the Joint Terrorism Task Force Command Center in Manhattan. The rooms are bars with intelligence officers and police. In the middle is John O 'Neill, who waves them over. A cluster of senior FBI officers quickly surround them. Well, Ali, what are your thoughts? I think it's Al-Qaeda. Look at the language used in the statement of responsibility. Some of the lines are exactly the same as Bin Laden's previous statements. Sufan hands over two documents with highlighted passages. O 'Neill scans them and then looks to a senior FBI agent in the huddle.

14:57Kevin, you've been tracking Al-Qaeda in Nairobi. What do you think? It fits. There was a lot of activity in the lead-up to the attacks. Right. You two, do me a memo with all the evidence, quick as you can. O 'Neill turns to his senior team. And I need two teams ready to fly to Africa the moment we get approval. There's a flurry of movement as people act on his orders. Soufan hovers near O 'Neill. Sir, I'd like to volunteer to go. O 'Neill puts an arm around Soufan's shoulders. That was great analysis, Ali. And that's why I need you here. I've got agents who can collect evidence and do interviews.

15:38You're the only one who can help me piece it together. Is that OK? Suvane is disappointed, but flushed with pride that O 'Neill rates him so highly. Yes, of course.

15:59One year later, October 1999, Manchester, England. Soufan and O 'Neill are briefing British police ahead of a dawn raid on a terror suspect's flat. O 'Neill shows the room a photo of a Libyan with a neat beard and short, cropped hair. The suspect is Anas al-Libbi. He's a senior al-Qaeda operative. We believe he did surveillance on the US embassy in Nairobi ahead of the bombing.

16:29Ali Soufan:One of the policemen raises his hand. What exactly are we looking for in his flat? O 'Neill looks to Sufan, who steps forward. Notes, documents, computer disks, photos, anything that might link him to al-Qaeda or the embassy bombings. A few hours later, dawn. A residential street in Manchester. Police! Police! Show me your hands! Counter-terrorism officers burst through the front door of Al-Libby's flat. Before he can run, a policeman tackles him to the ground and handcuffs him. Anas Al-Libby, I'm arresting you on suspicion of terrorism. As Al-Libby is led outside, the other police officers search the flat.

17:15But there are no disks. photos or notes, and his computer's hard drive has been wiped clean. A policeman picks up a booklet of photocopied pages in Arabic. He bags it as evidence, hoping it's significant.

17:34A few days later, a police station in Manchester. Soufan and O 'Neill look at the large pile of items removed from Al-Libby's flat. Suvan is depressed, but O 'Neill is fuming.

17:51Ali Soufan:Fucking British. I told them, if you release him before we've had time to sort through all this crap, he's going to skip town. And I was fucking right. John, they held him as long as they could without charge. And we've got no evidence to charge him with yet. Yeah. And they were supposed to keep him under surveillance while we found that evidence. Tell me, what kind of surveillance team loses a man that quick. Who was running the op? Ray fucking Charles? He's, uh, he's had good training. Zufan picks up the photocopied booklet with pages in Arabic and leafs through them. Oh, well this is interesting.

18:27What is it? Some kind of Al-Qaeda training manual. Will it help us catch anyone? Not directly, but it tells us how they operate. O 'Neill sits on the corner of a desk. Give me an example. So it talks about them using a cell model. Members of one cell have no knowledge about any others. So if one gets arrested, they can only compromise their own, not the whole organization. Exactly. And if they're captured, they need to hold out for 48 hours. So Al-Qaeda can cover its tracks.

19:10They expect torture So are allowed to share Non-valuable intelligence to fall interrogators Into thinking they're cooperating So we never know If we're getting the truth or not You're right, this is like a CIA manual We can definitely use this for interrogations Good But those expensive plane tickets Weren't a complete fucking waste of time

19:43A year later, October 12, 2000, 11 months before 9-11. Aden, Yemen. In the city's harbor, the American naval destroyer, the USS Cole, is refueling. A young sailor on the upper deck leans over the gunwale to watch the small boats swarming around the huge ship. One is taking away the ship's rubbish. Another hands over crates of soft drinks. In a third, men are scraping barnacles off the hull. Another small boat putters towards the ship, with a red carpet covering its cargo. The two Arabs in it see the sailor watching and wave. He grins and waves back. The boat slows and turns side on, cutting its engine at the same time.

20:36It drifts in, bumping gently against the steel hull.

20:44The blast slams the sailor into the metal stairs. Pain shoots through his spine, his ears ring. Black smoke rises into the air, and he feels the ship listing sideways. Confused and disoriented, he grabs the gunnel and looks down. There's a huge hole in the side of the hull, exactly where the two waving Arabs were just seconds before.

21:12The next day, Aden Airport. Ali Sufan peers out of the small windows at the front of the military cargo plane for his first sight of Yemen. There seems to be a lot of desert and mountain ranges, but few buildings or people. He left New York last night. As soon as news broke about the bombing of the USS Cole, O 'Neill sent him out with an FBI team to investigate. Suvane's anxious about what's ahead. Following the bombing, there was a grenade attack on the British embassy in Yemen's capital, Sana 'a. He's grateful an elite FBI SWAT team has been sent with them. As the plane lands, Sufan does a double take.

21:57Military jeeps are speeding towards them filled with men in camo, holding AK-47s. The SWAT team has also noticed. Whoa, what the fuck? Are those Yemeni special forces? Sure looks like it. Why are they pointing their guns at us? The plane taxis to a stop and is quickly surrounded by a ring of Yemeni guns. Nobody moves inside the plane. The minutes tick by as they wait for what happens next. Fifteen minutes later, the plane door lowers and the US defense attaché in Yemen, who was sent to meet them, appears. Hi folks, my name is Colonel Newman. I'm trying to find out what's going on here, but the Yemenis have suggested you hand over all your weapons before you get off the plane.

22:44A SWAT team commander stands up. Sir, American sailors have been blown up and the British embassy attacked. There's no way we're handing over our weapons. The defense attaché looks even more harassed. Soufan edges his way towards him. Colonel, I speak Arabic. Perhaps I could find out what's going on. The defense attaché shrugs and lets Sufahan out of the plane. As he exits the plane, he's assaulted by the desert heat and glare. Amid the Yemeni troops, he spots an officer with a walkie-talkie and several stripes on his shoulder. He heads towards him with a friendly smile and offers the traditional Arabic greeting.

23:28Peace be upon you, and upon you be peace. It's very hot today. Are you thirsty? The officer's surprise is clear. Yeah. We have water on the plane for you and your officers, if you like. Is it American water? Yes, bottled water from America. Sufan wonders if his plan has backfired. Many Yemenis hate America. It's why the country has become a sanctuary for Al-Qaeda. But instead, the officer smiles. Yes, thank you. Sufan waves at one of his FBI colleagues on the plane. George, bring everyone some bottled water. Soon, Sufan is distributing water bottles to the soldiers who grab them, smiling their thanks.

24:21A few shove them into their pockets. The Yemeni officer notices Sufan's amusement. They are taking them home to show their families. American bottled water is a luxury. it. Sensing the tensions diffused, Sufan tackles the main problem. What's going on? Why have you surrounded our plane? For your protection. Thank you, but if someone's going to attack us, shouldn't your weapons be facing outwards, not towards us? No. This is the best way. Well, what if you lowered your weapons? I'm worried an accident will happen. I don't think any of us want that, do we? The Yemeni officer looks at Sufan for a moment.