“The Perfect Terrorist” Investigation Debuts Tomorrow
ProPublica and PBS FRONTLINE will publish the results of a months-long investigation into how David Coleman Headley worked as a spy for the Pakistan’s intelligence service while planning the 2008 Mumbai attack for the terrorist organization.
Tomorrow, ProPublica and PBS FRONTLINE will publish the results of a months-long investigation into how David Coleman Headley worked as a spy for the Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI) while planning the 2008 Mumbai attack for the terrorist organization Lashkar-i-Taiba. In spite of this information, Pakistan has not arrested an ISI officer or other accused masterminds of the Mumbai plot who have been indicted by the U.S. Six Americans were among the 166 people killed in the three-day siege.
In a preview interview today, Fresh Air’s Terry Gross talks to ProPublica’s Sebastian Rotella about the investigation. They will discuss Headley’s role as an informant for the DEA, how U.S. intelligence agencies and law enforcement officials responded to repeated warnings about Headley’s activities and ultimately, as some Indian officials believe, whether Headley was a double agent.
Interviews with Rotella and/or FRONTLINE producer Tom Jennings will also air on the Bob Edwards Show The Takeaway and The World tomorrow. Jennings and Rotella will also participate in a chat on Wednesday at 11 a.m. Eastern to answer any questions you may have about the reports.
The investigation will be published on our website tomorrow morning, and the PBS FRONTLINE episode will air tomorrow night. You can watch a preview below and check here for your local listings.
The Mumbai terror attacks have revealed evidence of the extent of the ties of Pakistani intelligence to terrorist groups and the flaws in the U.S fight against Pakistan-based terror.
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4 comments
Kumar Swami
Nov. 22, 2011, 2:06 a.m.
What Indian media could not do it at their home, Propublica has done it! Thanks to Sebsatian Rotella for exposing Pakistan’s double standards and double game. Pakistan is the biggest threat to World peace because of its unflinching support to Islamic terrorism. The sooner USA understands the real intent of Pakistan, better it is because there is no point in feeding the snake that bites the hand.
Habnix
Nov. 22, 2011, 7 a.m.
The Perfect Terrorist are MainstreamMedien.
Chl
Nov. 23, 2011, 4:05 a.m.
In the end it was a bit disappointing. It was like focussing on John Walker Lindh, the American Taliban, because he was, well, American, instead of shining more of the light on the Taliban and their barbaric actions and the serious threat that they posed beyond their arid domains. Likewise, the real story here is the state sponsorship of terrorism on an unprecedented scale by Pakistan. That a country that possesses nuclear weapons can be this reckless and callous in employing violent terrorism as state policy is very scary. Sajid Mir and Major Iqbal and the forces that they front are the real meat of this story; which, unfortunately, was made peripheral to the more flashy David Headley.
Chl
Nov. 23, 2011, 4:12 a.m.
Kumar Swami, echo your comments about the pathetic Indian media (and the equally pathetic government that they shill for). Mr. Rotella’s and ProPublica’s admirable role in shining light on this tragedy is a study in contrast on how to conduct journalism right.
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