Agent Storm: My Life Inside al-Qaeda (63 page)

posted photos:
These can still be viewed on one of her social media profiles.

spymaster, ‘M’:
Piers Brendon, ‘The spymaster who was stranger than fiction’,
Independent
, 29 October 1999.

approving the assassination:
Scott Shane, ‘U.S. Approves Targeted Killing of American Cleric’,
The New York Times
, 6 April 2010. Shane reported: ‘ “The danger Awlaki poses to this country is no longer confined to words,” said an American official, who like other current and former officials interviewed for this article spoke of the classified counterterrorism measures on the condition of anonymity. “He’s gotten involved in plots.”

       ‘The official added: “The United States works, exactly as the American people expect, to overcome threats to their security, and this individual – through his own actions – has become one. Awlaki knows what he’s done, and he knows he won’t be met with handshakes and flowers. None of this should surprise anyone.” ’

‘Never is a man alone … with them’:
As narrated by the scholar Muhammad ibn Isa al-Tirmidhi and classed as an authentic
hadith
by Sheikh Muhammad Nasir ud deen al-Albaani in
Saheeh al-Tirmidhi
.

19. A New Cover

downloading instructions from
Inspire
:
Vikram Dodd, ‘Jihadist gang jailed for plot to bomb EDL rally’,
Guardian
, 10 June 2013.

three others I knew:
The others I knew convicted of the plot were Zohaib Ahmed, Mohammed Hasseen and Omar Khan. For details on the plot, see ‘Six admit planning to bomb English Defence League Rally’, BBC, 30 April 2013.

established that Geele:
Paul Cruickshank, ‘Al Shabaab: a looming threat’, CNN, 5 October 2011.

In January 2010 … reach him:
Ibid.; Marie Louise Sjølie, ‘The Danish cartoonist who survived an axe attack’,
Guardian
, 4 January 2010.

When the police … into custody:
Ibid.

suicide bombers affiliated … seventy people:
‘Somali militants “behind” Kampala World Cup blast’, BBC, 12 July 2010.

Many … were Kenyan:
Letter dated 18 July 2011 from the Chairman of the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 751 (1992) and 1907 (2009) concerning Somalia and Eritrea addressed to the President of the Security Council.

received a summons:
For more see Orla Borg, Carsten Ellegaard and Morten Pihl, ‘Briten der skulle være Storms makker’,
Jyllands-Posten
, 14 January 2013.

A Tunisian … al-Qaeda operatives:
See Paul Cruickshank, ‘Four convicted in Scandinavian “Mumbai-style” terror plot’, CNN, 4 June 2012.

The suspected Swedish-Yemeni … headed to Yemen:
Confirmed by Paul Cruickshank, conversation with European counter-terrorism source, 2013.

A man plotting carnage … No one else was hurt:
Per Nyberg, ‘Sweden bomb went off early, authorities say’, CNN, 13 December 2010; Paul Cruickshank, Tim Lister and Per Nyberg, ‘The last days of a suicide bomber’, CNN, 9 December 2011.

exception of Nasserdine Menni:
‘Nasserdine Menni jailed for seven years for funding Stockholm bomb attack’, BBC, 27 August 2012.

20. Target Awlaki

Awlaki was rapidly … deadly cargo:
Mark Mazetti and Robert F. Worth, ‘U.S. Sees Complexity of Bombs as Linked to Al Qaeda’,
The New York Times
, 30 October 2010; Paul Cruickshank, Nic Robertson and Ken Shiffman, ‘How safe is the cargo on passenger flights?’, CNN, 19 February 2012.

addressed the American public:
‘At this stage, the American people should know that the counterterrorism professionals are taking this threat very seriously and are taking all necessary and prudent steps to ensure our security,’ the President said. ‘Going forward, we will continue to strengthen our cooperation with the Yemeni government to disrupt plotting by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and to destroy this al Qaeda affiliate’: President Obama’s Statement on Security Alert, 29 October 2010, 4.22 p.m. EDT,
whitehouse.gov
.

Al-Asiri had concealed … a plane:
For a broader look at the growing sophistication of AQAP’s bomb-making, see Paul Cruickshank, Tim Lister and Nic Robertson, ‘Al Qaeda’s bomb-makers evolve, adapt and continue to plot’, CNN, 8 May 2012.

asked Rajib Karim:
See Andrew Carey and Paul Cruickshank, ‘“Terror Planning” by Muslim cleric al Awlaki described in UK trial’, CNN, 1 February 2011; Opening Note,
The Queen v. Rajib Karim
, Woolwich Crown Court.

‘not only helped plan …’:
Letter from US Attorney General Eric H. Holder to US Senator Patrick Leahy, 22 May 2013,
http://www.justice.gov/ag/AG-letter-5–22–13.pdf
.

sermons on their iPods:
See Kiran Khalid, ‘Confessed bomb plotter takes stand in NYC subway terror trial’, CNN, 17 April 2012.

Another devotee:
Scott Shane and Mark Mazzetti, ‘Time Sq. Suspect Drew Inspiration from Radical Cleric’,
The New York Times
, 6 May 2010.

‘How to Build a Bomb …’:
See Paul Cruickshank and Tim Lister, ‘From the grave, the cleric inspiring a new generation of terrorists’, CNN, 24 April 2013.

al-Qaeda began to take advantage:
For an overview of AQAP’s expansion in southern Yemen, see Andrew Michaels and Sakhr Ayyash, ‘AQAP’s Resilience in Yemen’, Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, 24 September 2013.

US military drones … locked on:
See Barbara Starr, ‘Al-Awlaki targeted in Yemen’, CNN, 6 May 2011.

US intelligence believed … nearby village:
Margaret Coker, Adam Entous and Julian E. Barnes, ‘Drone Targets Yemeni Cleric’,
Wall Street Journal
, 7 May 2011.

Awlaki told a comrade:
Shaykh Harith al Nadari recounted Awlaki describing the near miss to him and others in ‘My Story with Al Alwaki’, AQAP’s
Inspire
magazine, issue 9, May 2012.

The car had accelerated … Awlaki’s group:
Coker, Entous and Barnes, ‘Drone Targets Yemeni Cleric’.

The swap … brothers instantly:
Ibid.

‘Something of fear befalls you …’:
Shaykh Harith al Nadari, ‘My Story with Al Alwaki’.

clashes erupted:
Adam Barron, ‘Chaos swirls in Yemen’s capital as rivals clash’,
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, 25 May 2011.

planted in a mosque:
Robert F. Worth and Laura Kasinof, ‘Yemeni President Wounded in Palace Attack’,
The New York Times
, 3 June 2011.

‘Please find a new courier’:
This is my recollection. I do not have a saved copy of this email.

khat-filled cheeks:
On the importance of khat in Yemen, see Jeffrey Fleishman, ‘In Yemen, chewing khat offers ritual and repose’,
Los Angeles Times
, 5 January 2013.

Warsame took … Somali fighters:
Indictment:
USA v. Ahmed Abdulkadir Warsame
, unsealed 30 June 2011; ‘Guilty Plea Unsealed in New York Involving Ahmed Warsame’, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York, 25 March 2013.

took him into custody:
Warsame was also accused of weapons offences; conspiracy to teach and demonstrate explosive-making; and receiving military training from AQAP. He pleaded guilty and cooperated with the authorities. See Benjamin Weiser, ‘Terrorist Has Cooperated with US since Secret Guilty Plea in 2011, Papers Show’,
The New York Times
, 25 March 2013.

21. A Long Hot Summer

Khan had been born:
Khan was radicalized while living in Queens, New York, then moved to North Carolina, where from his parents’ basement he ran a jihadist blog using catchy graphics that became a prototype for
Inspire
. See Paul Cruickshank, ‘U.S. citizen believed to be writing for al Qaeda website’, CNN, 19 July 2010.

Khan met with the Nigerian … bomb plot:
US Government’s Sentencing Memorandum, US District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, filed 10 February 2012; Paul Cruickshank interview with US intelligence source, 2013.

‘The use of poisons’:
AQAP’s
Inspire
magazine, issue 8, Fall 2011.

found the
New York Times
article:
Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker, ‘Qaeda Trying to Harness Toxins for Bombs, U.S. Officials Fear’,
The New York Times
, 12 August 2011

text from my contact in Sana’a:
This is my recollection. I do not have a saved copy of this text exchange.

Early that day … just twenty-four:
Mark Mazzetti, Charlie Savage and Scott Shane, ‘How a U.S. Citizen Came to Be in America’s Cross Hairs’,
The New York Times
, 9 March 2013; ‘U.S. officials warn of possible retaliation after al Qaeda cleric is killed’, CNN, 30 September 2011.

‘I don’t believe it’ … ‘No – it’s true’:
This is my recollection. I do not have a saved copy of this text exchange.

leader of external operations:
Letter from the US Attorney General, Eric H. Holder, to US Senator Patrick Leahy, 22 May 2013,
http://www.justice.gov/ag/AG-letter-5–22–13.pdf
.

President Obama announced:
Remarks by the President at the ‘Change of Office’, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Ceremony, Office of the Press Secretary, White House, 30 September 2011.

22. Breaking with Big Brother

‘I’m so sorry …’:
This is my recollection. I do not have a saved copy of this text.

‘Tell Jed …’:
This is my recollection. I do not have a saved copy of this text.

Sunday Telegraph
:
Adam Baron, Majid al-Kibsi, Colin Freeman and Sean Rayment, ‘How America finally caught up with Anwar al-Awlaki’,
Sunday Telegraph
, 2 October 2011.

‘He’s just sitting there and lying’:
I do not have this on tape. I stopped the recording after the end of the conversation with Michael.

23. Back in the Ring

Al-Qaeda in Yemen had become:
For details on the merger, see Thomas Hegghammer, ‘Saudi and Yemeni Branches of al Qaeda Unite’, 24 January 2009, at Jihadica,
http://www.jihadica.com/saudi-and-yemeni-branches-of-al-qaida-unite/
. On the group’s expansion, see Sudarsan Raghavan ‘Al Qaeda group in Yemen gaining prominence’,
Washington Post
, 28 December 2009.

A confidant of Osama bin Laden … leadership of the group:
Paul Cruickshank, ‘Terror warning may be linked to choice of al Qaeda chief deputy’, CNN, 3 August 2013; Eli Lake, ‘Meet al Qaeda’s New General Manager’,
Daily Beast
, 9 August 2013; bin Laden letter to Atiyya Abdul Rahman, 27 August 2010, Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, Harmony Documents: SOCOM-2012-0000003 Trans.

By late 2011 … as possible:
See Christopher Swift, ‘Arc of Covergence: AQAP, Ansar al-Shari’a and the Struggle for Yemen’, Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, 21 June 2012.

24. The Lion’s Den

attack on … a senior British diplomat:
This appears to have been the attack Hartaba was referring to: Richard Spencer, ‘Britain’s deputy ambassador to Yemen survives mortar attack’,
Daily Telegraph
, 6 October 2010.