Terrorism Close Calls Season 1 Episode 3 Cargo Plot: Bombs On The Plane

Terrorism Close Calls is a real-life investigative series that delves into some of the near-miss incidents that have been thwarted by intelligence agencies worldwide. In episode three, titled Cargo Plot: Bombs On The Plane, we see how a group of al Qaeda extremists almost managed to load an explosive device onto a passenger plane headed for the United States.

The episode starts with a quick overview of the 2010 attempt by AQAP (al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula) to bring down cargo planes carrying bombs to the US. While the plot was foiled, the episode focuses on a similar plan that was discovered a few years prior - one that could have been even more devastating. We're taken back to 2007 when, in the UK, a series of explosions went off at a nightclub and in a car parked outside. Intelligence agencies realized that these bombs were similar to ones used in a 2006 event in Tel Aviv, which was inspired by the London bombings of 2005.

In the investigation that followed, authorities discovered a group of plotters, some of whom had links to AQAP. They discovered that one member of this group had undergone flight training, which raised alarm bells. Agents soon zeroed in on the fact that the group was developing a plan to put bombs on a passenger plane flying to the United States on an undisclosed date.

The episode goes into detail about the intricate work done by investigators, who conducted surveillance on the suspects and followed their every move. We're shown how this group had a direct line to AQAP operatives and received instructions on how to go about smuggling the explosives onto the plane.

The plotters even went so far as to buy an old airplane and covertly move it to a secluded location where they could work on it in secret. They spent months taking the plane apart and then rebuilding it so that it could be used to transport their explosives undetected.

Terrorism Close Calls takes us through the painstaking work done by investigators, who tirelessly pursued the plotters while staying within the confines of legal boundaries. As the episode progresses, we're shown how intelligence officers managed to insert a mole within the group, which allowed them to stay ahead of the plotters' every move. It was revealed that the person guiding the plotters was actually an intelligence operative, which led to even more successful infiltration and busts of the ring.

Throughout the episode, we see how the plotters tried to beat the system by trying to deceive immigration authorities and airport security personnel. The group went to great lengths to ensure that the bombs avoided detection measures by making them small enough to fit within everyday electronics equipment and then stringing them together. The explosives were even vacuum-sealed in a plastic bag and disguised as a souvenir gift to further throw off authorities.

In the end, thanks to the work of intelligence agencies on a worldwide scale, the plot was uncovered, and the group of plotters was arrested before they could inflict any harm. This episode provides a heart-stopping account of just how close we came to a tragedy that, had it occurred, would have left a lasting impact on the world. It shows how intelligence gathering, international cooperation, and creative investigatory techniques are necessary to prevent acts of terrorism and maintain public safety.