Double-Agent Thwarted Al Qaeda Suicide Bombing Plot

The Takeaway

There’s a new twist in the developing story of a thwarted terrorist plot orchestrated by Al Qaeda in Yemen. The would-be suicide bomber tasked with blowing up a United States-bound airliner was actually a double agent. The CIA has not disclosed the agent’s identity, but they have revealed that he worked for Saudi Arabia’s intelligence agency.  After infiltrating the Al Qaeda’s Yemen operations and volunteering for the suicide mission, he was able to pass on along both the bomb designed for his attack as well as information about the group’s inner workings.  Scott Shane, national security correspondent for The New York Times, explains.

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