Summary
Overview
This episode examines the critical phase of the Humam al-Balawi case, where the CIA and Jordanian intelligence believed they had recruited a jihadist blogger to infiltrate al-Qaeda. After his arrest and release, Balawi travels to Pakistan's tribal areas and begins sending intelligence back to his handlers, including shocking claims of access to al-Qaeda's top leadership. The episode explores the dangerous dynamics of trust, the pressure for results in counterterrorism operations, and the warning signs that were overlooked as the case rapidly escalated to the highest levels of the U.S. government.
The Surveillance and Recruitment of Balawi
Following Balawi's interrogation and release, Jordanian intelligence officer Ali bin Zaid continued cultivating him as a potential asset. Despite Balawi's claims that his online jihadist persona was fictional, deeper investigation revealed troubling connections: he had twice attempted to join the Iraqi insurgency, tried to volunteer as a Hamas medic, and had interacted with terrorist organizations while studying in Turkey. His wife had translated hagiographies of Osama bin Laden, and they named their daughters after Palestinian militants. Bin Zaid began courting Balawi with meals and gifts, eventually proposing he work as an informant against jihadists in exchange for money.
- After his release, Balawi's phone was tapped and he was followed by Jordanian intelligence, with reports passed to the CIA
- Investigation revealed Balawi had twice tried to join the Sunni insurgency in Iraq run by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
- Balawi had attempted to raise money for the insurgency and tried to volunteer as a Hamas medic after Israel's 2008 Gaza invasion
- While studying in Turkey, Balawi became much more conservative and his wife Daphne had translated laudatory biographies of bin Laden
- The couple named their daughters after Palestinian militants, including hijacker Leila Khaled
- Ali bin Zaid began courting Balawi with meals, groceries, and boasts about GID's intelligence successes
" After you're arrested, after you spend several days in a sensory deprivation tank and after you're treated, even though, you know, I always said that he wasn't beaten during his interaction with G.I.D., I mean, you're psychologically tortured, you know, I think is is fair to say. "
Balawi's Mission to Pakistan's Tribal Areas
In February 2009, Balawi proposed traveling to Pakistan's tribal areas, where he had contacts through his Abu Dujana persona. The plan was for him to pose as a doctor wanting to establish medical clinics for the Taliban, using his online reputation as credibility. The CIA became directly involved as this became a joint operation. Balawi was given startup cash, email communication protocols, and the cryptonym 'Wolf.' He told his family he was going to Istanbul for an exam, but headed to Peshawar with his ultimate destination being the al-Qaeda-infested regions of northwest Pakistan.
- Balawi suggested traveling to Pakistan's tribal areas where he had contacts through his Abu Dujana online persona
- His cover story would be establishing medical clinics to treat Taliban fighters, which provided valuable access
- The case transitioned from purely Jordanian to a joint CIA-GID operation run out of the Counterterrorism Center
- Balawi was given the cryptonym 'Wolf' inside CTC and provided with startup cash but no sophisticated spy gear
- The Pakistanis were not informed about sending Balawi into Pakistan due to penetration concerns
" But the financial motivation here probably bears some discussion because, you know, again, hindsight is 2020 here. But you've got to wonder, I mean, this guy who's driving around a banged up Ford Escort, who's a refugee doctor who's made decisions throughout his life to not accrue material wealth, is all of a sudden put in a position where, you know, it seems like the sort of leverage or the benefit he might gain is money for working with the G.I.D. "
" You can see from bin Zayd's perspective why this is appealing and makes some sense. One of the problems is it's tempting to look at this story in hindsight of what he ends up doing, but at this point you probably if you're bin Zayd in the Jordan you think well we got what have we got to lose? He's expendable, isn't he? He's expendable. "
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