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The Spy Who

The Spy Who Almost Stopped 9/11 | A US Military Interrogator on Getting Terrorists to Talk | 4

September 08, 2026 • 38m

Summary

⏱️ 9 min read

Overview

Charlie Higson interviews Tony Camerino, a former Air Force helicopter pilot turned special agent and military interrogator who worked alongside Ali Soufan. Camerino discusses his experiences conducting over 1,300 interrogations in Iraq, his vocal opposition to torture and enhanced interrogation techniques, and how rapport-based methods led to finding Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. He critiques the failure of American leadership to maintain moral standards post-9/11, particularly after Abu Ghraib, and shares how treating detainees humanely proved far more effective than coercion in obtaining actionable intelligence.

From Helicopter Pilot to Special Agent

Tony Camerino's unconventional career began as an Air Force helicopter pilot flying dangerous special operations missions before transitioning to criminal investigations. After being grounded due to a heart condition, he sought a recommendation from a four-star general to join the Office of Special Investigations despite being technically too old for the position. This career change would prove fortuitous, as he graduated from the OSI training academy the very week of September 11th, 2001, setting the stage for his future role in the war on terror.

  • Joined Air Force in 1992-93 on ROTC scholarship, initially flying KC-135 refueling tankers
  • Switched to special operations helicopters, which he describes as far more dangerous than being a special agent
  • Grounded due to tachycardia heart condition, forcing career change
  • Transferred to Office of Special Investigations with recommendation from four-star Inspector General
  • OSI functions like the FBI for the military, handling felony criminal investigations and counterintelligence
" Special agents, by far the safer job. Helicopter, not just helicopters but special ops helicopters in particular, Air Force special ops helicopters MH-53s when I was flying was quite quite hazardous job. "

The Impact of 9/11 on Military Intelligence

Camerino was at the OSI training academy at Andrews Air Force Base on September 11th, watching smoke rise from the Pentagon while desperately trying to reach a friend working there. The attacks fundamentally transformed the mission of military intelligence agencies, shifting resources from criminal investigations to counterterrorism. For Camerino personally, it marked an inflection point as he prepared to enter a field that would soon be consumed by the response to terrorism, though he couldn't have known the moral complexities he would soon face.

  • Was at OSI training academy during 9/11 attacks, could see smoke from Pentagon
  • Had a friend working in the Pentagon whose office was being renovated, saving his life
  • Remembered visiting top of World Trade Center in 1995 and being amazed by the structure
  • Mission shifted dramatically from criminal investigations to counterintelligence and counterterrorism

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