Could the '08 Mumbai Attack Have Been Prevented? (American Terrorist) (full documentary) | FRONTLINE

FRONTLINE PBS | Official・2 minutes read

Edward Snowden exposed the NSA's mass surveillance program, sparking a debate, while David Headley's connection to Pakistani terrorists and planning of major attacks, including involvement in the Mumbai attacks, highlighted failures in intelligence agencies' detection and prevention of terrorist activities.

Insights

David Headley's intricate involvement in planning the Mumbai attacks, including detailed reconnaissance and strategic coordination with terror groups, showcases the complexity and depth of modern terrorist operations, highlighting the challenges intelligence agencies face in detecting and preventing such sophisticated plots.
The inefficacy of the NSA's mass surveillance program, as revealed by the White House panel post-Snowden, raises concerns about the program's actual impact on national security, with duplicated information and missed opportunities to identify imminent threats like Headley's activities, indicating a need for more targeted and effective surveillance methods.

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Who exposed the NSA's secret mass surveillance program?
Edward Snowden

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Summary

00:00

"Edward Snowden and David Headley: Espionage and Terrorism"

Edward Snowden exposed the NSA's secret mass surveillance program, sparking a debate on its morality.
David Headley, an American recruited by Pakistani terrorists, planned a major attack, resulting in many deaths.
Headley's shadowy life and high-tech spying methods were uncovered in a draft memoir.
Headley cased Copenhagen, planning an attack on a newspaper that published controversial cartoons.
Headley's reconnaissance was sponsored by a notorious terrorist, and he worked for Al-Qaeda.
Western intelligence began monitoring Headley's movements, leading to his arrest in Chicago.
Headley confessed to planning the Mumbai attack, where he played a key role in the deadly siege.
Headley cooperated with prosecutors, revealing his ties to Pakistani intelligence and terror groups.
Headley's background as Dud Galani, born in the US to a Pakistani father and American mother, was explored.
Dud Galani's troubled past, including drug smuggling and addiction, hinted at his path towards terrorism.

19:19

Galani's Double Life: From Informant to Extremist

Galani cooperated with the DEA, leading to reduced sentences for his partners but only served four years himself.
After moving to New York, Galani was arrested again for drug smuggling, prompting a life-changing event.
Galani wrote a draft Memoir during his second prison term, rediscovering his Islamic roots and seeking redemption.
He aimed to cooperate with the DEA as an informant to secure his release, showing intelligence and clarity in his intentions.
Galani's role was to set up sources in Pakistan for the DEA, traveling there multiple times to prove his credibility.
During his trips, Galani connected with Lashar EBA, a militant Islamic group, and was influenced by their leader's call to action.
Despite living in New York and owning a video store, Galani's life was in flux as he immersed himself in radical Islam.
Galani's cooperation with the DEA shifted to gathering intelligence on terrorists, but his conflicting views raised suspicions.
FBI questioning led to doubts about Galani's extremist leanings, but he managed to deflect allegations by emphasizing his DEA ties.
Galani's involvement with Lashar deepened, leading to training in military tactics and espionage, positioning him for a significant mission in Mumbai.

38:04

Terror plot at Taj Hotel foiled

Sajid Meir planned an attack on the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, where David Headley stayed during his reconnaissance trips in 2006, leaving digital clues through credit card charges.
Headley maintained multiple email addresses to communicate with Lashkar and ISI, including exchanging emails with Tahur Rana about potential targets like India's Hindu nationalist party Shiv Sena.
Headley befriended Raja Reggie to gain access to Shiv Sena's headquarters, aiming to use Reggie for espionage and terrorism, even proposing an assassination plot.
Despite Headley's suspicious communications and activities, intelligence agencies failed to notice his growing involvement with Lashkar and ISI, missing crucial warnings from his wife, Fisa, about his extremist ties.
US intelligence agencies picked up chatter about a potential Lashkar threat to Mumbai, leading to a warning issued by Indian police listing the Taj Hotel as a possible target, but security measures remained limited.
Headley's reconnaissance reports emboldened Lashkar to expand the attack plan from a small-scale hit to a 10-person, multiple-target assault, including hijacking an Indian fishing boat to reach Mumbai.
Headley meticulously scouted Mumbai for attack locations, using GPS coordinates to map out strategic landing sites, targeting the Taj Mahal Hotel, Leopold Cafe, Oberoi Hotel, and a busy rail station.
Major Iqbal instructed Headley to film the Taj Hotel lobby and pinpoint Nariman House as a target, emphasizing the global Jihad against Jews and Americans, with Headley taking risks to gather information.
Lashkar's Communications Chief, Zarrar Shah, set up a communication system for the attackers in Mumbai using Voiceover Internet Protocol (VIIP), unaware that Western intelligence agencies were monitoring his online activities.
The Mumbai attack on November 26, 2008, orchestrated from a control room in Karachi, resulted in a well-coordinated assault across Mumbai, with hostages taken at various locations, including the Jewish Community Center, Kabad House, leading to a 3-day siege and eventual Indian Commando intervention.

58:53

British spies monitor Mumbai attack in real-time.

British spies could spy on the Mumbai attack control room in real-time.
GCHQ could access Sha's electronic communications during the attack.
Sha's computer provided a direct line for Sajid Mir to the attackers at kabad house.
The Mumbai attacks resulted in 166 deaths of various nationalities and religions.
GCHQ shared pre-attack data on Sha with US officials and Indian intelligence.
GCHQ considered their operation a success despite the Mumbai attacks still occurring.
David Coleman Headley, involved in the attacks, remained unnoticed by international intelligence.
Headley communicated about the attacks through emails and chats, boasting about inside details.
Despite numerous signs of Headley's danger, he remained undetected by intelligence agencies.
Headley's failed plot in Denmark led to his arrest, connecting him to Al-Qaeda and the Mumbai attacks.

01:19:38

NSA phone search raises doubts on effectiveness

After the Snowden Revelations, a White House panel led by David Medine examined the NSA's search of telephone records in the Headley case, revealing that the information provided to the FBI duplicated what they already had, leading to questions about the program's effectiveness in identifying or stopping threats.

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